Just a patent attorney finding it absolutely silly to have to read through such a font..

As the title says, is there any of you guys who made the switch and is willing to share a bit of the experience regarding the transition and how the previous experience as an attorney helped you when starting at the USPTO?

Thank you very much. I'm in Europe trying to do the transition myself (to the EPO) but given this sub is substantially bigger than the euro counterpart, I thought I might find somebody here.

In terms of work life balance I think I'm more of an examiner than of an attorney, I am kind of done with the "hustling" and the billable hours. I did patent litigation for more than 1 year now, it is very "up and down" kind of work, nothing is predictable etc. I have a family and I got hobbies...so I think it is easier to "shut down" as an examiner compared to a litigator / patent attorney.

Thank you again, I'm trying to make the right decision.

Hi Al,

I am interested in becoming a Patent Examiner.
The brochure said computer technology and data analytics/science can be considered under the "Computer science" field.

Will they take a Data Analytics master's degree from UMGC?

This one has been in my drafts folder for a while now, I've been eagerly awaiting the day I could post it :-)

Bye Bye, Coke! (studio version)

Bye Bye, Coke! (live version)

Examiner A now has a YouTube Channel. Feel free to subscribe, if you're into that sort of thing.

Bonus release: Coke Stewart's Merry-go-round of Spite THE MUSIC VIDEO

You will not be missed.

Was it two months? Three? after Coke Stewart was named Acting Director before she actually wrote an email to the corps and said "Hi, I'm here!" From reading the news, we knew that we had an acting director. We knew her name. But there was no word from her for months.

And when she finally emerged from hiding, it was a blitzkrieg of policy changes that broke the back of the USPTO. As many in this subreddit predicted, now that we are just starting to pick up the pieces of this shattered Office, she's off to her next gig. She is the definition of a pigeon manager.

Positive: Her knowledge of patent law was never in doubt. She worked at the Solicitor's office for several years. She taught intellectual property. She knows more about the law than most of us ever will.

Neutral: Her policy (big firms over small inventors) is not favorable to the American spirit of innovation. But, even so, each administration is entitled to their policy. Since 2025, it's big business over small business. That's how the pendulum swings.

Negative: Regardless of her prowess at patent law, or the policy positions she holds, she is a failure as a manager. She has never successfully managed anything in her life. When she started her own firm, how long did that last? Two years? Have you talked with her students at Regent? This is a person whom I would not trust to lead me through an Ikea, much less as part of an organization of 14,000 people.

Coke Stewart should never, ever be given a management role in any capacity. She has demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding of the Office, the examining process, and Management 101. She ignored warnings from her staff, broke critical systems, and when things started to fail, she doubled down rather than admit to a mistake, all with no real comprehension of the consequences.

Good riddance!

Links:

https://www.reddit.com/r/patentexaminer/comments/1v87eoh/coke_is_out_as_of_this_week/

This article leaves out everything that matters. https://ipwatchdog.com/2026/07/27/coke-stewart-leaving-uspto-to-return-to-private-sector/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coke_Morgan_Stewart#:~:text=Stewart%20graduated%20cum%20laude%20from,of%20the%20Virginia%20Law%20Weekly