Michelle Lee, USPTO Director, Resigns

Without much explanation, USPTO Director Michelle Lee resigned on Tuesday after months of speculation regarding the stability of her position. This comes after Lee previously suggested her time was up in January. There is much speculation that Director Lee is being considered for other roles. Politico writes: "No reason was given for her resignation. While rumors had circulated that Lee was being considered for some other Trump administration post, perhaps as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Commerce Department didn't announce a next step for her."

As always, Juristat will be watching the data to see what, if any, impact this has on prosecution. 

Additional reading:

• PatentlyO: Michelle Lee Resigns as PTO Director
• Politico: Patent Office Director Michelle Lee resigns
• PatentDocs: USPTO Director Michelle Lee Reported to Have Resigned