uspto issues first director review decisions

On August 2, 2021, the USPTO issued its first Director review decisions subsequent to the Supreme Court decision in Arthrex and the PTO's implementation of an interim procedure whereby review of a PTAB final written decision in an inter partes, post-grant, or covered business method review may be initiated sua sponte by Director or requested by a party to a PTAB proceeding. The order in each of the cases (IPR2020-00081 and IPR2020-00320) denied the request for Director review and provided that "the PTAB's Final Written Decision in this case is the final decision of the agency."