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Filing Your Own Patent: Advantages and Disadvantages

Even though it is true that you can file a patent application directly with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trade-
mark Office), the fact of the matter remains that the application process requires a series of delicate steps that must
carefully be obeyed to avoid rejection.

Performing a patent search is one of the very first steps in filing a patent appli-
cation. The sole purpose of this search is to identify other inventions that may
already exist and conflict with the claim of your application.

Another step is to write a very precise description of the invention and what it
does beneficially. Often, this description requires the use of specific legal termi-
nology.

The final step in the application process would be the drafting or illustration of the
patent. These illustrations must meet strict criteria in terms of clarity, appearance,
use of standard markings, symbols, and lines.

Filing your own patent application seems like an effortless task and a way to save
money, but you run the risk of getting the application rejected at a stage where
you may already have invested a considerable amount of money and time in
research and development. The USPTO patent examiner will meticulously re-
view your application and may reject it for a number of reasons. You would then
receive an action notice indicating the reasons why your application was rejected
and a due date for filing the revised application.

You will not have a chance to go back and forth with amendments and corrections
as often as you please since the USPTO will take their time to review the applica-
tion afresh and you again run the risk of not having enough time to correct anything anymore, eventually getting
your application completely denied.

Doesn’t it make sense to seek professional help and hire an attorney for something you may have already built or
prototyped, but actually cannot sell or promote because you are not protected?

The Hurdles

As discussed above, filing your own patent application does sound simple and cost-effective, but down the road, it
may just end up killing the patent altogether.

It is not just enough to be aware of your invention while filing for a patent. It is equally important to be familiar with
the ins and outs of patent law and patent claim drafting, which is why companies hire patent attorneys instead of tak-
ing the chance and going for it all alone.

For further information about what Legal Advantage can do for you,
visit us at www.legaladvantage.net or call 800.538.0558
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www.legaladvantage.net
Go ahead
grow. explore. excel.
Some of the concerns that you need to take care of while applying for a patent are:

•Patent Search: The reasons for performing a patent search are many. The most obvious is to determine whether
or not you can get a patent or if your invention has already been patented. Performing a good patent search is
a comprehensive art. Unfortunately, economics dictate the time spent on the search and analysis of selected
patents.

•Patent Application: It is a legal document. A small mistake with semantics and your application may get rejected
outright.

A patent application includes: A cover page, a detailed description of the invention that explains how to make
and use it, illustrations with the exact specifications and measurements that show how to make and use the
invention.

The Solution
By hiring a patent attorney you are guaranteed that the necessary requisites are met and that the application is
ready on time and is in accordance with the USPTO standards.

Legal Advantage offers a whole spectrum of IP services to make it easier for you to get that much coveted patent.

PATENT ILLUSTRATION
Production Facility
Our production facility operates 24/7 to ensure your project team is always available. Our facility is staffed with a
number of intellectual property attorneys, artists, graphics designers, and engineers. In addition, our ratio of qual-
ity control managers to designers is the highest in the industry. We continue to make investments in the latest
technologies to continuously enhance quality and reduce the time required to complete your project.

Customer Support
As a Legal Advantage client, you have secure real-time access to your project via our internally developed cus-
tomer support web portal. In addition, you can communicate with us through our toll-free number, real-time
web-based chats with our project managers and designers, as well as email.

Quality Control Assurances

In order to provide the highest quality in the industry, we have implemented a rigorous and comprehensive
quality assurance program. Every one of your illustrations will go through at least three levels of proofing with a
comprehensive 72-point quality checklist at each stage step. Your illustration will be reviewed by the designer,
three quality control analysts, and a project manager (who is also an expert designer) before it released from
our quality control and review process. In addition, we also employ career graphic artists for design patents that
require original conceptual rendering or trademark designing.

For further information about what Legal Advantage can do for you,
visit us at www.legaladvantage.net or call 800.538.0558
 Legal Advantage Go ahead
www.legaladvantage.net grow. explore. excel.
PATENT PROOFREADING
Defectively issued patents are not self-correcting – you may end up spending many valuable hours trying to catch
errors that are seemingly insignificant, but if left uncorrected can lead to major consequences. There are numer-
ous examples of improper or missing proofreading quality controls that have resulted in disastrous consequences.
As an IP Professional, you understand that if allowed claims are not printed, they cannot be enforced.

Legal Advantage has a staff of trained and experienced professionals who can identify errors and omissions
before they become an issue. Our multi-step quality control and quality assurance processes and methodologies
leverage our deep industry experience and will provide you with the highest quality and most cost effective pat-
ent proof reading services currently available.

PRIOR ART SEARCH

Legal Advantage is the recognized leader in providing cost-effective, high-quality, and timely Prior Art Searches
to law firms and corporations throughout US. With a scope of services including Patent Watch, Novelty, Freedom
to Operate, and Validity/Invalidity Searches; our unsurpassed ability to generate efficient and relevant results
give you the edge.

We have a dedicated team that possesses extensive experience and will deliver comprehensive search results. As
a result of our unparalleled dependability, accuracy, and client service focus, we posses one of the highest client
retention rates in the industry and continue to set the standard for IP services.

We have a number of subject matter experts in several branches of technology, including: Polymer Technology,
Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Chemistry, Bio-Technology, Genetics, and Computer Science.
Additionally our experts have access to such industry leading patent and prior art databases as Delphion,
LexisNexis, MicroPat, and STN.

The Legal Advantage Value Proposition:

•Expedited project completions that allow you to scale and grow your business
•Fastest turn around in the industry: IP illustrations
•Highly trained paralegals and common law attorneys with over 600 of hours of training
•Secure and encrypted file uploading for all of your relevant and supporting documents
•Receipt confirmation and missing or incomplete document reporting and notification
•Data entry and validation with the highest accuracy in the industry
•Multiple levels of Quality Control, Quality Review and Quality Assurance
•Web-based secure repository with 24x7 client review and access capabilities
•Industry standard data and image format deliverables
•Fixed-unit pricing for cost justification and containment

For further information about what Legal Advantage can do for you,
visit us at www.legaladvantage.net or call 800.538.0558