Inventors

Independent inventors fuel innovation, inspire investment, and create new businesses and jobs. Securing patent protection, however, poses a significant hurdle for independent inventors as they try to turn an idea into a commercially viable product. Seeing an opportunity to help, LegalCORPS started the Inventor Assistance Program (IAP), the first and longest running patent pro bono program in the United States at the request of and with encouragement from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The LegalCORPS IAP allows inventors from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin with original ideas to overcome one of the greatest financial roadblocks to bringing new innovations to market. We can provide assistance with U.S. patents only.

We help inventors through the process by providing an array of services for people who are just beginning to those who are further along in their journey to filing. Our FAQs provides answers to both general patent questions and specific questions about our program. Read on to find out how we can help you with getting your invention patented.

Unfortunately, we are unable to assist individuals who are currently incarcerated.

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Ways We Can Help Inventors

Assistance Through the Patent Application Process

Requirements

For inventors seeking assistance with the patent process, the first step to accessing our service is to request an application form by emailing iap@legalcorps.org or calling (651) 583-5979 for inventors in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Intellectual Property Brief Advice Clinics

LegalCORPS conducts regularly scheduled free brief advice clinics, where participants can receive up to 30 minutes of free, confidential guidance for their non-litigation intellectual property issues. With virtual and in-person options available, you can access the information you need in the way that suits you best. Please contact iap@legalcorps.org for inventors in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. 

Registration Requirement

Prior to your brief advice consultation, you will be required to complete an intake form. For statistical purposes, LegalCORPS collects demographic information which we report in aggregate to potential funders.

Educational Opportunities

Check the LegalCORPS calendar for future opportunities. Some of the regularly scheduled programs are Intellectual Property Overview, Patent Basics, and Provisional Patent Application Workshop.

Inventor Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some of the questions inventors often ask about the LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program.

The program administrator and the case screeners need to know — in general terms — the subject matter of invention. This assists in matching an eligible inventor with an attorney with the proper technical background.

Since our patent attorneys volunteer their time to work with inventors through LegalCORPS, we are dependent on the volunteers to have resources available to take pro bono cases. Once an invention has been evaluated by our screening committee, we work to place the inventor with a volunteer but there is no guarantee of placement with an attorney. The program is not an entitlement but rather a service to inventors who qualify.

When an attorney is recruited for limited scope representation, LegalCORPS requires a $50 placement fee from the applicant. This is an administrative fee only and you will not have to pay for the attorney’s time. All USPTO fees are the responsibility of the inventor. Please click for current USPTO fees.

LegalCORPS needs to know if there could be questions regarding ownership of the invention. If there is some question, we might recruit a volunteer attorney who participates in other (non-patent-law) LegalCORPS programs for advice on this question before we match an eligible inventor with a patent attorney.

Companies have proprietary rights in inventions conceived by their employees during their work hours that are related to the employees’ work for the companies.

The non-disclosure agreement says that you will disclose information to LegalCORPS in order for us better help you, and we are the ones who, under this agreement, cannot disclose information to the public outside of the staff and attorneys who will be helping you. In other words, this is for your protection and peace of mind, spelling out the scope of our non-disclosure agreement for your idea/project

LegalCORPS’ scope of services does not include litigation.

If you are currently facing a legal dispute or are involved in a matter that could result in litigation, we advise seeking the guidance of a legal professional who specializes in dispute resolution or court representations.