Services

A patent gives you the exclusive right to protect your invention as intellectual property and the legal standing to enforce it. HRFM addresses all aspects of patent prosecution and strategy, managing more than 1,000 domestic and international patent cases yearly.

Our team spans an array of technical backgrounds and practice areas to support every aspect of patent protection.

Contact our team or search for an attorney specializing in patents.

HRFM's services span a patent's full lifecycle, covering initial prosecution, landscape analysis and post-grant proceedings.

What Is Patent Prosecution?

Patent prosecution refers to the preparation and filing of a patent application. It also includes representation and advocacy before a patent office to secure issuance of the patent. Our experienced patent prosecutors handle each step, from filing through final issuance.

Quality patent prosecution goes beyond protecting your immediate goals for your invention. It also involves strategic decision-making to account for the possibility of future litigation. Our patent prosecutors work closely with our litigators to ensure a solid foundation for the integrity and enforcement of your issued patent.

What Is a Patent Landscape Search?

A patent landscape search involves the search and compilation of issued patents and pending applications relevant to a specific technology or technical field. Analysis of the results provides an indication of the breadth, scarcity and particular characteristics of a distinct area of IP rights.

This analysis can help you identify a direction for navigating the IP landscape and pinpoint other players in the pertinent IP field.

Challenging Patent Validity: PTAB Proceedings

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), part of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), offers several alternatives to federal court litigation for U.S. patent validity challenges. These include the following:

• Ex parte re-examination proceedings (involving the patent owner only) to cancel or narrow the scope of patent coverage
• Post-grant review, inter partes review (involving both the patent owner and a challenging party) and covered business method review to challenge the validity of patent claims
• Derivation proceedings to determine whether an inventor improperly derived an invention from another person

The costs associated with these alternatives can be less than the costs of litigation. For clients seeking to invalidate a potentially adverse patent, PTAB proceedings may be the better option.

HRFM advises both parties in PTAB proceedings.

How HRFM Can Help

As the largest IP law firm in upstate New York, HRFM brings deep technical expertise and litigation experience to every patent matter. Whether you are filing your first patent application or navigating a complex validity challenge, our attorneys are equipped to help.

Headquartered in Albany, New York, with an office in Rochester, we serve inventors, businesses and institutions across industries at each stage of the patent process.

Contact us or search for a patents attorney to get started.