Exactly one year ago, I wrote about the Israel PTO’s announcement of its plan to issue patent office actions (examination reports) in English for those who wished to receive them in English. And one of my predictions was that certain firms wouldn’t be as forthcoming as they could be with their clients about this.
Last week, I met someone at the AIPLA Annual meeting who confirmed my suspicion. He was already frustrated with his Israel counsel’s habit of translating office actions, and had instructed them to simply send him a copy of the OA, and he would ask them for clarification if Google translate wasn’t clear. But he’d never been told that he could ask for the OAs to be issued in English. Color me shocked…not.