Do You Really Need a Patent Attorney in Austin, Texas?

Do You Really Need a Patent Attorney in Austin, Texas?

Why This Question Comes Up So Often

Are you one of the many inventors who search the internet for “Patent Attorney in Austin Texas” or “Patent Attorney near me” when they have a potentially patentable idea? If so, you are not alone.

What many inventors don’t realize at this stage is that jumping straight to an attorney can come with unintended tradeoffs and expenses.

For one, your search will likely return more than 1,000 patent attorneys. How do you know which one is right for your style, speed, budget, and technology? Another drawback is that an attorney’s primary focus is on obtaining a patent for you.

What could be wrong with that? Well…

The Risk of Filing Without Clarity

For many inventors, this is where the process becomes emotionally and financially challenging. You’re getting ready to invest significant money before having clear insight into whether your idea can realistically deliver a return. Roughly 95% of US utility patents never make money, but 100% of the patent attorneys do get paid! This statistic is not to suggest that patent attorneys are unscrupulous or that every patent must generate profit to be worthwhile. However, most inventors and companies we work with hope to see a meaningful financial return on their investment in patenting.

Another important consideration is that most attorneys are not expert patent researchers, nor do they have access to a high-end research engine. That is why they hire firms like ours. Conducting in-depth research first often results in a stronger patent, lower attorney fees to handle fewer or smaller Office Actions, and accelerates the time to issuance.

Our patent research is very focused, and on many projects (~80%), the ideas/products are either not patentable or require a change in the approach. While this can feel frustrating or even discouraging, obtaining this early knowledge often saves inventors tens of thousands of dollars and positions them to succeed.

How Research Brings Clarity Early

Focused prior art research is not simply about confirming whether you might obtain a patent. The results serve as a strategic tool to guide both you and your attorney in drafting the application. Best practice is for an attorney to write the application with the most relevant prior art in mind, often the same references a patent examiner would find and consider. Following this methodology allows the application to emphasize what is truly novel.

The outcome is meaningful: reduced attorney time to handle Office Actions (usually billed at full hourly rates), a potentially stronger and more valuable patent, fewer or minimized Office Actions, and a shorter timeline to issuance. In many cases, this also increases financial return by making the patent available for licensing sooner.

Another area often overlooked early is Freedom to Operate (FTO), which refers to your ability to productize and sell your idea without infringing on existing patents. Many inventors are surprised by how often this becomes an issue, and understandably so. FTO is rarely discussed early during the patent application, yet it can have serious implications down the road. Our novelty research often identifies live patents in the inventor’s space that present some level of infringement risk, regardless of whether the inventor ultimately obtains their own patent.

Attorneys are also focused on securing a patent, but may not spend much time discussing whether its coverage will be narrow or broad. Broad coverage patents are generally more desirable because they create a higher barrier to competitors and may even protect multiple markets. After investing so much belief, time, and capital into an idea, most inventors want confidence that their protection actually protects something meaningful. Would you invest heavily in an idea if there were an easy way around it?

So, what is our role in your patent application?

Our role is to help you slow down, gain clarity, and make informed decisions before committing significant resources.

• Providing you with focused data and consulting on whether a patent makes sense for your situation.
• Increasing your odds of getting a patent and expanding your application’s scope to increase its future value.
• Minimizing your risk of infringing other patents.
• Getting unbiased opinions with no financial commitment to whether you proceed with an application.
• Conducting international patent research is vital, as patent examiners are likely to do so to assess the novelty of your invention. You should also know that your competition can use international prior art to invalidate your patent.

Our services help you save money and critical time, while maximizing your opportunities, regardless of how you proceed.

We have 19 years of experience, over 50 5-Star Google reviews, utilize an expert-grade research engine, and have completed thousands of international searches across various technologies. We also understand that for many inventors, this process is deeply personal and confusing. That’s why our approach prioritizes clarity, honesty, and long-term outcomes.

We firmly believe that a Patent Attorney or Patent Agent should ultimately file your patent applications. I am happy to introduce you to the patent attorneys I know and trust so that you may take my research and recommendations to someone already familiar with my work. Any attorney can use our results without having to repeat the research.

If you’re unsure what your next step should be, or want a clearer picture before moving forward, we’re happy to continue the conversation and help you think it through.

For a description of the many ways we fit into the entire process, see here. Contact us here to continue the conversation.

Image credit: Sora Shimazaki