WASHINGTON - The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has announced the addition of two templates with companion guidance (and a glossary) that will now be available for America Invents Act (AIA) trial proceedings. Whether you are new to PTAB practice or an experienced practitioner, you will likely find these resources useful, according to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The first template is for an AIA trial petition and the second template covers a patent owner response and preliminary response. The templates set forth the typical parts of each type of filing and the companion guidance explains the information to be provided in each part.

The templates and guidance serve as resources to assist parties to AIA trial proceedings in drafting briefs that comply with United States Patent and Trademark Office rules. Additionally, the guidance includes best practices so that parties are more effective in their written advocacy before the Board.

The PTAB began conducting trial proceedings over 12 years ago with the passage of the America Invents Act into law.