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`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`Consolidated Trial Practice Guide
`November 2019
`
`Amneal v. Cubist
`IPR2020-00193
`Cubist Ex. 2006
`
`

`

`
`
`TRIAL PRACTICE GUIDE
`
`NOVEMBER 2019 EDITION
`
`Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
`
`Background ........................................................................................................................... 2
`
`Statutory Requirements ......................................................................................................... 3
`
`General Overview of Proceedings ........................................................................................ 5
`
`Sequence of discovery ...................................................................................................... 7
`
`Sequence of filing responses and motions ........................................................................ 8
`
`Summary of the Rules ........................................................................................................... 8
`
`I. General Procedures ........................................................................................................ 8
`
`A. Jurisdiction and Management of the Record ............................................................... 8
`
`1. Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................... 8
`
`2. Prohibition on Ex Parte Communications. .............................................................. 9
`
`Arranging a conference call with the Board ................................................................. 9
`
`Refusal to participate .................................................................................................. 10
`
`B. Counsel ...................................................................................................................... 10
`
`Need for lead and back-up counsel ............................................................................. 10
`
`Power of attorney ........................................................................................................ 10
`
`Pro hac vice ................................................................................................................. 11
`
`C. Electronic Filing ........................................................................................................ 11
`
`D. Mandatory Notices .................................................................................................... 12
`
`i
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`
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`1. Real Party-in-Interest or Privy ................................................................................ 12
`
`2. Related Matters ...................................................................................................... 18
`
`3. Identification of service information. .................................................................... 18
`
`E. Public Availability and Confidentiality ..................................................................... 19
`
`1. Public availability .................................................................................................. 19
`
`2. Confidential information ........................................................................................ 19
`
`3. Motion to seal ........................................................................................................ 19
`
`4. Protective orders .................................................................................................... 19
`
`5. Confidential information in a petition .................................................................... 20
`
`6. Expungement of confidential information ............................................................. 21
`
`7. Derivation .............................................................................................................. 22
`
`F. Discovery ................................................................................................................... 22
`
`1. Routine discovery .................................................................................................. 23
`
`(a) Inconsistent statements ...................................................................................... 23
`
`(b) Witness expenses............................................................................................... 23
`
`(c) Document Translation ....................................................................................... 24
`
`2. Additional discovery .............................................................................................. 24
`
`3. Compelled testimony ............................................................................................. 29
`
`4. Mandatory Initial Disclosures ................................................................................ 29
`
`5. Live testimony ....................................................................................................... 31
`
`6. Times and locations for witness cross-examination .............................................. 32
`
`7. E-discovery ............................................................................................................ 33
`
`G. Expert Testimony ...................................................................................................... 34
`
`ii
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`
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`II. Petitions and Motions Practice .................................................................................. 37
`
`A. General Motions Practice Information ...................................................................... 37
`
`1. Motions practice..................................................................................................... 37
`
`2. Prior authorization ................................................................................................. 37
`
`3. Word Count and Page Limits ................................................................................. 38
`
`4. Testimony Must Disclose Underlying Facts or Data ............................................. 40
`
`5. Tests and Data ........................................................................................................ 41
`
`6. Objective Indicia of Nonobviousness .................................................................... 41
`
`B. Petition ...................................................................................................................... 41
`
`1. Filing date – Minimum Procedural Compliance. ................................................... 41
`
`2. Burden of Proof for Statutory Institution Thresholds ............................................ 42
`
`3. Specific Requirements for Petition ........................................................................ 42
`
`4. Covered Business Method/Technological Invention ............................................. 42
`
`5. Claim Charts .......................................................................................................... 44
`
`6. Claim Construction ................................................................................................ 44
`
`C. Patent Owner Preliminary Response ......................................................................... 49
`
`D. Institution of Trial ..................................................................................................... 53
`
`1. Statutory Threshold Standards ............................................................................... 53
`
`2. Considerations in Instituting a Review .................................................................. 55
`
`35 U.S.C. §§ 314(a), 324(a) .................................................................................... 55
`
`Parallel Petitions Challenging the Same Patent. ..................................................... 59
`
`35 U.S.C. § 325(d). ................................................................................................. 61
`
`3. Content of Decision on Whether to Institute ......................................................... 64
`iii
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`4. Scheduling Order ................................................................................................... 65
`
`E. Initial Conference Call (One Month after Instituting Trial, if Requested) ................ 65
`
`F. Patent Owner Response ............................................................................................. 65
`
`G. Motions to Amend .................................................................................................... 66
`
`1. IPR, PGR, and CBM Amendments........................................................................ 66
`
`Motion to Amend ........................................................................................................ 66
`
`Motion to Amend Practice .......................................................................................... 67
`
`Due Date ..................................................................................................................... 67
`
`Evidentiary Standards ................................................................................................. 67
`
`Contents of Motion to Amend .................................................................................... 69
`
`Claim Construction ..................................................................................................... 70
`
`2. Amendments in Derivation Proceedings ............................................................... 70
`
`3. General Practice Tips on Amendments.................................................................. 71
`
`H. Opposition to a Motion to Amend ............................................................................ 72
`
`I. Reply to Patent Owner Response and Reply to Petitioner Opposition to a Motion to
`
`Amend; Sur-replies ......................................................................................................... 73
`
`J. Other Motions............................................................................................................. 75
`
`Motions for Joinder. .................................................................................................... 76
`
`K. Challenging Admissibility; Motions to Exclude; Motions to Strike......................... 78
`
`Motions to Exclude ..................................................................................................... 79
`
`Motions to Strike......................................................................................................... 80
`
`L. [DELETED] .............................................................................................................. 81
`
`iv
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`M. Oral Hearing ............................................................................................................. 81
`
`Special equipment or needs ........................................................................................ 83
`
`Demonstrative exhibits ............................................................................................... 84
`
`Live testimony ............................................................................................................ 85
`
`No new evidence and arguments ................................................................................ 85
`
`N. Settlement.................................................................................................................. 86
`
`O. Final Decision ........................................................................................................... 86
`
`Remands. ..................................................................................................................... 87
`
`P. Rehearing Requests ................................................................................................... 90
`
`APPENDIX A-1: Sample Scheduling Order for Inter partes Review, Post-Grant
`
`Review, and Covered Business Method Patents Review (based on the trial rules). ....... 91
`
`APPENDIX A-2: Sample Scheduling Order for Derivation Proceedings ...................... 99
`
`APPENDIX B: Protective Order Guidelines (based on the trial rules) ........................ 107
`
`APPENDIX C: Model Order Regarding E-Discovery in Trials Before The Patent Trial
`
`and Appeal Board ............................................................................................................... 123
`
`APPENDIX D: Testimony Guidelines ............................................................................. 127
`
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`v
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`
`Introduction
`
`This consolidated Office Patent Trial Practice Guide (“Practice Guide”) incorporates the
`
`updates from August 2018 and July 2019 into the original August 2012 Practice Guide.
`
`
`
`In August 2012, the Office published the Practice Guide, concurrent with the promulgation
`
`of the AIA Trial Rules. See 77 Fed. Reg. 48,756 (Aug. 14, 2012). The Practice Guide
`
`apprised the public of standard practices before the Board during AIA trial proceedings,
`
`including inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews, covered business method reviews, and
`
`derivation proceedings. The Practice Guide also encouraged consistency of procedures
`
`among panels of the Board.
`
`
`
`The Office has updated the Practice Guide to take into account stakeholder feedback, lessons
`
`learned during the years since the first AIA trial, and the natural evolution of the Board’s
`
`practices. A first update to the Practice Guide was published on August 13, 2018, and a
`
`second update was published on July 16, 2019. This edition incorporates the updates from
`
`August 2018 and July 2019 into the original August 2012 Practice Guide so that the most
`
`recent versions of all sections of the Practice Guide are available in a single document. It
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`also makes revisions to ensure consistency across the newly consolidated guide. Revisions to
`
`reconcile updates and to reflect the Board’s current practices relate to institution of trial after
`
`SAS Institute Inc. v. Iancu, 138 S. Ct. 1348 (2018); use of sur-replies in lieu of observations;
`
`how parties may contact the Board to request an initial conference call; use of word counts;
`
`updates to the sample scheduling order for derivation proceedings; and updates to the default
`
`protective order. The Office anticipates making further updates, if needed, on an annual
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`basis. Suggestions regarding the Practice Guide can be sent to
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`PTABAIATrialSuggestions@uspto.gov.
`
`
`
`Background: The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) establishes several new trial
`
`proceedings to be conducted by the Board including: (1) inter partes review (IPR); (2) post-
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`grant review (PGR); (3) a transitional program for covered business method patents (CBM);
`
`and (4) derivation proceedings. The AIA requires the Office to promulgate rules for the
`
`proceedings, with the PGR, IPR, and CBM rules to be in effect one year after AIA enactment
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`(September 16, 2012) and the derivation rules to be in effect 18 months after AIA enactment
`
`(March 16, 2013).
`
`
`
`Consistent with the statute, the Office published a number of notices of proposed rulemaking
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`in February of 2012, and requested written comments on the Office’s proposed
`
`implementation of the new trial proceedings of the AIA. The Office also hosted a series of
`
`public educational roadshows, across the country, regarding the proposed rules. The
`
`resulting patent trial regulations lay out a framework for conducting the proceedings aimed at
`
`streamlining and converging the issues for decision. In doing so, the Office’s goal is to
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`conduct proceedings in a timely, fair, and efficient manner. Further, the Office has designed
`
`the proceedings to allow each party to determine the preferred manner of putting forward its
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`case, subject to the guidance of judges who determine the needs of a particular case and issue
`
`procedural and substantive rulings throughout the proceedings.
`
`
`
`Additionally, the Office published a practice guide based on the proposed trial rules in the
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`Federal Register to provide the public an opportunity to comment. Practice Guide for
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`Proposed Trial Rules, 77 Fed. Reg. 6868 (Feb. 9, 2012) (Request for Comments). In light of
`
`the public comments and the final rules, the Office published the original August 2012
`
`Practice Guide. Office Patent Trial Practice Guide; Rule, 77 Fed. Reg. 48,756 (Aug. 14,
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`2012). This Practice Guide is intended to advise the public on the general framework of the
`
`rules, including the structure and times for taking action in each of the AIA proceedings.
`
`
`
`Statutory Requirements: The AIA provides certain minimum requirements for each of the
`
`proceedings. Provided below is a brief overview of these requirements.
`
`
`
`Proceedings begin with the filing of a petition to institute a trial. The petition must be filed
`
`with the Board consistent with any time period required by statute and be accompanied by
`
`the evidence the petitioner seeks to rely upon. See, e.g., 35 U.S.C. §§ 135(a), 311(c); 37
`
`C.F.R. § 42.3. For IPR, PGR, and CBM, the patent owner is afforded an opportunity to file a
`
`preliminary response. 35 U.S.C. §§ 313, § 323.
`
`
`
`The Board, acting on behalf of the Director, may institute a trial where the petitioner
`
`establishes that the standards for instituting the requested trial are met, taking into account
`
`any preliminary response filed by the patent owner. Conversely, the Board may not
`
`authorize a trial where the information presented in the petition, taking into account any
`
`patent owner preliminary response, fails to meet the requisite standard for instituting the trial.
`
`See, e.g., 35 U.S.C. §§ 314, 324. Where there are multiple matters in the Office involving
`
`the same patent, the Board may determine how the proceedings will proceed, including
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`providing for a stay, transfer, consolidation, or termination of any such matter. See, e.g., 35
`
`
`
`U.S.C. §§ 315, 325.
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`
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`The AIA requires that the Board conduct AIA trials and that the Director prescribe
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`regulations concerning the conduct of those trials. 35 U.S.C. §§ 6, 135, 316, 326. For
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`example, for IPR, PGR, and CBM, the AIA mandates the promulgation of rules including
`
`motions to seal, procedures for filing supplemental information, standards and procedures for
`
`discovery, sanctions for improper use of the proceeding, entry of protective orders, and oral
`
`hearings. See, e.g., 35 U.S.C. §§ 316(a), 326. Additionally, the AIA mandates the
`
`promulgation of rules for IPR, PGR, and CBM concerning the submission of a patent owner
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`response with supporting evidence and allowing the patent owner a motion to amend the
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`patent. Id. As required by the AIA, the Office has promulgated rules governing the conduct
`
`of trials before the Board. See generally 37 C.F.R. § 42.1 et seq.
`
` A
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` petitioner and a patent owner may terminate the proceeding with respect to the petitioner
`
`by filing a written agreement with the Board, unless the Board has already decided the merits
`
`of the proceeding before the request for termination is filed. See, e.g., 35 U.S.C. §§ 317, 327.
`
`If no petitioner remains in the proceeding, the Board may terminate the review or proceed to
`
`a final written decision. For derivation proceedings, the parties may arbitrate issues in the
`
`proceeding, but nothing precludes the Office from determining the patentability of the
`
`claimed inventions involved in the proceeding. 35 U.S.C. § 135. Where a trial has been
`
`instituted and not dismissed, the Board will issue a final written decision with respect to the
`
`challenged claims. 35 U.S.C. §§ 135, 318, 328.
`
`4
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`

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`
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`For IPR, PGR, and CBM, the AIA requires that the Office consider the effect of the
`
`regulations on the economy, the integrity of the patent system, the efficient administration of
`
`the Office, and the ability of the Office to timely complete the proceedings. 35 U.S.C.
`
`§§ 316, 326. In developing the general trial rules, as well as the specific rules for the
`
`individual proceedings, the Office has taken these considerations into account. Further, the
`
`specific rules for the individual proceedings take into account the jurisdictional and timing
`
`requirements for the particular proceedings.
`
`
`
`General Overview of Proceedings: Generally, the proceedings begin with the filing of a
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`petition that identifies all of the claims challenged and the grounds and supporting evidence
`
`on a claim-by-claim basis. Within three months of notification of a filing date, the patent
`
`owner in an IPR, PGR, or CBM proceeding may file a preliminary response to the petition,
`
`including a simple statement that the patent owner elects not to respond to the petition. The
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`Board acting on behalf of the Director will determine whether to institute a trial within three
`
`months of the date the patent owner’s preliminary response was due or was filed, whichever
`
`is first.
`
`
`
`In instituting a trial, the Board will either (1) institute as to all claims challenged in the
`
`petition and on all grounds in the petition, or (2) institute on no claims and deny institution.
`
`The Board will not institute on fewer than all claims or all challenges in a petition. See SAS
`
`Institute Inc. v. Iancu, 138 S. Ct. 1348, 1359–60 (2018); PGS Geophysical AS v. Iancu, 891
`
`F.3d 1354, 1359–62 (Fed. Cir. 2018); and Adidas AG v. Nike, Inc., 894 F.3d 1256, 1258
`
`5
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`

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`(Fed. Cir. 2018). If a trial is instituted, the Board generally will provide analysis of the
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`strengths and weaknesses of all challenges in the petition in order to provide guidance to the
`
`parties for the upcoming trial. A party dissatisfied with the Board’s determination to institute
`
`a trial may request rehearing as to points believed to have been overlooked or
`
`misapprehended. See 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.71(c), (d).
`
`
`
`The Board will enter a Scheduling Order (see, e.g., Appendix A) concurrent with the decision
`
`to institute a trial. The Scheduling Order will set due dates for the trial taking into account
`
`the complexity of the proceeding but ensuring that the trial is completed within one year of
`
`institution.
`
`
`
`For example, a Scheduling Order for an IPR or PGR might, consistent with 37 C.F.R.
`
`§§ 42.120 and 42.220, provide a three month deadline for patent owner discovery and for
`
`filing a patent owner response and motion to amend. Once the patent owner’s response and
`
`motion to amend have been filed, the Scheduling Order might provide the petitioner with
`
`three months for discovery and for filing a petitioner’s reply to the response and the
`
`petitioner’s opposition to the amendment. The Scheduling Order might then provide the
`
`patent owner with one month for discovery and for filing a patent owner reply to petitioner’s
`
`opposition to a patent owner amendment. A sample timeline is provided below:
`
`6
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`

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`For another sample timeline, see “Appendix 1A (PO Reply Timeline),” Notice Regarding a
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`New Pilot Program Concerning Motion to Amend Practice and Procedures in Trial
`
`Proceedings Under the America Invents Act Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, 84
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`Fed. Reg. 9497, 9506 (Mar. 15, 2019) (presenting a pilot timeline for scheduling orders
`
`issued in AIA trials instituted on or after March 15, 2019, indicating, for example, that a
`
`petitioner has 6 weeks to file a reply to a patent owner’s response to the petition, and a patent
`
`owner has 6 weeks to file a sur-reply in response to that reply).
`
`
`
`Sequence of discovery. Once instituted, absent special circumstances, discovery will proceed
`
`in a sequenced fashion. For example, the patent owner may begin deposing the petitioner’s
`
`declarants once the proceeding is instituted. After the patent owner has filed a patent owner
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`response and any motion to amend the claims, the petitioner may depose the patent owner’s
`
`declarants. Similarly, after the petitioner has filed a reply to the patent owner’s response and
`
`an opposition to an amendment, the patent owner may depose the petitioner’s declarants and
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`file a sur-reply in support of its response and a reply in support of its motion to amend
`
`claims. Where the patent owner relies upon new declaration evidence in support of its
`
`motion to amend, the petitioner will be authorized to depose the declarants and submit a sur-
`
`reply. Once the time for taking discovery in the trial has ended, the parties will be authorized
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`7
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`
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`to file motions to exclude evidence believed to be inadmissible. Admissibility of evidence is
`
`generally governed by the Federal Rules of Evidence.
`
`
`
`Sequence of filing responses and motions. A party may request that an initial conference call
`
`be held about one month from the date of institution to discuss the motions that the parties
`
`intend to file and to determine if any adjustment needs to be made to the Scheduling Order.
`
`The patent owner may file a patent owner’s response and/or a motion to amend the claims by
`
`the time set in the Scheduling Order. The petitioner may then file a reply to the patent
`
`owner’s response and any opposition to the patent owner’s motion to amend. Each party
`
`may file a sur-reply (i.e., to a reply to a patent owner’s response or to a reply to an opposition
`
`to a motion to amend). Both parties will then be permitted an opportunity to file motions to
`
`exclude an opponent’s evidence believed to be inadmissible. After all motions have been
`
`filed, the parties will be afforded an opportunity to have an oral argument at the Board.
`
`
`
`Summary of the Rules: The following is a general summary of the rules for the
`
`proceedings.
`
`
`
`I. General Procedures: The rules are to be construed so as to ensure the just, speedy, and
`
`inexpensive resolution of a proceeding and, where appropriate, the rules may be modified to
`
`accomplish these goals. 37 C.F.R. §§ 42.1(b), 42.5(a), (b).
`
`
`
`A. Jurisdiction and Management of the Record
`
`1. Jurisdiction: 35 U.S.C. § 6(b) provides that the Board is to conduct derivation
`
`8
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`

`

`
`
`proceedings, inter partes reviews, and post-grant reviews. The Board also conducts the
`
`transitional program for covered business method reviews, which are subject to Board review
`
`under 35 U.S.C. §§ 6(b), 326(c), and Pub. L. 112-29, § 18. The Board therefore will have
`
`exclusive jurisdiction within the Office over every application and patent that is involved in a
`
`derivation, IPR, PGR, or CBM proceeding. Ex parte reexamination proceedings and inter
`
`partes reexamination proceedings are not “involved” patents (as defined in 37 C.F.R. § 42.2)
`
`in derivation, IPR, PGR, and CBM proceedings and are thus treated separately except as
`
`ordered by the Board.
`
`
`
`2. Prohibition on Ex Parte Communications: All substantive communications with the
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`Board regarding a proceeding must include all parties to the proceeding, except as otherwise
`
`authorized. 37 C.F.R. § 42.5(d). The prohibition on ex parte communications does not
`
`extend to: (1) ministerial communications with support staff (for instance, to arrange a
`
`conference call); (2) conference calls or hearings in which opposing counsel declines to
`
`participate; (3) informing the Board in one proceeding of the existence or status of a related
`
`Board proceeding; or (4) reference to a pending case in support of a general proposition (for
`
`instance, citing a published opinion from a pending case or referring to a pending case to
`
`illustrate a systemic problem).
`
`
`
`Arranging a conference call with the Board. The Board encourages the use of conference
`
`calls to raise and resolve issues in an expedited manner. Prior to making a request for a
`
`conference call, the parties should meet and confer to resolve any disputes. If attempts to
`
`resolve the dispute fail, a party may request a conference call with the Board. The Board
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`9
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`

`
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`envisions that most of the procedural issues arising during a proceeding will be handled
`
`during a conference call or shortly thereafter, i.e., in a matter of days. When arranging a
`
`conference call, parties should be prepared to discuss with a Trial Section paralegal why the
`
`call is needed and what materials may be needed during the call, e.g., a particular exhibit.
`
`When contacting the Board to arrange a conference call, a party to a proceeding should notify
`
`the Board if it intends to provide a court reporter for the call. If a court reporter is present for
`
`the conference call, the party that retained the court reporter should notify the panel at the
`
`beginning of the call that a reporter is on the line, and shall file the transcript of the call as an
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`exhibit to the proceeding within one week of receiving the transcript.
`
`
`
`Refusal to participate. The Board has the discretion to permit a hearing or conference call to
`
`take place even if a party refuses to participate. In such cases, the Board may order as a
`
`condition for the call additional safeguards, such as the recording of the communication and
`
`the entry of the recording into the record.
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`
`
`B. Counsel
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`Need for lead and back-up counsel. A party represented by counsel must designate both a
`
`lead as well as a back-up counsel who can conduct business on behalf of the lead counsel, as
`
`instances may arise where lead counsel may be unavailable. 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(a).
`
`
`
`Power of attorney. A power of attorney must be filed with the designation of counsel, unless
`
`the designated counsel is already counsel of record. 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(b).
`
`
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`10
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`
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`Pro hac vice. The Board may recognize counsel pro hac vice during a proceeding upon a
`
`showing of good cause, and subject to the requirement that lead counsel is a registered
`
`practitioner. 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(c). The Board may impose other considerations as well. Id.
`
`Proceedings before the Office can be technically complex. For example, it is expected that
`
`amendments to a patent will be sought. The grant of a motion to appear pro hac vice is a
`
`discretionary action taking into account the specifics of the proceedings. Similarly, the
`
`revocation of pro hac vice is a discretionary action taking into account various factors,
`
`including incompetence, unwillingness to abide by the Office’s Rules of Professional
`
`Conduct, and incivility.
`
`
`
`The Office expects that lead counsel will, and back-up counsel may, participate in all
`
`hearings and conference calls with the Board and will sign all papers submitted in the
`
`proceeding. In addition, the role of back-up counsel is to conduct business with the Office on
`
`behalf of lead counsel when lead counsel is not available. Actions not conducted before the
`
`Office (e.g., taking of deposition) may be conducted by lead or back-up counsel.
`
`
`
`C. Electronic Filing
`
`Electronic filing is the default manner in which documents are to be filed with the Board. 37
`
`C.F.R. § 42.6(b). Electronic filing of legal documents is being implemented across the
`
`country in state and federal courts. The use of electronic filing aids in the efficient
`
`administration of the proceeding, improves public accessibility, and provides a more
`
`effective document management system for the Office and parties. Electronic submission
`
`information is provided on the Board’s Web site (www.uspto.gov/PTAB).
`
`11
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`
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`Paper filing may be used where appropriate, but must be accompanied by a motion
`
`explaining the need for non-electronic filing. 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(b). Based upon experience,
`
`the Board does not expect to receive many requests to file paper submissions. Circumstances
`
`where a paper filing may be warranted include those occasions where the Office’s electronic
`
`filing system is unable to accept filings. Alternatively, if a problem with electronic filing
`
`arises during normal business hours, a party may contact the Board and request a one-day
`
`extension of time for due dates that are set by rule or orders of the Board. 37 C.F.R. § 42.5.
`
`In the unlikely event that an administrative patent judge is not available to rule on the
`
`extension, the Board may grant an extension the day after the paper is due, which includes
`
`situations where electronic filing problems are shown to have occurred.
`
`
`
`D. Mandatory Notices
`
`The rules require that parties to a proceeding provide certain mandatory notices, including
`
`identification of the real parties-in-interest, related matters, lead and back-up counsel, and
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`service information. 37 C.F.R. § 42.8.

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