In a significant policy shift, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director John Squires announced on Friday that he will personally decide whether the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) will hear challenges to the validity of specific patents. This authority had been delegated to PTAB judges since the board’s inception in 2012. Squires cited the need to address concerns around the board’s structure and perceived conflicts of interest, especially the view that judges may be incentivized to accept petitions to increase their own workloads and associated resources. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-patent-office-director-takes-authority-over-agency-patent-reviews-2025-10-17/?utm_source=openai))
In his open letter, Squires emphasized that although the PTAB has performed well, changes were necessary to ensure fairness and public trust. He also mentioned that decisions will be made in consultation with at least three PTAB judges. This move follows a proposed USPTO rule that seeks to prevent reviews of patents already challenged in federal court. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-patent-office-director-takes-authority-over-agency-patent-reviews-2025-10-17/?utm_source=openai))
Squires, a former intellectual property attorney at Goldman Sachs, was confirmed by the Senate last month. The PTAB, often used by tech firms to contest patents, has faced criticism from inventors and pharmaceutical companies for agreeing to review and invalidate too many patents. In fiscal year 2024, the PTAB accepted 74% of challenges, primarily involving electrical or computer technologies. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-patent-office-director-takes-authority-over-agency-patent-reviews-2025-10-17/?utm_source=openai))
This decision aligns with Squires’ broader efforts to reform the USPTO’s approach to patent eligibility, particularly concerning emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. In a recent Appeals Review Panel decision, he vacated a PTAB rejection of an AI-related patent application, emphasizing that such innovations should not be categorically excluded from patent protection. ([uspto.gov](https://www.uspto.gov/subscription-center/2025/appeals-review-panel-issues-new-decision?utm_source=openai))
Stakeholders in the intellectual property community are closely monitoring these developments, as they signal a potential shift in how the USPTO handles patent reviews and eligibility determinations under Squires’ leadership.