Patent Attorneys

The preparation of an application for patent and the conducting of the proceedings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (or the Patent Office) to obtain the patent is an undertaking requiring the knowledge of patent law and rules and Office practice and procedures, as well as knowledge of the scientific or technical matters involved in the particular invention. 

Inventors may prepare their own applications and file them in the Patent Office and conduct the proceedings themselves, but unless they are familiar with these matters or study them in detail, they may get into considerable difficulty. Most inventors employ the services of registered patent attorneys. 

The law gives the Patent Office the power to make rules and regulations governing conduct and the recognition of patent attorneys to practice before the Patent Office.  

To be registered as a patent attorney with the Patent Office, a person must comply with the regulations prescribed by the Office, which require a showing that the person is of good moral character and of good repute and that he/she has the legal, and scientific and technical qualifications necessary to render applicants for patents a valuable service. 

This person must also pass an examination. Those admitted to the examination must have a college degree in engineering or physical science or the equivalent of such a degree.

In employing a patent attorney, the inventor executes a power of attorney which is filed in the Patent Office and made of record in the application file. When a registered attorney has been appointed, the Office does not communicate with the inventor directly but conducts the correspondence with the attorney or agent since he/she is acting for the inventor thereafter although the inventor is free to contact the Patent Office concerning the status of his/her application.

All of the lawyers of Beem Patent Law Firm are registered patent attorneys. Upon engaging the Firm, you will be provided with a written engagement letter and, if needed for the filing of a patent application, a power of attorney and declaration. Please contact the Firm for information on representation available to you for your patent matter. 

Some of the information provided herein was obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark website, www.uspto.gov. For further information, see the Patent Office inventor resources at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/iip/index.htm.