Should I hire a local or national patent attorney?

The decision to hire a patent attorney is different from hiring an attorney for other reasons like personal injury or divorce. While those sort of cases are best handled by a local attorney because of state or even county-specific laws, patent law is national. Therefore, you must weigh your options and determine your own personal needs when looking for a patent attorney.

Patent Law is National

Attorneys who specialize in other practice areas must deal with local, state, and national laws, but patent attorneys only need to be concerned with patent law, which is nationally regulated. A California patent attorney can assist you in New York without ever meeting you in person. Many foreign companies utilize U.S. patent attorneys to file their patent applications.

All patent attorneys must be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which grants them the right to represent clients anywhere in the world. A California patent attorney frequently deals with overseas patent applications from China, Japan, and other parts of Asia.

The Benefits of a Local Patent Attorney

For some, meeting face-to-face is a necessity for getting things done. If you prefer to meet with your attorney in person, you would be wise to seek a local patent attorney.While the patent law remains constant no matter where you live, the qualifications of your attorney will vary depending on the firm you choose.

If your invention requires specific explanation or a demonstration during the application process to help your patent attorney with preparing your documentation, it’s much easier to be local.

The Most Important Factor: Your Patent Attorney’s Qualifications

With no worries about local patent law and the ability to complete the patent application process via mail (physical or digital), there is little reason to specifically hire a local patent attorney. If you live across the nation or across the globe and are comfortable with sending your documents via email, fax, postal service, or with a courier service, you can hire a California patent attorney.

Since you are not restricted by location, you should focus on retaining a patent attorney who has training in your specific field of technology or base your decision on the rate of the firm’s success and client relations.

When interviewing patent attorneys, you should ask questions like:

  • Have you handled similar cases in my field of technology?
  • Have you successfully litigated patent cases involving inventions like mine? (Be sure to ask for specific examples and settlement or verdict amounts.)
  • Are you readily available if I have questions?
  • What do you charge for your patent services?

You should also feel confident that he or she understands your concerns and needs.Another major factor to consider is if the patent attorney has a contingency plan set in place in the event they retire or are unavailable during your patent application process.

A patent application can sometimes take years, and your patent attorney should be able to provide you with adequate backup support should the need arise.

You should never choose a California patent attorney based solely on location. Knowledge of patent law, customer relations, and areas of expertise are the 3 most important factors when researching an appropriate patent attorney.

If your invention is technology related, it will be beneficial to both you and your attorney if you are both well-versed in the field.

The California patent attorneys at the ADLI Law Group P.C. can handle all of your patent, trademark, and copyright needs. Our firm specializes in technology patents ranging from nuclear energy, optics, computer hardware and software, electronics, and many other fields. Our patent attorneys hold degrees in physics, electrical engineering, computer engineering, and several other technology fields.

We serve clients across Los Angeles County and the U.S., as well as internationally in countries such as China, Taiwan and Japan. Contact us today for experienced help with securing the patent rights to your invention – (213) 290-4933.