Seattle Patent Attorneys & Lawyers

Why Hire a Patent Lawyer?

When you have a business that relies heavily on its intellectual property to succeed, you want the best team possible to ensure that it is protected. This should include an experienced patent lawyer.

Your future patent lawyer not only had to pass the Washington state bar exam, but also the patent bar exam. They are specifically qualified to handle the complex and often overwhelming process of applying for patents through the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

In addition to their experience with patent law, patent attorneys are required to be experts in at least one technical field. This could be anything from engineering to psychology. Hiring an expert in patent law who is also proficient in the technical side of your business could end up being the best investment you have ever made for your company.

Filing a patent application is a lengthy legal process that requires an extensive knowledge of patent law. You need someone who is well versed to write your application, respond to questions from the office, and determine when to pursue and when to abandon an application to avoid wasting time and money.

How to Find the Best Patent Lawyer

Patent attorneys are a very specialized type of attorney, so it is not likely that there are more than a handful of experienced patent attorneys in the Seattle area. 

Start by asking around. People that you trust in your industry often have the best idea of which attorneys can help you get a patent. Do you have mentors or know other inventors who are in your field that have filed patents in the past? Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to find out the positives and negatives about each attorney, so make sure to ask about that, too. It's also a good way to find a patent attorney who has experience writing patent applications for technology in your field.

If you can't find an attorney in Seattle or its suburbs, it's okay to look further outside the area. Patent law is federal, so as long as you feel comfortable working with a lawyer over the phone and through email, you can work with a top lawyer from anywhere in the country.

Once you have the names and contact information of a few patent attorneys that look like good candidates, arrange to speak to them in person or over the phone. You want to narrow down your short list to no more than three attorneys. Set up a time to speak with them, explain your business and innovations, and ask targeted questions that will allow you to narrow it down to the best one.

In order for your attorney to be the best, they need to understand your invention as well as you do. Be sure to look up prior patents that are similar to the products that you are creating. Know how yours differ from those so that you can explain all of this to the patent lawyer. Once you have chosen your patent lawyer from the handful that you initially selected, be sure to send them a prototype and your sell sheet.

Another great way to ensure that you have the best patent lawyer in Seattle is to educate yourself as much as possible on patent law, the patents that have been filed that are similar to yours, and on your own inventions. If you can follow the process, at least to a certain degree, with your attorney, it will make things go much smoother. 

Questions for Patent Lawyers

• What is your workload? While you don't want a lawyer who is so busy they don't have time for you, you do want a lawyer who is busy. Patent law is a field with more demand than supply, so if the person your speaking do isn't getting much work, it's probably a sign that you should look elsewhere.

• What is your experience in my industry? Do they have experience writing patents for companies or innovations like yours? Do they have experience either working or studying in your field of innovation? It is in your best interest and the best interest of your inventions to have someone who can actually understand what you have to offer.

• How much will this all cost? Find out about all of the patent fees that could be incurred, what the retainer fee is from the law firm, how the fees will be billed, and whether or not they offer payment plans for early startups. Make sure you get all of this in writing once you agree to work together.

• Do you have any testimonials from past customers? It can be really valuable, especially if you didn't find this lawyer through the recommendation of a mentor or business owner in your industry, to see what other people have to say about the patent attorney they worked with.