Why You Need a Lawyer for Your Patent Application – The Benefits of Early IP Protection

Intellectual property – or IP – is a very complicated area of law. New ideas are typically protected in the form of patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyrights.

While U.S. law allows for individuals to file patent applications themselves, it is advisable to retain the services of an experienced intellectual property and patent attorney. Our experienced Orange County and Los Angeles County patent attorneys are ready to assist you with filing a patent application and beginning the patent acquisition process on your behalf.

Overview of Patents

In the United States, patents protect new or improved processes, machines, chemical compositions, or product designs. In a nutshell, a patent gives the patent owner the exclusive rights to do the following over a twenty-year period:

  • Develop the patented invention or creation
  • Use the patented invention or creation
  • Sell the patented invention or creation

Benefits of Retaining a Patent Attorney

While individuals may begin the patent application process on their own, self-filing can often have serious negative consequences – the most serious of which is failing to obtain the proper amount of protection.

Failing to have the proper amount of patent protection can be just as bad as not having any protection at all. Obtaining intellectual property protection is insufficient if the protection obtained is of the wrong type or amount. Self-filers risk making serious mistakes that could ultimately cost significant amounts of time and money – and possibly the very idea they wish to protect. Failing to obtain the correct amount and/or type of patent protection can result in the  competition stealing an idea, redeveloping it, marketing it, and/or selling it at a profit.

Hiring an experienced intellectual property patent attorney to file a patent application can help to eliminate all of the uncertainty associated with the patent application process. Some of the most important benefits of retaining a patent attorney include the following:

  • An experienced patent attorney can help you understand the process and make sense of all the complex language in patent application and supporting materials
  • A patent lawyer will be familiar with the patent application process and can help to streamline the process and ensure that you obtain your patent as soon as possible
  • An experienced patent attorney can undertake a thorough search for existing patents to ensure that your idea is patentable
  • A patent attorney can help you seek temporary protection for your idea while your patent application is pending through mechanisms such as non-disclosure agreements and provisional patents

Contact an Orange County and Los Angeles County Patent Attorney Today to Discuss Your Case

United States patent law is extremely complex. Retaining a lawyer to assist you with your patent application can be one of the best investments you will ever make. Our experienced Orange County and Los Angeles County patent attorneys will be able to assist you with streamlining and making sense out of the patent application process.

To schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Orange County and Los Angeles County patent attorneys, call Jafari Law Group at 949-362-0100 or contact us online.