Can I Schedule A Free Patent Attorney Consultation?
The first thing nearly every caller asks me is “can I get a free patent attorney consultation?” But what exactly is a free consultation. Most callers think that a “free consultation” means “free advice.” Most patent attorneys are not going to give free advice at an initial consultation. At least not the type of advice that’s going to allow you to resolve your issue without having to go through an attorney.
You may be thinking that a patent attorney won’t give you free advice because they don’t want you to go out and do it on your own. Not quite.
Representing Yourself at the Patent Office or “Pro Se”
You are legally entitled to represent yourself in most (if not all) legal matters under the U.S. legal system. Of course, that generally is not a good idea. Even a patent attorney shouldn’t represent themselves in a criminal matter (or other matters they have no experience with). Indeed, many would say that even a criminal law attorney should not represent themselves in a criminal matter. There’s many reasons for this. For example, a personal attachment to a matter can keep you from thinking objectively.
Free Patent Attorney Consultation
Before I get off track, let’s come back to that free patent attorney consultation. I can’t speak for other patent attorneys. But I have worked at several law firms, and I know what my free consultation provides.
A free patent attorney consultation is going to include a broad overview of the US Patent Law, and some of the options that may be available to an inventor to protect his or her invention. For example, I might explain what a prior art search (or patent search) is and why it’s generally a good idea to do a patent search. I might also explain the difference between a design patent application and a utility patent application. I might also explain the option to file a provisional patent application. And of course, we’ll go over deadlines for filing.
All of this information is available for free on the internet. The U.S. Patent Office has a lot of information on their website. In fact, the US PTO probably has more free information about filing a patent application than any other single website out there, including information about filing a patent application pro-se (or “on your own”). But even the US PTO highly recommends working with a patent agent or patent attorney to file a patent application.
So to answer the question “Do you offer a free patent attorney consultation?” The answer is “Yes.” I am more than happy to discuss general information about patent law and various options. Will I give free advice? Absolutely not.
There is no single answer to any question. There are options, and the choice of one person will not necessarily be the best choice for somebody else. Therefore, I will only give a client advice specific to their matter once I have a full understanding of their matter, and how they wish to proceed.
You may be thinking, “How do I know Trenner Law Firm is right for me?” I understand, Trenner Law Firm is not the right law firm for everyone. That’s why I am more than happy to spend 15 or 20 minutes on the phone with you, to answer basic questions about my law firm and how we operate. Yes, I will even give a flat fee quote for various projects we might be able to assist with. By the end of this call, you should have a good idea whether Trenner Law Firm is a good fit for you, and whether we are even accepting new clients.
Hiring a Patent Attorney – After The Free Consultation
How can you make a decision how to proceed based only on a general information call? Click here for some questions to ask when deciding to hire a patent attorney.
That’s why at Trenner Law Firm, we also offer an Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy Session. This is an in-person meeting, during which we will discuss specifics of your matter, and the options available, the cost, and answer any specific questions you may have. By the end of this meeting, you should have enough information to make an educated decision about how best to proceed.
If you’re interested in a free patent attorney consultation by phone, or to schedule an Intellectual Property Strategy Session, please call 720-221-3708 and ask to speak with patent attorney Mark Trenner. If you’re ready to start, click here to learn more about our Online Patent Law Firm.
