Welcome to this introduction
to the USPTO’s
Patent Pro Bono Program.
The Patent Pro Bono program is designed to help inventors and small businesses with limited
resources that need legal help in applying for a patent to protect an invention.
In this video, we will explain how the program assists qualified applicants by matching them
with a patent lawyer who will waive attorney fees and help them file and process a patent
application.
Some of the key features in this presentation are:
• A look at how the program is structured with different regional programs covering
specific states and what services the programs in general provide;
• An explanation of the requirements for an inventor to qualify for Pro Bono assistance
in the program; • A tutorial of how an inventor may apply
to participate in a program to receive free legal help; and
• A review for patent attorneys on how to volunteer their services.
• The historical background that led to the program’s development, from its inception
in American Invents Act in 2011 to its expansion through a White House Executive Act in 2013;
By the end of the presentations you will have an understanding of the Pro Bono program and
how to find more information on the USPTO pro bono website or on the individual regional
programs themselves.