USPTO Suspends Attorney-Sponsored Accounts Connected to Foreign Sponsorship Scam

Earlier this week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) suspended the sponsored accounts of two U.S. attorneys who loaned their name and bar credentials to an Indian law firm so they could file trademark submissions in violation of USPTO rules. The Indian firm used the names of the American attorneys to pose as U.S.-based attorneys and represent clients in trademark registration. The accounts were suspended for violating the Trademark Verified Account Agreement. The USPTO removed the attorneys’ authorization to sponsor attorney support staff accounts on the USPTO.gov system. The USPTO sent the two attorneys, Julian Haffner of YK Law and Grace Lee Huang of Meritech Law, letters in September notifying them of the violations and resulting suspension.Read More