Trust and security
Approvals and legal judgment
What requires attorney approval, where approval happens, and what PatentReply will not do.
The record is automated. Legal judgment is not. This page is the reference for the approval gate in AI Office Action response software.
What requires approval
Substantive steps in the response workflow stop for your approval: confirming the response strategy before it becomes filing-ready amendments, and releasing a filing paper. Client-facing advice generated with PatentReply is yours to review before it goes anywhere.
Where approval happens
On patentreply.ai, signed in as you. When a step needs your approval, your AI hands you a link to an approval page; the decision you make there is recorded with the matter and its plan revision. A "yes" in the chat does not count, and the model cannot approve on your behalf. Pending approvals are listed on your Approvals page.
What PatentReply does not do
- File. The claim listing and the response document come from PatentReply; filing with the USPTO is yours.
- Compute deadlines. PatentReply reports the action and its mail date and tells you to confirm the period against your docket. It does not calculate due dates.
- Give legal advice. PatentReply is not a law firm and does not practice law. It helps AI work from the record and keeps legal judgment with the practitioner.
Your responsibilities
Use of AI tools in practice before the USPTO is your responsibility, including the duty of candor and a reasonable inquiry before you sign. If your AI is a consumer account rather than a firm-managed one, consider what that means for client confidentiality and say so to the client.
Last updated October 24, 2026