Patent prosecution is the core of the firm's practice. We draft and prosecute utility and design patent applications at the United States Patent and Trademark Office for clients ranging from individual inventors to venture-backed startups to established technology companies. Over the course of the practice, we have been involved in the prosecution of more than 1,000 patent applications spanning artificial intelligence, medical devices, cybersecurity, blockchain, autonomous systems, IoT, and traditional mechanical and electrical engineering.
Utility Patent Applications
A utility patent protects the functional aspects of an invention: how it works, what it does, and how it is made. We prepare utility patent applications with specifications detailed enough to withstand validity challenges and claims drafted for breadth without sacrificing defensibility. The specification describes the invention in sufficient detail that a person skilled in the field could build and use it. The claims define the legal scope of protection. The interplay between these two elements determines whether the patent has commercial value or is merely a wall decoration. We draft with enforceability in mind from day one.
Design Patent Applications
Design patents protect the ornamental appearance of a manufactured article. They issue faster than utility patents, cost less to prosecute, and complement utility protection by covering the visual design of a product. For companies whose products are recognized by their distinctive appearance, design patents provide an additional enforcement tool.
Provisional Patent Applications
Provisional applications establish a priority date at a fraction of the cost of a non-provisional filing, providing 12 months to develop the product, raise capital, or test the market while maintaining patent-pending status. We draft provisionals with the same technical rigor as non-provisional applications, because the priority date is only as good as the disclosure that supports it. A thin provisional is worse than no provisional at all.
Office Action Responses
Most patent applications receive one or more rejections from the USPTO examiner. Responding effectively to office actions is where prosecution experience matters most. We analyze each rejection, identify the strongest arguments for patentability, conduct examiner interviews where advantageous, and craft responses that overcome rejections without unnecessarily narrowing the claims. Every claim amendment is permanent, so discipline during prosecution preserves the commercial value of the issued patent.
Continuation Practice
Continuation and continuation-in-part applications allow companies to pursue additional claims from an existing application's priority date. We use continuation practice strategically to build layered portfolio coverage, capture new claim scope informed by competitive developments, and maintain pending applications that can adapt to changing market conditions.
Patentability and Freedom-to-Operate Opinions
Before committing to prosecution, a patentability opinion assesses whether an invention is likely patentable in view of the prior art. Before launching a product, a freedom-to-operate analysis identifies existing patents that could pose infringement risk. Both opinions help clients make informed decisions about where to invest their IP budget and how to manage risk.
Get Started
To discuss patent protection for your invention, schedule a consultation. We will assess patentability, recommend a filing strategy, and provide a fee estimate before any work begins.