The rest of the world may be enjoying the lazy days of summer, but as a patent professional, you are gearing up for the end of the USPTO’s fiscal year, also known as their incredibly busy season. As you’re facing an influx of office actions or are still buried in an especially complicated IDS, you may be looking for ways to simplify your day and streamline your processes. 

We are entering a time of year where, as a prosecution manager, paralegal, assistant, or another member of the support staff, you're probably facing a packed calendar and your to-do list is anything but to-done.

Maybe you were taken in by an ad for workflow automation that could help your overworked support staff, maybe you hit the search bar looking for a way to reduce your IDS workload, or maybe you were tired of the other firms standing out to corporate clients with their use of data analytics.

Whatever the reason, you need to know that investing in legal tech is going to be worth the cost to your firm. So you negotiated a free trial, and you’ve got seven or 14, or 30 days to make sure this product will fulfill your needs.

In early June, AstraZeneca approached rival drugmaker Gilead Sciences to discuss a potential merger. Though some doubt the feasibility of such a deal, this would be the biggest healthcare merger on record.

To maintain successful business partnerships, law firms need to regularly assess new ways to benefit their IP clients. By putting in the effort to expand client relationships, firms can better demonstrate the value of their ongoing service.

On this year’s World IP Day, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry called for a surge in green tech patenting to fight climate change. His charge follows a report that patenting for green energy technologies has slowed.

We often use allowance rate as a quick and simple way to quantify success at the USPTO -- and we know law firms use it too. However, that is just one of many indicators in-house counsel can use to evaluate firm performance. 

In the world of patent applications, timing is key. When your firm receives an office action, a quick and thorough response helps ensure smooth communication with your examiner and calms your anxious client.

When looking for outside counsel, companies are likely hearing similar pitches from all law firms. Business intelligence can be a powerful differentiator, a tool that helps law firms identify areas of strength and discover new pathways to success. It can lead to more focused marketing efforts and a general uptick in client buy-in.

Thanks to Juristat examiner analytics, patent practitioners can now leverage data to shape prosecution strategy based on the decision history of an assigned examiner.

Here are  three essential (and often overlooked) examiner analytics that can lead to a more strategic prosecution.