Contacting and Visiting the Trademark Trial & Appeal Board (TBMP § 103)
Proceedings at the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) are conducted almost exclusively in writing. With the exceptions of telephone conferences, discovery conferences, and final oral arguments, business before the Board takes place in writing. In fact, the trial itself takes place in writing.
The writing is almost always electronic. As a result, you might think that the specific location of the Board is not worth knowing.
Nevertheless, Section 103 of the TTAB’s Manual of Procedure (TBMP) identifies the location of the Board. It provides:
The Board is located at 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1451. The mailing address of the Board is:
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
P.O. Box 1451
Alexandria, VA 22313-1451.
This might be the only blog post in this blog series to quote an entire section of the TBMP. And the quote above could end this blog post. But situations could arise when you want or need to visit the Board. Since you are here, the remainder of this blog post will share some experiences to assist you in your visit to the Board.
When traveling to Alexandria for Board business, you should fly in and out of Ronald Reagan Airport, if possible rather than Dulles. The USPTO is a short drive from Reagan. There are several hotels in and around Alexandria. I suggest the The Westin Alexandria Old Town, which is a great hotel and, most importantly, only a three-minute walk from the Madison Building where the TTAB hearing rooms are located.
A screenshot from the USPTO website.Be aware that you will not likely have an opportunity to observe oral arguments of the Board earlier in the day. First, there might not be arguments scheduled. Second, building security will not allow you to access the floor until thirty minutes prior to your scheduled argument.
During your visit to the USPTO, you should visit the USPTO’s National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum. Set aside 30 to 45 minutes for your visit. You should also visit the nearby Trademark Bar (perhaps with your opposing counsel after the oral argument) housed on the first floor of The Westin Alexandria Old Town. For anyone visiting the USPTO for the first time, the Trademark Bar is a must.
To hear more about oral argument before the Board, and prior preparation, check out this article previously published in the State Bar of Texas Intellectual Property Law Section’s Tipsheet.
If you would like to discuss a (potential) Board proceeding with an experienced trademark attorney, schedule a consultation here.
