USPTO is already experiencing slowdown
Andrew Comer ’24, April 5, “The Post-COVID Trademark Landscape: USPTO Backlog and Approaching Fee Increases Drive Urgency for Applicants,” FORTIS LAW PARTNERS, accessed July 10, 2024, https://www.fortislawpartners.com/blog/uspto-backlog-and-approaching-fee-increases/
Additionally, trademark attorneys have anecdotally noticed what appears to be a more challenging set of circumstances at the USPTO: a significant number of new examining attorneys and a more stringent view of which applied-for marks are likely to create confusion with already-registered marks. These factors likely add to the slowdown of application processing and an uptick in application rejections over the pre-COVID period. In March of 2024, the USPTO shared that it was currently reviewing applications submitted in June of 2023, with the average wait time for registration or resolution being nearly 15 months.