Having a great idea for an invention is just the tip of the iceberg. The key to making your idea an actuality is to get a patent so that no one can steal or claim it.
While the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) does not require businesses to get patent attorneys to file an application, hiring one provides you with a multitude of benefits. Typically, a patent attorney is responsible for building strategies that transcend beyond just filing an application.
This is essential in helping you handle what follows on and how you can protect an invention in the long run. In simplest terms, a patent is a right granted to an individual who can provide the government with a distinctive and productive invention.
In most cases, businesses especially startups, are hesitant of hiring top patent attorneys, mainly because of the costs involved. It is, however, important to have someone on-board to safeguard your intellectual property and to keep competitors at bay.
Only registered and top patent attorneys can help you go through the procedure of patent approval smoothly. Also, hiring a patent attorney helps minimize the room for error when it comes to filling out forms and explaining the details of the invention. Other benefits of hiring a patent lawyer include:
They Are Competent In Intellectual Property Law
Patent law is very complex, and a lawyer can help you navigate through all the documentation and filings. Even though you can file a patent on your own, doing so requires a considerable amount of time between reading, creating drawings, summarizing workflows, and writing descriptions.
In fact, the average time for research alone can take several hours. By hiring a patent lawyer, you no longer have to dig deep into the ins and outs of the patent process. A patent lawyer will be able to provide you with an educated opinion on what type of patents will fit your invention.
What’s more, top patent attorneys can also guide innovators to get the relevant information to ensure that the application will be approved. With more than 500,000 applications annually, making sure that all the details are correct can spell the difference in the approval process.
Patent Lawyers Prevent Theft
Intellectual property theft is quite common for small businesses and startups.
A patent lawyer ensures that your invention is kept safe while you focus on the more pressing matters of your business, such as operations and logistics.
Patent Attorneys Help Increase Profits
Paying patent attorneys to help you through the process comes with an added benefit of increasing your profits.
This is because patents will ensure that you have exclusive rights to use your invention, therefore, allowing you to sell it.
In case the demand rises, a patent will ensure your business is the only one that can supply the products or services, making you a unique distributor.
Plus, an exclusive right also prevents your competitors from duplicating your product. If they do so, they can be sued for patent infringement.