u.s. patent trademark office director michelle lee praise technology company take step minimize abusive patent litigation resign position tuesday spokesman agency confirm join agency 2012 become interim director 2013 formerly nominate director then-president barack obama 2014. inventors patent license company oppose lee previously in-house lawyer alphabet inc google patent office division u.s. department commerce review applications patent trademark agency also empower cancel patent issue lee view favorably technology industry usher stringent standards software patent 50 company include facebook inc cisco systems inc send letter president donald trump u.s. secretary commerce wilbur ross april urge retain lee director patent office company say letter lee efforts patent office lead decrease abusive litigation file so-called patent troll trump administration yet put forth nominee position require senate confirmation u.s. patent trademark office head michelle lee resign