Every now and then we come up with a great idea that we think can make money. Before we can put our idea on the market though, we probably want to patent it. Unfortunately, the confusing legal terms alone are enough to make most of us give up. A patent attorney can help inventors through the process of getting a patent. However, despite the help lawyers can provide, many may be hesitate to seek out legal help for fear of incurring large patent attorney costs.
Patent attorney costs can vary significantly. Factors which can affect these costs include the geographical market the attorney is in and the attorney’s experience. In 2001, the average patent attorney charged $252.00 per hour, though these fees ranged from between $198.00 per hour and as much as $300.00 per hour. Major cities, like Boston, New York and Chicago, tended to have the highest patent attorney costs in the United States.
One way to save money on patent attorney costs is to have your legal work handled by a lawyer in a smaller city. Many of these smaller markets offer quality attorneys who are often just as experienced as big city lawyers but charge much lower fees. This can help ensure that you do not go broke trying to get your patent approved.
Another easy step you can take to save money on lawyer fees is to do much of the grunt work yourself. While many people might not be able to understand all the complicated legalese involved in the patent process, there are things just about anyone can do. One of these is doing a patent search. A patent search will help determine whether or not someone has already thought of and patented your idea. Doing a search yourself can save you both expensive lawyer fees and time.
For more information on the patent process be sure to take advantage of free legal help online. The internet offers patent seekers a wealth of information so that they can be the best informed before seeking a patent and hiring an expensive lawyer.
