As a part of an empirical research project, McKenna Park examined whether there is gender bias within the trademark application system. Running regression formulas and difference in differences analysis on data gathered on individual trademark applications from the USPTO McKenna found two main things:
- Female trademark applicants do not face discrimination before USPTO trademark examiners during the initial approval process.
- All applicants, regardless of gender, have a greater chance of receiving an initial approval if their application is assigned to a male examiner, rather than a female examiner.
Both of these findings were statistically significant and based on the identifying assumption that trademark applications are randomly assigned to examiners. The data she was working with was limited to only categorizing both USPTO Examiners’ and applicants’ names as predominantly male, predominantly female, or gender-neutral.
McCoy Russell congratulates Trademark Professional McKenna Park on a great presentation.
