If you’re waiting for a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you might want to buckle up. The recent presidential memorandum requiring federal employees to return to in-person work, coupled with a hiring freeze across the entire federal government, could have significant consequences for innovators, businesses and anyone seeking intellectual property protection.

I file numerous patent applications with the USPTO each year, and the number of applications I file continues to grow. The USPTO is currently facing a backlog of over 800,000 patent applications, with an average wait time of 26 months before an application receives its first substantive review. Many of my clients are already frustrated by these delays, and understandably so—patents are the backbone of innovation. Without them, businesses cannot protect their investments or remain competitive in a fast-moving economy.