The PTO made an announcement on their website in early July that they will start testing over the 9th Edition of the MPEP beginning October 4th, 2014.
And beginning October 4th, 2014 the Patent Bar will also cover a few supplements. These include the following:
-> Consolidated Patent Laws Including Changes Implementing the Patent Law Treaty;
-> Consolidated Patent Rules Including Changes to Implement the Patent Law Treaty;
-> Inter Partes, Post Grant, and Covered Business Method Review Final Rules (77 Fed. Reg. 48680, August 14, 2012);
-> Derivation Proceeding Final Rules (77 Fed. Reg.56068, September 11, 2012);
-> Changes to Representation of Others Before the USPTO Final Rules (http:/www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-04-03/pdf/2013-07382.pdf); and
-> Implementation of the Global and IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Programs with Participating Offices
Prior to the October 4th cut-off date the Patent Bar exam will cover the MPEP 8th Edition, Revision 9 plus 13 additional PDF supplements. The last date to take the Patent Bar exam as it covers this material is September 29th, 2014. No exams will be scheduled between September 29th and October 4th, 2014 (which is really just a few days).
You might think there would be a big shift between the MPEP 8th Edition, Revision 9 and the 13 supplements and the MPEP 9th Edition plus the supplements listed above.
However, there is not.
The big difference is the MPEP 9th Edition takes most of the supplements and incorporates them into it. So test takers planning to sit for the exam after October 4th, 2014 can expect to learn the same material as those taking the exam prior to that date, except it will be in a different location (i.e. within the MPEP instead of PDF supplements).
It’s actually a little easier to search for the materials when they’re all within the MPEP instead of spread out in different supplements. That’s because during your preparations for the exam, you’ll become an expert on MPEP search and the location of the topics within it. In fact, those who are the most prepared know the location of MPEP topics like they know their own neighborhood. It really becomes second nature.
But to make the transition to Edition 9 easier for those who plan to take the Patent Bar after October 4th, we’ve uploaded an Edition 9 summary for those enrolled in our Complete Patent Bar Package.
If your test date is after the cut-off date (October 4th, 2014), you can review this in-depth MPEP Edition 9 summary. You can also use the full length MPEP Edition 9 for taking our practice exam questions. This will help you learn exactly where the material is located within the MPEP on test day.
In addition, those who are taking the exam prior to the cut-off date may also want to review the MPEP Edition 9 summary. That’s because it organizes much of the information in the PDF Supplements that you also have to learn.
The material is not changing. Just the organization of it. For example, we cover AIA and the first-to-file changes extensively within our first-to-file summary.
Now this material will be inserted in the appropriate chapters of the MPEP. It’s the exact same material, just in a different location. So you don’t need to unlearn anything or learn anything new.
It’s the same information, just moved.
So even if you’ve started studying in the past, this new change will not impact you to a great extent.
We suggest you keep moving forward.
And if you haven’t started studying yet, there’s no reason to wait until after October 4th to begin. Get started sooner and start on your new career path much quicker.