Are you familiar with recent changes to the Nice Classification? Do you know how they impact U.S. identification policy and practice? Are you curious which identifications of goods and services are no longer acceptable in 2024?

Join two experts from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a discussion about classification and identification changes under the Nice Classification, 12th edition, version 2024 (Nice 12-2024).

We'll cover:

What’s behind the recent changes
New wording added to the USPTO’s Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual (the ID Manual)
Examples of acceptable identifications of goods and services
Best practices for identifying and classifying virtual services
A discussion of changes affecting green tech-related goods and services.

A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation. Submit questions before the event to TMWebinar@uspto.gov.

Webinar details

This webinar will use a high degree of legal terminology and concepts familiar to experienced trademark professionals, but we encourage trademark filers of all experience levels to attend.

We’ll post a recording of this event on the Trademarks webinar series page about three weeks after the event.

This webinar is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Closed captioning will be provided. Other reasonable accommodations may be available upon request.

We are applying for CLE credit in Virginia for this course. When that process is complete, we’ll email you with documents you can use to obtain CLE credit.

Speakers

Mary Munson-Ott, Staff Attorney, Trademark Classification Policy and Practice
Amy C. Kelly, Staff Attorney, Trademark Classification Policy and Practice

Speaker bios

Mary Munson-Ott is a staff attorney in the Trademark Classification Policy and Practice unit at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She previously worked as a USPTO Trademark Examining Attorney. In her role since 2009, Mary develops identification and classification policy. She also provides guidance to internal and external customers on ID and classification practice, including the identification and classification of new technologies. She has significant experience representing the USPTO at the Nice Classification’s Committee of Experts meetings at the World Intellectual Property Organization headquarters. She also regularly trains and mentors newer attorneys on ID Class practice, which is one of her favorite parts of the job. Mary is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Tulane University School of Law.

Amy C. Kelly is a staff attorney in the Trademark Classification Policy and Practice unit at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Upon graduating from the American University Washington College of Law, she joined the USPTO as a trademark examining attorney. After a few years with the USPTO, she entered private practice and has worked as in-house IP counsel for Payless Shoe Source and as counsel with Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P., Kansas City. In 2011, she returned to the USPTO and has been with the Trademark Classification Policy and Practice unit for nine years. Outside of the office, Amy is an active community volunteer and has served on the board of directors of Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, Kansas, among many other organizations.

Trademark identification and classification practice updates: 2024