Re: Patent Practice as Solo.

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On 5/23/06, FordhamGrad wrote:
> Anybody out there got any feedback on the possibility of a
> solo patent practice? I've got an engineering degree and
> I've passed the Patent Bar (more correctly, the
> Registration Examination). My engineering degree is not
> in electrical, computer science, or one of the other
> degrees the big IP firms really want. But I know enough
> to help small-time inventors.

You should post your query on the Greedy IP board. You'll
definitely have a better chance of making it doing
engineering-related inventions than someone trying to do
chemical or biotech work. (Chem and biotech inventions are
primarily the province of large businesses who wouldn't want
to hire inexperienced and unestablished solos.) However,
unless you already have an established client base, it would
probably be very tough. It seems to me that the problem with
the local garage inventors is that they probably won't want to
spend the $3000+ needed to prosecute a patent and to also make
it worth your while. Malpractice insurance is probably higher
for patent lawyers, too.

However, since you'd be working in the engineering area, which
would include mechanical patents, maybe it would work out if
you did a good job of marketting it. I suppose it couldn't
hurt too much to get your USPTO license and try it on the
side. (My background is in biochemistry, so it isn't really
an option for me. However, I am interested in the possibility
of environmental practice.)