The applicant or holder may appoint an attorney or representative to act on his behalf before the International Bureau (IB). This may or may not be the same representative whom he uses before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The IB will recognize only one representative in respect of a given international application or registration. Where a document in which a representative is appointed indicates the names of more than one representative, only the one indicated first will be considered to have been appointed. Where however a partnership or firm of attorneys or patent or trademark agents has been indicated, this will be regarded as a single representative. Where the requirements concerning the address of the representative are not fulfilled, the IB will treat the appointment as if it had not been made and will so inform the applicant or holder, the purported representative and, where the appointment has been transmitted by the USPTO, that Office. Where the appointment is not acceptable, the IB will send all relevant communications to the applicant or holder himself.
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