Intellectual Property plays a big role in our modern life and activities. Everyday there are new inventions related to agriculture, health and medicines, locomotives and telecommunications. These inventions are protected by Patents - an important area of Intellectual Property.
Patent is right of monopoly granted by the Government to the inventor for a certain period of time, for disclosure of the invention. Therefore, it is necessary, for the inventor to disclose the invention before the Government.
.A skilled patent lawyer may guide an inventor as to the patentability of his invention. Consultation with a patent lawyer at this stage is imperative as it would preclude going in for a search in case the invention is obvious and not patentable. A patent lawyer may be entrusted for conducting a patent search. A Comprehensive worldwide search is to be carried out to ensure that the patent is novel.
It is advisable to enlist the services of a patent lawyer for making an application for a patent. A patent lawyer may prepare and file the patent application for registration. At the time of filing the application a patent lawyer must disclose the invention by filing of the patent specification along with the application .If the complete specification cannot be filed at the time of filing the application, a provisional specification may be filed. The invention must be disclosed only broadly in a provisional specification, for which the assistance of a patent lawyer is advisable. However the complete specification must always be filed later within the prescribed time. The drafting of a Patent Specification is very technical as well as complicated. Therefore, the patent specification is required to be prepared by an experienced and skilled Patent Lawyer.
After filing of the application, the Patent Lawyer will also follow the entire procedure such as dealing with the objections raised by the Examiner of the respective Patent Office. A First Examination report is issued stating all the objections. A skilled patent lawyer will be able to deal with the objections by preparing and filing a suitable reply and his expertise is useful for complying with the requirement.
Patent Lawyers also provide their services for dealing with oppositions and litigations by drafting written arguments and attending hearings.
The services of a patent lawyer may also be enlisted for payment of annuities (renewal fees).