Drew Hirshfeld has been appointed the new commissioner for patents at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, filling the spot previously held by Margaret “Peggy” Focarino, who retired earlier this month after 38 years with the agency.

Hirshfeld has been at the PTO for more than 20 years, most recently serving as the deputy commissioner for patent examination policy, a critically important position charged with overseeing the agency's 8,500 patent examiners. As deputy commissioner, Hirshfeld developed numerous patent examination guidance documents on critical and sometimes controversial topics, such as patent subject matter eligibility and clarity of the prosecution record. He actively facilitated public dialogue on these topics as a speaker throughout the United States and through formal written comment periods.

In his new position, Hirshfeld will oversee all aspects of the PTO's patents organization, including administration of patent operations; examination policy; patent quality management; international patent cooperation, resources and planning; and budget administration. It also will be his job to help advance the PTO's mission to promote U.S. innovation through the preservation, classification and dissemination of patent information to would-be inventors, the agency said.