Representation
The NeedThe job of a patent agent does not and should not end with the filing of a patent application. The process of getting a patent can consume several years, and at each stage, the U.S.P.T.O. or international authorities may make a number of requirements. Once a patent application does reach the desk of a patent examiner, the patent examiner often rejects it. At any stage in the process, the failure to respond properly to a requirement or a rejection may result in abandonment of the patent application and loss of patent rights. Even for the stouthearted and patent savvy, the process can be confusing. The ServiceRepresentation before the U.S.P.T.O. and international authorities begins with the filing of the patent application and continues throughout the entire process of patenting. During the process, the client is kept informed of all developments, and is given copies of all papers that pertain to the case, along with analysis and advice on how best to proceed. If international patent protection is desired, representation may also include coordinating the network of international patent attorneys and agents who are recruited to perform the country-specific legal work in each country. A client may be represented regardless of who drafted the original patent application. Oftentimes, cases are transferred from other attorneys and agents. It is also common for a U.S. patent attorney or agent to handle the U.S. representation for a patent application that was originally drafted and filed in a foreign country. All contents copyright Andrew McAleavey. This website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Read the disclaimer. |