Denver A Finalist For New Patent Office

DENVER (AP) - Denver is in the running for one of three new satellite patent offices to be opened under President Barack Obama's America Invents Act.

The Denver Post reports that Denver is a finalist and in competition with California, Texas, Washington and Utah. The new satellite offices are an effort to broaden the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's geographic reach and speed up the patent-approval process.

Detroit has already been awarded one of the satellite offices.

A new office is expected to employ 100 patent examiners. Supporters say an office would also give a boost to local law firms and attract technology companies to the area.

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