How to prepare for your first conversation with a patent attorney
A registered patent attorney can advise you on whether and how to protect your invention. The more clearly you can explain it, the more useful that first conversation will be. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Before you go
- Keep it private. Do not publish or demonstrate your invention before the meeting. If you are unsure whether something counts as going public, ask.
- Write the problem in one sentence. Then write what your invention does differently, in a short paragraph.
- Sketch it. Simple drawings showing the parts and how they connect are enough.
- Note what you have found. List the products and patents you came across that look closest, and what you think is different about yours.
- Note what you have already done. Have you shown it to anyone, sold it, or described it online? Be honest. It matters.
What to bring
- Your short description and sketches
- Your list of the closest earlier ideas, with links or patent numbers
- Any dates that matter, such as when you first had the idea or showed it to anyone
Questions worth asking
- Does my invention look like something that can be protected?
- What does the earlier material I found mean for me?
- What would the steps, timings and costs be?
- What should I avoid doing in the meantime?
- Are there other kinds of protection I should consider?
About costs
Ask about fees at the start. Many attorneys will explain how they charge before you commit to anything.
Where Invenit fits
Invenit is being built to help with the preparation: it will search patent databases, read what it finds, compare it with your invention, and export your research as one package you can take to an attorney. No attorney reviews Invenit's results, and it will not write or file patents. Join the waitlist to hear when it opens.