Responses, amendments to applications, requests for express abandonment, requests for reconsideration of final actions, and requests to divide must be signed in accordance with the following guidelines:

1. If the applicant or registrant is represented by a qualified U.S. attorney, the attorney must sign the submission.
2. If the applicant or registrant is not represented by a qualified U.S. attorney, the individual applicant or registrant or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant or registrant must sign the submission. In the case of joint applicants or registrants who are not represented by a qualified U.S. attorney, all must sign the submission.

See 37 C.F.R. §§2.11(a), 2.62(b), 2.68(a), 2.74(b), 2.87(f), 2.163(b), 2.171(b)(1), 2.184(b)(2), 2.193(e)(2). See TMEP §§611.06-611.06(h) for guidelines on persons with legal authority to bind various types of juristic entities and §§602-602.03(e) regarding persons who are qualified to represent others before the USPTO in trademark cases.

A request to extend the time to respond to an Office action may be signed by someone with firsthand knowledge of the facts pertaining to the extension request. See TMEP §611.03(a) regarding who can sign a verification and §711.01 regarding requests for an extension of time to respond to an Office action with a three-month response period.

A person who is authorized to sign a verification per TMEP §611.03(a) is not entitled to sign responses to Office actions unless the person also satisfies the signature guidelines above.

See TMEP §714.03 regarding when final action is appropriate after a pro se applicant required to have a qualified U.S. attorney files a response.