By Kevin E. Noonan --
Several news outlets are reporting that Michelle Lee, Undersecretary of Commerce and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, has resigned. Director Lee submitted a her resignation to the Trump Administration in January but almost immediately withdrew it, and has remained as a holdover from the Obama Administration since that time.
Director Lee was appointed by President Obama in 2015, having served as Director of the Office's Silicon Valley satellite office, and before that as Deputy General Counsel and Head of Patents and Patent Strategy at Google. Under her watch the USPTO implemented many of the provisions of the America Invents Act and instituted programs intended to improve patent quality and efficient examination (see "USPTO Launches Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative" and "USPTO Holds Patent Quality Symposium").
Director Lee has been rumored to be under consideration for other positions in the Trump Administration, but there have been no reports that any offers for such positions have been extended or are forthcoming.
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