Amid Shake-Ups, USPTO Gets New Acting Deputy Director

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has a new acting deputy director, with former chief adviser Will Covey taking over the role at a tumultuous time for the agency and federal government at large.

Will Covey

Covey stepped into the position on Wednesday after it was vacated by Shirin Bidel-Niyat, who had taken over the role in an acting capacity in December, when leadership at USPTO was shaken up by the departure of former Director Kathi Vidal.

A longtime USPTO employee, Covey becomes acting deputy director at a time of significant change for agencies across the federal government, given the Trump administration's focus on slashing the federal workforce and issuing return-to-work orders, among other initiatives.

Until taking over the acting deputy role, Covey had been the chief adviser to the USPTO director, according to his profile on the USPTO's website. His service at the agency dates back to 2000, before which he worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, the profile says.

In his time at the agency, he's been acting general counsel and deputy general counsel in the Office of General Law, according to the profile. Covey's work involved overseeing the government's role in notable litigation, such as the U.S. Supreme Court's 2014 decision on patent eligibility in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International , which found that computer implementations of abstract ideas are not patent-eligible. He was also director of the agency's Office of Enrollment and Discipline, overseeing an office that looks to ensure the competency of patent attorneys practicing in front of the agency.

Covey also served in the U.S. Army, having completed combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the profile.

The personnel news follows Law360 reporting indicating that John A. Squires, Goldman Sachs' longtime chief intellectual property counsel, co-founder of Fortress' IP Investment fund and current Dilworth Paxson LLP partner, is likely going to be the Trump administration's nominee for USPTO director. If selected and confirmed, he would serve under Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who was recently approved by the U.S. Senate after being nominated by President Donald Trump.

The current acting director is Coke Morgan Stewart, who had recently been senior counsel at O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

A USPTO spokesperson declined to comment.

 Source:LAW 360