Tips For Choosing The Right Patent Attorney
Coming up with an idea for an innovative new product can be extremely exciting and rewarding. However, the last thing that you want is to introduce your product to the world without securing a patent. A patent will help protect your intellectual property and prevent others from outright copying your unique product. Securing a patent is not a simple process, which is why it is highly recommended that a person work with a patent attorney. Hiring an experienced patent attorney will increase the likelihood of obtaining a patent and doing so in a timely manner. If you're interested in getting a patent on a new product that you have developed, use the following tips to choose the right patent attorney:
Experience with Your Type of Product
Patent attorneys tend to need a lot of technical experience in order to do their jobs. When you begin searching for a patent attorney, it is a good idea to ask about their experience and select an attorney who has handled similar types of cases. For example, if the product you're trying to patent is mechanical, you should look for an attorney who has secured patents for other mechanical products in the past. Likewise, the same can be said if you're patenting a new software program—it is best to work with an attorney who understands and has experience with patenting software.
Price
Hiring a patent attorney is not cheap, but successfully securing a patent can make a huge difference in how successful you are in the long run. Before you sign a contract with a patent attorney, make sure you understand his or her fee structure. Ideally, you should try to find an attorney who offers flat fees for patent services. With a flat fee structure, you will be better able to budget, since you will know exactly how much your legal services will cost.
Success Securing Patents
When you meet with different patent attorneys for consultations, you should always ask how many patents they have successfully secured for past clients. Another thing to find out is the average time it took to obtain the patent. This information will help you determine who is the best fit to hire. When you have a unique idea that you want to bring to the market, the last thing you want is to hire an attorney who has little success obtaining patents or takes an excessively long time to finish the process.
For more information, contact a patent law firm, such as Russ Weinzimmer & Associates PC.
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