Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) is charged with rendering decisions in proceedings involving:

• Appeal from refusal to register trademarks in pending applications
• Opposition to the registration of trademarks
• Cancellation of registered trademarks
• Concurrent use registration of trademarks
• Appeal from expungement or reexamination of registered trademarks

Leadership

The Chief Judge and Deputy Chief Judge supervise the operation of the Board and participate as needed and appropriate in deciding matters before the Board.

Thomas Shaw is the Acting Chief Administrative Trademark Judge and Melanye K. Johnson is the Acting Deputy Chief Administrative Trademark Judge.

Board Divisions

The Board has three primary divisions: 

1. Judge Division
2. Interlocutory and Paralegal Division, comprising the Interlocutory Attorney Branch and the Paralegal Branch
3. Board Operations Division, including the TTAB Assistance Center

Judge Division

The Judges Division comprises Administrative Trademark Judges who issue final decisions in Board proceedings. The Administrative Trademark Judges report to the Acting Deputy Chief Judge, Melanye K. Johnson.

Interlocutory and Paralegal Division

Michael Webster is the Division Manager.

Interlocutory Attorney Branch

The Interlocutory Attorney Branch is made up of Interlocutory Attorneys who report to the Managing Interlocutory Attorney. Attorneys work on contested and uncontested motions in opposition, cancellation, and concurrent use proceedings that concern legal procedural issues. They work on potentially dispositive motions under the direction of Judges working in panels of three. Attorneys are assigned to trial proceedings when they commence and work with parties throughout the proceeding on conferencing, discovery, motions, and other issues as they arise. 

Michael Webster is the Managing Interlocutory Attorney.

Paralegal Branch

Tyrone Craven is the Supervisory Paralegal Specialist.

Board Operations Division

Client Services Branch

The Client Services Branch is housed under the Board Operations Division and manages all oral hearing operations. Client Services also mails, or distributes in other ways, final decisions on the merits and decisions on certain interlocutory matters such as motions for summary judgment, as well as decisions of any type designated as precedent of the Board. The TTAB Assistance Center is also part of the Client Services Branch. Its mission is to provide accurate and timely customer service via multiple communication channels. 

Angela Pope is the Client Services Branch Manager.

TTAB Assistance Center