Why Hire a Patent Attorney? 20 Tips to Find a Patent Lawyer
So, you have a new idea or invention, you want to bring it to market as you believe that you have the real deal, and are now looking to protect it to prevent others from making, using, or selling your invention. Here, as is discussed over at runrex.com, you will have two options: either you take up the patent filing process yourself, or hire a patent attorney. Most people recognize that it is going to require a lot of resources to bring their invention to market, and, therefore, to bring the overhead down, they find themselves contemplating if they should go it alone. If you are undecided about whether to bring in a patent attorney or not, this article will look to help you decide by listing 20 tips on why you should hire a patent attorney.
They have the expertise
One of the main reasons to hire a patent attorney is because a licensed patent attorney, as explained over at guttulus.com, offers important expertise. This is because patent attorneys not only have a law degree but also have at least a graduate degree in engineering or science.
They understand both the legal and technical aspects
From the above point, given that a patent attorney has to have at least an undergraduate degree in engineering or science, on top of their law degree, it means that patent attorneys have got a deep understanding of both the legal aspects that come with obtaining a patent, as well as the knowledge and understanding to explain and interpret the underlying technology, both of which are crucial in helping you obtain your patent, as discussed over at runrex.com.
They understand the process
As the gurus over at guttulus.com point out, patent attorneys, in most cases, only focus on patent and trademarks, which means that they have a deep understanding and knowledge of the process that one goes through to get a patent, making them excellent partners to have.
They know the deadlines and dates
Patent attorneys also know how long the patent approval process takes, as well as the accompanying deadlines, and will ensure that you meet every one of them, ensuring that you get your patent as quickly as possible.
They will help you deal with the complexities
Patent attorneys also understand that the patent process can get quite complex, and has a lot of pitfalls that need to be avoided, or else you could end up losing the legal rights to your invention. A good and experienced patent attorney will help you navigate through and avoid these pitfalls.
They will offer you legal advice
Another reason to hire a patent attorney is that, as attorneys, they are well placed to offer you helpful legal advice. As is explained over at runrex.com, such advice includes advice on the type of patent to obtain, non-disclosure agreements, among other legal issues.
They help save you time
Hiring a patent attorney will also help save you valuable time, which will ensure that you can bring your invention to the market as quickly as possible. This is because, as revealed over at guttulus.com, a patent attorney will help you prepare and file all the patent-related documents.
They keep up with any changes
Patent attorneys also understand that patent law and the laws governing intellectual property are always changing, which is why they make it their business to keep up with any changes in their sector as is explained over at runrex.com. This is yet another reason to hire one, as the information you may be operating on may be outdated.
They help with in-depth research
A patent attorney will also help you carry out in-depth research as far as your invention is concerned, identifying potential issues as well as narrowing down the scope of your patent application. This in-depth research will help you decide whether or not you should proceed with the patent process, helping you save money if it is not worth it to proceed.
They will get the balancing act just right
A patent attorney will also understand that getting the balance right between protecting too much and trying to protect too little is important to the success of the patent process. They will help you come up with precise diagrams and descriptions while also providing a broad scope of protection, helping you get that balance just right.
They will help you in case of a rejected application
From discussions on the same over at guttulus.com, it is not always that a patent is accepted the first time around, as there are cases where a patent application is rejected by the Examiner. In such a situation, hiring a patent attorney comes in handy as they will help you make the necessary changes and amendments and come up with a new argument to get your application to be accepted.
They will help you defend your patent
In the event of an infringement allegation by a third party, the subject matter experts over at runrex.com also point out that a patent attorney will also help defend your patent, and protect your rights, ensuring that the person infringing on your patent is brought to justice.
They will help protect you
It is also important to point out that there are times when an infringement proceeding may be initiated against you, as is explained over at guttulus.com. This is yet another reason to hire a patent attorney, as they will help defend you while offering appropriate legal advice.
Help you update your IP rights
Another thing worth pointing out is that it is not enough to protect your invention or idea once. This is because, once you go to market, the chances of your idea or product being infringed increase significantly, which is why you should hire a patent attorney, and regularly keep in touch with them, as they will help update your IP rights.
They will help conduct due diligence
Another reason to hire a patent attorney is that they will help you conduct due diligence, which is when they assess the quantity and quality of your assets, those you have or those licensed under your name. Through this process, a patent attorney will help you maximize the value of your assets.
They go beyond the patent application process
Yet another reason to hire a patent attorney is that they will help you build a strategy that goes beyond the filing of your patent. As is discussed over at runrex.com, patent attorneys will also help you in aligning your invention with your business goals, helping you bring it to market.
To potentially save on costs
Many people who chose not to hire a patent attorney do so in an attempt to save on costs as they perceive hiring one to be an added cost they could do without. However, as the gurus over at guttulus.com will tell you, filling for a patent without the help of a patent attorney leaves a lot of room for error, opening you up to the denial of your application, which means that you will have to go through the application once more, which means paying the fees for a second time, leading to more costs.
They will help you with your provisional patent
When you file for a provisional patent, if you have hired a patent attorney, they will help you know what you need to disclose publicly as far as your invention is concerned, including any improvements you make on it. This, as is explained over at runrex.com, will ensure that you are protected and don’t reveal too much information before you have filed for a nonprovisional patent.
They will help you get investment
Yet another reason to hire a patent attorney is that they will help you get investment for your invention. This is because they will help you file a strong and relevant provisional patent, which you can use during the due diligence meeting with investors to get investment for your invention. Without a patent attorney, you may end up with a weak provisional that may hamper your chances of getting an investment.
They will make sure that you don’t make any inaccurate statements
A patent attorney will also make sure that you don’t make any inaccurate statements, such as incorrectly characterizing other people’s prior inventions, something that could damage your patent application chances, while also opening you up to legal issues.
The above are some of the reasons why you should hire a patent attorney, with more on this and other related topics to be found over at runrex.com and guttulus.com.