8 Tips for Finding the Right Patent Attorney for Your Invention

4/14/2017

You have an invention, and you want to find a patent attorney to help you protect your ideas. How do you find the right patent attorney for your project?

Here are 8 tips to finding the right fit:

· Take some time to develop a summary of your invention, for example:
What technology does it involve? Who are your competitors, and how crowded is the field? What aspects of your invention need to be protected? What does your invention contribute to your field?

This will help you determine what type of attorney you will need. Intellectual property covers many areas, including patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret. You will want to find an attorney who can meet all of your needs.

· Ask for recommendations from other inventors or local inventor groups.
You can find local inventor organizations at the USPTO website here: Organizations for Inventors.

· Search the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) records.
The USPTO maintains a roster of all registered patent attorneys and agents at:  Persons Recognized to Practice in Patent Matters. You can search the roster by name or geographic location.

· Make sure your prospective attorney is in good standing at the USPTO by searching their disciplinary history at:  The USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline or by calling (571) 272.4097.

· Make sure your prospective attorney is in good standing with their state bar. Patent attorneys have to maintain ethical and continuing education standards both before the USPTO and before the state bar in which they are licensed.

· Contact more than one attorney, so you can compare.
Once you have two or more attorneys on your list, you will want to make sure they are a good fit for your needs. Some initial questions to ask the attorney include:

· Do they have experience working in your technology area?
Patent attorneys often develop areas of expertise around their education backgrounds and client experience. Different technology areas have different considerations. Ask if they have drafted patent applications in your technology area, and what types of clients they currently serve.

· Do they have experience with inventors like you?
Are you a solo inventor? A start up technology company? An established company building your portfolio? Each of these scenarios provides its own unique considerations for patenting.

Finding the right patent attorney for your project can take some time, but it is well worth the investment. Do some investigation and trust your instincts when making a final decision. Your relationship with your patent attorney should be a long and fruitful one.

18 Comments

Roger Middleton link

8/22/2017 07:16:01 pm

I've recently invented something that could possibly help all cars get better gas mileage, although before I try to sell it, I need to patent it first just to be safe. I liked that you had mentioned the importance of asking for recommendations from other investors. A friend of mine recently patented a mechanical gear box and I think he'll know a lot about finding the right attorney to go through, I'll have to ask him who he can recommend.

Karrie Weaver

8/25/2017 08:21:31 am

Roger, I am happy to hear you found useful information in my blog. Your fellow inventors are an excellent resource for information about the process, what worked for them, and what could have worked better. Feel free to contact me with any general questions, and best wishes in your endeavors. Karrie

Reviews Fred Fleming attorney link

1/5/2018 08:00:22 am

Hi Karrie, I am agree with your tips, specially, contact more than one attorney so you can choose the best one and you will have choice.
Keep sharing knowledge, waiting for your next blog.

1/8/2018 05:06:16 am

Fred, Thank you for your comments. I am happy to hear you found some useful tips.

Reviews Fred Fleming Attorney link

1/11/2018 11:28:51 pm

Thank you Karrie for responding back to my comments, I appreciate the efforts you do write this information. It's quite impressive, I will be happy to read your another blogs.

Jordan link

1/25/2018 05:47:53 pm

I've been looking for a good patent prosecution attorney, and I think that being able to get some tips would be good. I'm glad you talked about being able to make sure the perspective attorney is in good standing with the bar. I'm going to have to look for a few good options for patent law, and see what we can find!

1/26/2018 05:06:42 am

Jordan, thank you for your comments. I am happy to hear you found some useful information. Spending the time up front to make sure you find a good attorney that suits your needs will definitely pay off in the long run. Best wishes in your endeavors.

Max Sayer link

5/14/2018 10:26:20 am

I have been looking for the best way to get a patent but have no idea where to start. These tips have been super helpful to make sure that I get the right patent attorney for the job. I will have to follow your advice and contact more than one attorney so I can make sure they are a good fit for my needs.

Karrie Weaver link

5/15/2018 06:55:50 am

Max, I am happy to hear you have found some useful information.

The first steps in any new venture are the hardest part. Check the link in my blog to see if there are any local inventor groups you could use for information. Talk to other attorneys you know, even if they do not practice in intellectual property - they may know someone who does.

Here is another place you can find useful information on the USPTO website:

https://www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/legal-assistance-and-resources

Thanks for your comments, and best wishes on your venture!

Burt Silver link

6/4/2018 11:17:17 am

I really like what you said about asking for recommendations from other inventors or local inventor groups to get help with finding a good patent attorney. This is something that I am looking into doing because I don't know much about how patents work, and I just want to get my idea patented because I think it could really change how we do things. Hopefully, I can find a good lawyer who can help me to understand and learn more about patents so I can patent my creation.

6/5/2018 10:41:10 am

Burt, thank you for your comments. I appreciate your letting me know you found useful information. Here is an excellent page within the U.S. Patent Office website that has a wealth of information for entrepreneurs:

https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/inventors-entrepreneurs-resources

The Patent Office has been making great strides in providing information for people just like you, so keep checking that site.

Best wishes!

Michael Gottlieb link

9/5/2018 08:17:52 am

Contact more than one attorney. You will also have some experience and sense of judgement. Thank you sharing these awesome tips.

9/11/2018 10:37:17 am

Michael, thank you for your comments. I am happy to hear these tips were useful to you. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. Best wishes in your endeavors, Karrie

Verhagen Bennett link

10/3/2018 02:41:19 am

Nice article.You have provide all the information about the Patent Attorney.It is very important that to file the patent application. For this ,Inventor must hire the experienced Patent Attorney. Verhagen Bennett is also a Business Law Attorney which gives all the legal services. For more updates, Visit our website.

Bob link

6/16/2020 10:44:01 pm

I didn't know that you had to go through a special office to file a patent. My wife and I need a lawyer for a style patent. It would be awesome if we could get a functionality patent as well.

6/22/2020 09:13:05 am

Bob, I am happy to hear you found useful information in my blog article. A design patent is a great way to protect ornamental features of a new product. It is also less expensive than a utility patent. A utility patent would cover the functional aspects of a product. Feel free to contact me if you have questions. Best of luck to you, Karrie Weaver

Hazel Owens link

6/21/2020 08:32:58 pm

My best friend invented a great product and is looking at the different kinds of patents and is unsure about which patent would be right for her. I'll be sure to share with that it is best to develop a summary of her invention describing what technology her invention involved, who her competitors are and how saturated the field is beforehand when finding the right patent lawyer. I will also let her know that when she is finding a patent lawyer, she should find out if they have experience working in her technology area.

6/22/2020 09:10:23 am

Hazel, I am happy to hear my blog post was useful. Feel free to have your friend contact me if she has questions. I provide free 30-minute, no obligation consultations. Your friend should contact an attorney before she discloses her invention to others. Best of luck. Karrie Weaver

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8 Tips for Finding the Right Patent Attorney for Your Invention

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