Preparing for a hearing

If you decide to represent yourself at the hearing, you’ll be asked to present your case to us. The hearing officer will guide you through the process as much as possible, but must remain totally impartial throughout the hearing.

You’ll need to be able to explain your point of view clearly and concisely and should be prepared to answer questions and to respond to arguments against you, but the hearing officer will carefully control how this is done.

If the hearing has been arranged to consider an objection raised in an examination report, for example a novelty or inventive step objection, the patent examiner responsible for your application may also attend the hearing to present the Office’s arguments.

You should be prepared to refer in detail to any evidence that you have previously filed, but you should not refer to anything new. Where new evidence is produced at the hearing, the hearing officer may take it into account, but this will depend on the circumstances of the case and on the views of anyone else involved.

Before attending a hearing we would recommend you seek the professional advice of a patent attorney or a solicitor. To find a solicitor in your area, you should check your local phone book. To find a patent attorney, contact the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys.