A few weeks ago Michelle K. Lee was officially appointed Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) director. She is the first woman to hold the position and the 53rd head in the agency’s two-hundred year history.  Ms. Lee served as deputy director since January 13, 2014. The USPTO has been led by acting and deputy heads since the departure on January 31, 2013 of David Kappos, who served about 3.5 years.