John A. Squires

John A. Squires is an American lawyer and senior government official serving as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 18, 2025, and joined the USPTO later that month.

Education

Squires received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, with a concentration in organic chemistry, from Bucknell University. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude and was a member of the law review and the Order of the Coif. The USPTO announced his arrival as director on September 22, 2025.

In March 2026, Squires testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet during an oversight hearing on the USPTO. Reuters reported that lawmakers questioned him about the agency's trademark-related work connected to the Board of Peace and about possible conflicts affecting the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Squires defended the USPTO's actions, saying the trademark applications were filed to address national-security and cybersquatting concerns.