LYNCH·LLP
◈ FIND AN EXAMINER OR ART UNIT
◈ USPTO PATENT EXAMINER STATISTICS

Examiner Paul Kim

TECH CENTER 2100 · 4 ART UNITS · 645 DECIDED APPLICATIONS · LAST ACTION JUN 2026
ALLOWANCE RATE = SHARE OF DECIDED APPLICATIONS (ALLOWED + ABANDONED); PENDING EXCLUDED
OVERALL ALLOWANCE RATE · POOLED ACROSS 4 ART UNITS

Examiner Paul Kim has allowed 399 of 645 decided applications (62%) in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security.

62% pooled allowance · benchmarked per art unit below
DATA UPDATED JUNE 25, 2026
AU 2169 · 53%AU 2152 · 75%AU 2166 · 96%AU 2161 · 37%
// READING THIS EXAMINER

What the data says.

Paul Kim has a pooled allowance rate of 62% across 645 disposed applications in Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security). His record spans four art units: 2152, 2161, 2166, and 2169. Of the 669 total applications in his record, 399 were allowed and 246 were abandoned. The allowance rate varies across these art units, ranging from 37% to 96%. This pooled figure represents the examiner's overall historical record across all four units combined and does not apply uniformly to any single art unit.

// HOW TO READ THESE NUMBERS

How to read these numbers.

A pooled record aggregates statistics from multiple art units into a single profile. The 62% allowance rate describes past dispositions across all four units combined and reflects historical patterns, not predictions about individual applications. Art units may have different technical scopes, examination practices, and application populations, so a pooled figure masks this variation. The range (37% to 96%) shows that allowance rates differ substantially among the examiner's units. Historical data informs context but does not forecast outcomes.

These are aggregate statistics from this examiner's past public record — not predictions about any specific application. The per-art-unit figures below show how the record varies across art units. Our approach to patent prosecution →

// BY ART UNIT

The record, art unit by art unit.

Each section benchmarks this examiner against that art unit's average. Figures are this examiner's own public record within the art unit; the overall rate above pools them.

◈ PRIMARY · ART UNIT 2169
346 APPS · 53% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

53% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 47%
DISPOSITION185 / 161 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION25 moart unit avg 24.8 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY63.4 moart unit avg 40 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility55% · art unit 57%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)84%
§103 — Obviousness87% · art unit 88%
§112 — Written description & definiteness42%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW69%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW39%+30 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 172 decided applications with an interview and 174 without.

ART UNIT 2152
194 APPS · 75% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

75% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 49%
DISPOSITION145 / 49 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION19.4 moart unit avg 28.8 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY40.3 moart unit avg 42.9 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility54% · art unit 62%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)86%
§103 — Obviousness83% · art unit 88%
§112 — Written description & definiteness36%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW83%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW58%+25 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 127 decided applications with an interview and 67 without.

ART UNIT 2166
75 APPS · 96% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

96% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 63%
DISPOSITION49 / 2 / 24allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION19.4 moart unit avg 23.8 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY22.5 moart unit avg 45 mo
// REJECTION PROFILE
§101 — Subject-matter eligibility47% · art unit 44%
§102 — Anticipation (novelty)77%
§103 — Obviousness83% · art unit 81%
§112 — Written description & definiteness40%
// INTERVIEW SPLIT

Allowance rate for applications with an examiner interview versus without one.

WITH INTERVIEW96%allowance share
WITHOUT INTERVIEW96%0 pt difference

A correlation, not proof that interviews cause allowances. Based on 28 decided applications with an interview and 23 without.

ART UNIT 2161
54 APPS · 37% ALLOWANCE

Primarily examines information retrieval and database structures.

37% allowance (of decided)▏ art-unit average 62%
DISPOSITION20 / 34 / 0allowed / abandoned / pending
FIRST ACTION32.3 moart unit avg 23.1 mo
TOTAL PENDENCY44.9 moart unit avg 39 mo
// FAQ

Questions about Examiner Paul Kim

  • What is Paul Kim's overall allowance rate?
    Across all art units, the allowance rate is 62%, based on 645 disposed applications (399 allowed, 246 abandoned).
  • How many art units does Paul Kim work in?
    Paul Kim has a record spanning 4 art units within TC 2100: 2152, 2161, 2166, and 2169.
  • Does the allowance rate vary by art unit?
    Yes. Across the four art units, allowance rates range from 37% to 96%, indicating substantial variation in the examiner's record by unit.
◈ RESPONDING TO AN OFFICE ACTION

Strategy, not paperwork. Talk to the attorney doing the work.

Lynch LLP represents applicants in patent prosecution before the USPTO. Book a consultation to discuss your matter with the attorney who would handle it.

Book a 30-minute consultation →
METHODOLOGY & DISCLOSURES

Methodology. This page pools every art unit in which Examiner Paul Kim has a public record within Technology Center 2100. Statistics are computed from publicly available USPTO records, refreshed on a recurring schedule. This page's data was last updated June 25, 2026. The overall allowance rate is total allowed divided by total decided applications (allowed plus abandoned) across all art units — not an average of the per-art-unit rates; pending applications are excluded. Figures are rounded for display. Pooled sample: 669 applications.

Lynch LLP is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Examiner statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data.

These statistics describe past examiner behavior and do not predict the outcome of any particular application. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Where this page compares an examiner's allowance rate to an art-unit average, that comparison is a factual description of the public record, not a characterization of any individual examiner's conduct or competence.

This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by viewing it. Full disclaimers →

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING — Sean Lynch, Partner, Lynch LLP