How to Find a Patent Agent

Find a patent agent to prepare and effectively process your patent application with the Patent & Trademark Office. Not only are patent agents better equipped to search an invention's patent worthiness, but they are also experienced in giving trustworthy opinions. Make sure the patent agent you find holds an undergraduate degree in engineering. Then follow these steps to find the agent that's right for you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Access the home page of the Patent & Trademark Office. Click on the "Resources" link, and then click on "Patent Attorneys and Agents" under the "Search Collections" heading.
2. Plan to locate an agent in the area surrounding Washington, D.C. so that you do not need to pay the agent's travel expenses to the Patent & Trademark Office's headquarters. Look in the District of Columbia and Virginia databases.
3. Pick one of the agents listed in the search results. Write a letter to the agent introducing yourself and explaining why you are making contact with her.
4. Describe the patent search needed.
5. Request the patent agent's fee protocol. Find out if she charges a flat fee or bills by the hour. Before agreeing to an hourly charge, get an estimate of how much time the patent agent expects to invest in the project. Require the agent to provide advance notice should she need additional time.
6. Advise the patent agent that you expect her to complete a full search on whether or not the invention is worth patenting. Then explain that you require her to give you her professional opinion before proceeding any further with your patent application.