How to save costs when working with an experienced patent attorney?
To save costs when working with an experienced patent attorney, it’s helpful to be prepared and organized. Clearly communicate your invention’s details, provide relevant documents and prior art references, and respond promptly to attorney requests. Collaborate efficiently during the drafting process, and promptly respond to attorney’s requests to minimize revisions and additional work.
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You can certainly lower the costs for working with an experienced patent attorney in the process of getting a patent for your invention. You can save costs with patent attorneys in the following ways:
Understanding the patent process and being systematic about it
Understanding the complete patent process from idea or invention to grant of patent and being systematically ready with required information and formal actions at each stage. This helps in saving costs a great deal, understanding what is expected at what stage in patenting your invention gives you clarity and you are better prepared with the information ahead of time. This saves most redundant communications like the exchange of email, phone calls, and visits and hence saves a lot of time and money.
Writing detailed and complete invention disclosure
If you understand what is expected out of a good invention disclosure from an inventor and you take efforts to make your invention disclosure as detailed and complete as possible, this saves a lot of time for a patent attorney who is working on your patent application and ultimately results in saving costs.
The invention must be
- described in substantial details
- includes pictures, flowcharts, diagrams where ever applicable
- Optionally includes experimental data proving novelty and non-obviousness
- Charts and tables about research and development
This helps patent attorneys in patent research as well as the drafting process.
Our detailed section on from idea to complete invention disclosure would be helpful here.
Minimize the questions you ask the patent attorney
Well, you are bound to get a lot of questions, after all, it’s about your brainchild (invention) but make sure you have done some Google search, read some articles, blogs, or information sites on your question, and if the questions still persist and seem to be very relevant then only proceed with actually asking patent attorney.
The obvious reason for this is: experienced patent attorneys charge anywhere from EUR 200 – EUR 50 per hour and every piece of communication may be charged like
- emails
- phone calls and
- meetings
Hence it is important to minimize the questions and to and fro communications. It also helps to be prepared and systematic with the entire procedure for getting your invention patented. In general, the most experienced patent attorneys will charge between EUR 1500 to EUR 6000 for drafting and filing a patent application.
What help do you get from a patent agent / patent attorney when filing a patent for your invention?
In Europe both patent agents and patent attorneys / patent lawyers are federally registered to practice before the European Paten Office (EPO). Both are licensed to represent clients in :
- preparing
- filing and
- Prosecuting patent applications before EPO.
The patent attorney also helps in providing patentability opinion to the client.
If you are still confused about whether you would end up saving a few thousand dollars by writing and filing your patent application on your own (without the help of a patent attorney) you need to read the section on do I really need to hire a patent attorney?
The process the inventor should follow while selecting the right patent attorney in Europe to work with and regarding deciding whether to go for the most expensive attorney or the most economic attorney for patenting your invention check our section on selecting the right patent attorney in Europe.
- Indian Patent Office, Govt. of India
- Patent Facilitator for Start-ups, Startup India Govt. of India
- Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunication engineering.
- Author of multiple books on Patents and IPR including a best-selling book on “How to patent an idea in India” which has been selected as the “Memorable Business Book of 2018” by Amazon
- Books are included in the syllabus of Educational Institutions as textbook and reference book on subject of IPR and Patents
- For over 15 years, Prasad has helped protect the intellectual property rights (IPR) of more than 1800 clients, including individuals, entrepreneurs, and educational institutes. This includes patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights.