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712    Signature on Response to Office Action

A response to an Office action must be personally signed by a qualified practitioner or, if the applicant is not represented by a qualified practitioner, by the individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant (e.g., a corporate officer, or a general partner of a partnership). 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(b), 2.193(e)(2), 11.18(a).  The examining attorney must review the application record to determine whether the applicant is represented by a qualified practitioner (see 37 C.F.R. §11.14), and must ensure that all responses and amendments are properly signed.  See TMEP §§611.03(b) and 712.02 regarding the proper person to sign, and TMEP §611.06 as to persons who have legal authority to bind various types of juristic entities.

The signatory must personally sign his or her name. See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(a); TMEP §611.01(b). For electronic signatures on document filed through TEAS, the signatory must personally enter the elements of the electronic signature. See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(c); TMEP §§611.01(b), (c).

The name of the person who signs the response should be set forth in printed or typed form immediately below or adjacent to the signature, or identified elsewhere in the filing (e.g., in a cover letter or other document that accompanies the filing). TMEP §611.01(b).