 As of November 2010, there were a little more than 10,000 persons on the list of professional representatives, "just less than 1500" "legal practitioners entitled to represent before the EPO", and "about 300 patent law firms, which are registered as „associations of representatives“ within the meaning of ".As of January 2013, there were precisely 10,427 professional representatives.Under , an association of professional representatives may be formed to collectively represent a party or parties before the EPO.