Random question of the day. Does anyone know a good patent lawyer? I'm in the early stages designing a medical device and need some assistance in the patent writing...
Tim P. replied:
If you can't get a direct referral from someone, try Martindale-Hubbell: Search for "patent attorney," then narrow it down by locale and practice area (intellectual property). I'm seeing 23 in Memphis. That sounds about right because there are only a handful of lawyers (out of 5,000+) in Memphis that specialize in IP. I'd immediately rule out anyone who lists everything (criminal law, family law, general civil litigation, etc.) as their area of practice. Intellectual Property is a specialized area of law and you really don't want a "jack of all trades" handling this. Also, don't be too surprised if the hourly rate is $400+. While expensive, if they know what they're doing, it'll save you a ton of time -- which as a smart guy you can figure out means saving you a lot of money (e.g., $200/hr X 25 hours > $450/hr X 5, right?). http://www.martindale.com/ P.S. Although the M-H rating service used to be "it" when it came to attorneys, I wouldn't get too hung up on finding an "AV rated" attorney -- there are tons of great attorneys out there who, for whatever reason, have not been rated yet. Do, however, pay attention to any NEGATIVE reviews: Speaking personally and not as a professional, I would stay away from negative reviews for sure. Good luck. Feel free to give me a shout if you have any questions (in general) -- I know just enough to perhaps point you in the right direction, but can't handle patents myself.
Garrett R. replied:
Eric Kirchoff yes! I have about 5 different designs to help defend the idea from competitors. I will need help with drawings and structural design. My drawings are all in basic stages.