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I need to know of a good respectable patent attorney in Indianapolis area

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sbever

Member
IN
Hello,
I have an idea for improving a product used every day. I need to find out what I need to do to get the ball rolling. I have no idea where to turn. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, do I need to have the idea on paper or physical or can I keep the information in my head? How do I protect the "product idea" from being stolen before it's patented? If it is an improvement - is it patent-able?

Thank you!
 


quincy

Senior Member
IN
Hello,
I have an idea for improving a product used every day. I need to find out what I need to do to get the ball rolling. I have no idea where to turn. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, do I need to have the idea on paper or physical or can I keep the information in my head? How do I protect the "product idea" from being stolen before it's patented? If it is an improvement - is it patent-able?

Thank you!

For patent attorneys in your area, you can check out the Indianapolis Bar Association site at http://www.indybar.org or the Indiana Bar Association site at http://www.inbar.org. We do not provide referrals on this site.

If you have an idea that you think might be worth patenting, you can keep the idea in your head, sketch it out on paper, or make a prototype. To keep your idea confidential, you either tell no one or, if you consult with someone on your idea, you can have that person sign a nondisclosure agreement.

An improvement to an existing product can be patentable.

You will probably benefit from sitting down with a patent attorney, who can help you get your idea from point A (your head) to point B (your patent).

For additional information on patents, you can visit the US Patent and Trademark Office website, and perhaps check out the "frequently asked questions" section. The site can be accessed at: http://www.uspto.gov

Good luck.
 
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ronnygage

Junior Member
Hey there are many lawyers who are doing law malpractice. so beware of them. try some authorized lawyers.
 
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single317dad

Senior Member
My experience with getting a patent in Indianapolis about a decade ago was a long, frustrating, and very expensive process.

I would recommend you follow quincy's informative links and choose your attorney/law firm very carefully.

Clubs or trade groups related to your industry are a valuable source of information, including attorney referrals.
 

quincy

Senior Member
My experience with getting a patent in Indianapolis about a decade ago was a long, frustrating, and very expensive process.

I would recommend you follow quincy's informative links and choose your attorney/law firm very carefully.

Clubs or trade groups related to your industry are a valuable source of information, including attorney referrals.

Although there are not many (if any) attorneys who would try to fake being a patent attorney, an inventor needs to make sure the attorney they hire is, in fact, a patent attorney - one who not only licensed to practice law but who is qualified to represent clients in USPTO proceedings and in federal court.

Patent attorneys must pass an additional exam to become licensed. Patent attorneys must be registered to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office. And patent attorneys tend to have more highly advanced math or science educational or technical backgrounds than most attorneys, which can be helpful for patent law.

There is a list published by the USPTO of licensed patent attorneys (see "Attorneys and Agents Registered to Practice Before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office" at https://oedci.uspto.gov/OEDCI/) or one can check their own state Bar Association list.

The process from getting an invention to the point where a patent application can be filed, to the point where a patent for the invention is approved and issued, can take a lot of time (years) and cost a lot of money ($5000 and up, up, up), if a patent application is not rejected immediately, that is, on one of several grounds.
 
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