Legal Question in Intellectual Property in New York

Re: Obtaining a patent

The best way to get through the patent process is to hire a patent attorney or agent (although you have the right to go it alone, you are dealing with one of the most complex legal documents in existence; using the services of a patent professional is the best way to protect your rights).

You can find information about the patenting process and get the listing of registered attorneys/agents at www.uspto.gov. Patent attorneys/agents do NOT need to be local to you; we work long-distance frequently. Look for someone with whom you are comfortable working, because this will be a long-term project (a patent application normally takes 2-5 years to either mature into an issued patent or get finally rejected by the patent examiner).

You can also go to the local bookstore and look for the patenting-it-yourself books put out by Nolo Press.

THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND IS NOT INTENDED, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSTRUED, AS LEGAL ADVICE. THIS POSTING DOES NOT CREATE ANY ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US. FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY.