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<div>That was my question -- obviously you wouldn't be filing it at all
without the client's authorization (even if you don't yet have a signed
Power of Attorney). Why would you not sign as "agent" as a matter of
course? My usual approach to practicing law is to de-hassle the client as much as possible. Why require the client to sign a PCT Request?<br></div><div><br></div><div>
<div></div><div>In the Treaty itself, there's no definition of who can and can't be "agent".</div><div><br></div><div>In
the Regulations, Rule 90 is the main rule about "agent." I don't see
anything there (or in any of the other Rules) that scares me about signing as "agent."<br></div><div><br></div><div>So
my question -- why the hesitancy to sign as "agent?" (This isn't a
trademark where signing puts you at some liability.) Am I missing
something?</div></div>
</div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, May 21, 2024 at 1:02 PM Scott Nielson via Pct <<a href="mailto:pct@oppedahl-lists.com">pct@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg-3410244055144942950">
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<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Thanks Damon and Michael for confirming that removing the AOC will not change the status of the agent.</div>
<blockquote style="margin-left:0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left:3px solid rgb(200,200,200)">
<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
I'm not sure that I understand your second question - my understanding is that if you are a non-agent correspondent then the Applicant must sign the request. If you have authority to act on behalf of the applicant as the agent, you can sign on behalf of the
client, or the applicant can sign for itself as well as for a correspondence. </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
In the second situation, you are correct that I would be a non-agent correspondent, which means the applicant must sign the request. However, if the applicant authorizes me to sign the request on behalf of the applicant, then I can just do that instead of sending
it off to the client to sign it. This seems like a simpler solution than filing with an AOC.</div>
<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
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<p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;color:black">801-660-4400</span></p>
</div>
<div id="m_-3410244055144942950appendonsend"></div>
<div style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
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<hr style="display:inline-block;width:98%">
<div id="m_-3410244055144942950divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b>From:</b> Pct <<a href="mailto:pct-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com" target="_blank">pct-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> on behalf of Michael Johnson via Pct <<a href="mailto:pct@oppedahl-lists.com" target="_blank">pct@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 21, 2024 10:00 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> For users of the PCT and ePCT. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <<a href="mailto:pct@oppedahl-lists.com" target="_blank">pct@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Michael Johnson <<a href="mailto:mjohnson@synergypatents.com" target="_blank">mjohnson@synergypatents.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Pct] Applicant of Convenience Question</span>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">Hi Scott, I have a similar situation - applicant/inventors are all European.</div>
<div style="direction:ltr"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">In the past, I used a work-around with a US sub of the European applicant, which was a PITA for both me and my client, but we've now switched to AOC for current filings.</div>
<div style="direction:ltr"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">In removing the AOC from the Applicant list, I believe nothing should happen to your status as agent (apart from losing access to the e-record through WIPO for a period of time, which I'm waiting to clear right now). I filed a 92bis
change request last week and should soon have access to the record again.</div>
<div style="direction:ltr"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">I'm not sure that I understand your second question - my understanding is that if you are a non-agent correspondent then the Applicant must sign the request. If you have authority to act on behalf of the applicant as the agent,
you can sign on behalf of the client, or the applicant can sign for itself as well as for a correspondence. Personally, it can be challenging to get the client to engage in ... meaningful timeframes, and I fear that if I pushed e-sign requirements on to them
(not mention even getting access), many weeks would pass without any movement. You may have have clients with more responsive stakeholders....</div>
<div style="direction:ltr"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">I haven't filed for an applicant merely as correspondent, so I'm not sure about what that path entails.</div>
<div style="direction:ltr"><br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">Michael</div>
<br>
<div style="direction:ltr">On Mon, May 20, 2024 at 6:04 PM Scott Nielson via Pct <<a href="mailto:pct@oppedahl-lists.com" id="m_-3410244055144942950OWA81a0f666-6f74-7dfd-e849-d3cb08c1f65e" target="_blank">pct@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:</div>
<blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204)">
<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Situation: the main applicant is a European entity and the inventors are also in Europe. I understand that I can list an applicant of convenience (AOC) and sign the PCT request as the agent. Getting signatures from the applicant is difficult (yes, I know ePCT
makes it easy, but assume this is not an option).</div>
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<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Question: what happens to my status as agent when the AOC is removed via a rule 92bis request? Can I still be the agent? I could not find an answer in the PCT Applicant's Guide</div>
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<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Alternative procedure—sign on behalf of the applicant. The PCT Applicant's Guide says that I can list myself as the correspondence address for the application (Section 5.051). The PCT Applicant's Guide also envisions the possibility that the person who signs
the request can be the same as the person who is listed for the correspondence address (Section 5.047). In this case, the person who signs for the applicant is technically not the "Agent" within the meaning of the PCT, but is able to sign on behalf of the
applicant and receive all correspondence related to the application. </div>
<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
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<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
This seems much easier than the AOC procedure. I've already read the experience of at least one person who does this regularly, although this person adds "for and on behalf of the Applicant" in the signature when signing for the applicant.</div>
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<div style="direction:ltr;font-family:"Aptos Serif",Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Does anyone have an answer to the question I posed and/or thoughts about the alternative procedure? I'm leaning towards going with the alternative procedure, but I'm open to thoughts.</div>
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