District of Columbia residents have access to a host of unique resources and assistance in their state. Expand the categories below to see what is available to you. Additionally, our USPTO headquarters provides additional support and resources for customers in the Eastern region of the United States. Get free patent and trademark legal assistance Patent Pro Bono Program District of Columbia inventors are served by the Federal Circuit Bar Association National Clearinghouse, part of the USPTO's nationwide pro bono program that matches inventors who qualify (based on income) with volunteer attorneys and patent professionals that will help you file your patent application. Law school clinics District of Columbia inventors and entrepreneurs can obtain free legal help for both patent and trademark matter by contacting: American University, Washington College of Law (patents and trademarks): ipclinic@wcl.american.edu Howard University (patents): howardpatentipclinic@gmail.com or (trademarks): clinics.husl@gmail.com The George Washington University (trademarks): sbced_uspto_intake@law.gwu.edu University of Maryland School of Law (patent and trademarks): miplrc@law.umaryland.edu University of Richmond School of Law (trademarks): ipclinic@richmond.edu In addition to the law school clinics listed above, there are 19 law school clinics that provide free patent and trademark services to all residents of the United States regardless of location. Learn to search for inventions and trademarks at PTRCs Certain libraries throughout the United States are designated as Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRC), which provide resources and trained staff to help customers use and understand USPTO information and filing systems. District of Columbia is served by the following PTRC: Founders Library, Howard University - Washington, DC Attend inventor and entrepreneur workshops, trainings, and other events in your region Every day the USPTO hosts events across the country geared just for aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs, from trademark basics to patent search workshop. Check our USPTO event calendar and find something near you today. Find a registered patent attorney or agent in the District of Columbia If you intend to hire an attorney (recommended), the USPTO maintains a roster of active patent attorneys and agents registered with the USPTO. Find an attorney or agent by selecting District of Columbia from the list of states in the search field. Network with inventor and entrepreneur organizations in your area Inventor clubs and organizations can be a great way to connect with local inventors and entrepreneurs and open more doors to resources and opportunities. Below are a list of organizations in District of Columbia. If you represent an inventor group or nonprofit and would like to have your organization listed here, please email InnovationDevelopment@uspto.gov. Inventors Network of the Capital Area Washington, DC Do you have suggestions for resources to include on this page? Please contact InnovationDevelopment@uspto.gov.
