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  1.                                         
  2.                 PATENT ATTORNEY CHECKLIST
  3.  
  4. ATTORNEY NAME: __________________________________________________
  5. ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________
  6. CITY, STATE, ZIP: __________________________________________________
  7. TELEPHONE: __________ - ___________________________________________
  8. FAX: _______ - _______________________ DEDICATED LINE? ____________
  9. OFFICE HOURS: _____________________________________________________
  10. DATE OF 1st INTERVIEW:__________________  HIRE:  YES _____ NO______
  11. 1. Approach it like finding a doctor:
  12. Do you get a general feeling of trust from him/her?
  13. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  14. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  15. ____________________________________________________________________
  16. 2. Where is he located? Can you get to see him without a major hassle?
  17. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  18. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  19. ____________________________________________________________________
  20. 3. Is his office staff cooperative?
  21. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  22. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  23. ____________________________________________________________________
  24. 4. Check out his other patent work: Ask to see information about other patents.
  25. Done _____  Approved _____  Info given without problem:  _________________
  26. Comments: __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________
  27. 5. Check out other inventors who have used him. Talk with them about their working relationship with the attorney. Is he easy to work with?
  28. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  29. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  30. ____________________________________________________________________
  31. 6. Does he waste a lot of money on time consuming errors in his procedures and work:
  32. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  33. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  34. ____________________________________________________________________
  35. 7. Can you get him on the phone when you need to talk to him?
  36. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  37. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  38. ____________________________________________________________________
  39. 8. Ask the inventors how they were referred to the attorney. (Make sure the investors youΓÇÖre talking to arenΓÇÖt all close friends and relatives of the attorney;
  40. how were they referred to his aface and by whom?)
  41. Yes _____  No _____  Other: ___________________________________________
  42. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  43. ____________________________________________________________________
  44. 9. Ask for references
  45.     a. Personal references:
  46. Done ____ Approved ____ Number of other contacts obtained: _______________
  47. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  48. ____________________________________________________________________
  49.      b. Inventor references:
  50. Done ____ Approved ____ Number of other contacts obtained: _______________
  51. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  52. ____________________________________________________________________
  53.      c. Business references:
  54. Done ____ Approved ____ Number of other contacts obtained: _______________
  55. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  56. ____________________________________________________________________
  57. 10. Check with the State & Local Chambers of Commerce:
  58. Done ____ Approved ____ Number of other contacts obtained: _______________
  59. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  60. ____________________________________________________________________
  61. 11. Check with the Better Business Bureau:
  62. Done ____ Approved ____ Number of other contacts obtained: _______________
  63. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  64. ____________________________________________________________________
  65. 12. Questions to ask a prospective patent attorney:
  66.       a. His background: ________________________________________________
  67.          b. The number of years he has been in practice: ________________________
  68.          c. Number of patents he has worked on: ______________________________
  69.               Types of patents: ______________________________________________
  70.          d. Number of successful patents versus number applied for: ______________
  71.          e. Does he specialize in any certain field? _____________________________
  72. 13. His fee schedule: How flexible is he in working with you on the payment side
  73. of the picture? How much money up front? _______________________________
  74. Basic Fee Schedule: $__________________ Down  $________________ Per visit
  75. Terms ______________________________________________________________
  76. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  77. ____________________________________________________________________
  78. 14. Estimated costs for your patent application:
  79. Terms ______________________________________________________________
  80. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  81. ____________________________________________________________________
  82. 15. Typical time frames and additional costs:
  83.       a. Typical time frame for basic patent application
  84. Time frame _________________________________________________________
  85. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  86. ____________________________________________________________________
  87.       b. Any backlog of work that will effect your application:
  88. Terms ______________________________________________________________
  89. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  90. ____________________________________________________________________
  91.       c. Based upon your disclosure to him, does he see any complications in the application or the preparation of the documentation that will cause any delays or extra costs?
  92. Opinion ____________________________________________________________
  93. Comments: _________________________________________________________
  94. ___________________________________________________________________
  95. 16. Who are his working partners?______________________________________
  96. Done ______ Approved ___________ Number of other partners _____________
  97. Comments: _________________________________________________________
  98. ___________________________________________________________________
  99. 17. His search firm:
  100. Contact Number: ____________________________________________________
  101.       a. Their fees: ___________________________________________________
  102.       b. What are they?________________________________________________
  103.       c. How will they be paid? _________________________________________
  104.       d. How long has he worked with them? ______________________________
  105.       e. Have they ever screwed up a search? ______________________________
  106. Yes _____  No _____  Other: __________________________________________
  107. Comments: _________________________________________________________
  108. ___________________________________________________________________
  109.       f. How fast and accurate are they? __________________________________
  110. Comments: _________________________________________________________
  111. ___________________________________________________________________
  112. 18. His Washington, D.C. associate firm:
  113.       a. Does he have one or does he do all the contact work with the patent office by himself?
  114. Comments: _________________________________________________________
  115. ___________________________________________________________________
  116.       b. If he does use a firm in D.C., how large a firm is he associated with and what is their track record?
  117. Name: _____________________________________________________________
  118. Contact info: _______________________________________________________
  119. Done ___________________________    Approved ________________________
  120. Comments: _________________________________________________________
  121. ___________________________________________________________________
  122. 19. Does he have another attorney in his office that can help you if he is sick, disabled, out of town or dies?
  123. Done ______  Approved _______  Number of other contacts obtained: ________
  124. Comments: __________________________________________________________
  125. ____________________________________________________________________
  126. ____________________________________________________________________
  127. ____________________________________________________________________
  128.  
  129. Misc. Notes:
  130. ____________________________________________________________________
  131. ____________________________________________________________________
  132. ____________________________________________________________________
  133. ____________________________________________________________________
  134. ____________________________________________________________________
  135. ____________________________________________________________________
  136. ____________________________________________________________________
  137. ____________________________________________________________________
  138. ____________________________________________________________________
  139. ____________________________________________________________________