PATENT GUIDANCE FOR INDIVIDUAL INVENTORS
Individual
Inventors
A practical path from invention to patent strategy.
You have developed an idea. The next step is understanding what makes it distinctive, what you want to protect, and whether a patent application supports your goals. Divergent Patent Law helps individual inventors make informed decisions about U.S. patent drafting, filing, and prosecution.
Start with the decisions that matter
01 / Understand your options
We discuss how your invention works, the alternatives you have considered, and your plans for development, licensing, or commercialization. That conversation helps define the questions to address before committing to an application.
02 / Work directly with your attorney
The practitioner responsible for your matter works with you on the invention, its technical disclosure, and the proposed patent strategy. You can ask questions and understand the reasons behind important decisions.
03 / Define the scope and budget
Before work begins, we explain the agreed services and professional fees. Government charges and anticipated third-party expenses are identified separately. Additional work is discussed and approved before it begins.
04 / Plan beyond the initial filing
Filing an application is one stage of the process. We help you understand the work that may follow, evaluate responses to the patent office, and revisit the strategy as your invention and priorities develop.
Patent services tailored to your project
Depending on your needs and the agreed engagement, our work may include:
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Reviewing your invention disclosure and identifying information needed for drafting.
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Preparing and filing U.S. utility or design patent applications.
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Responding to Office Actions and conducting examiner interviews.
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Advising on claim scope, continuation applications, and related portfolio decisions.
Know what your patent budget includes
Review our professional fees and illustrative budgets to understand the services involved in a patent application and its examination.
Tell us what you are developing
Start with a general description of the technology, your goals, and the help you are seeking.
Please do not include confidential information in your initial inquiry. An attorney-client relationship is formed only through a written engagement agreement.
Inventor Insights
Relevant Team
The professionals below bring complementary experience in application drafting, USPTO examination, examiner interviews, appeals, and portfolio development across electrical, software, mechanical, materials, chemical, and life-sciences technologies.
Brandon R. Theiss
Partner · Registered Patent Attorney · Licensed Professional Engineer
A licensed professional engineer and former industrial-control and medical-device engineer, Brandon advises on patent prosecution, § 101 strategy, portfolio development, and post-grant proceedings involving AI, software, cloud systems, medical devices, and automation.
Tom J. Filarski
Senior Counsel · Registered Patent Attorney · Chemist & Chemical Engineer
A chemist and chemical engineer with four decades of experience, Tom develops and coordinates patent strategies for medical devices, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, polymers, semiconductors, energy technologies, and manufacturing systems.
Scott D. Paul
Partner · Registered Patent Attorney · Materials & Mechanical Engineering
A materials and mechanical engineer, Scott has prosecuted more than 2,000 U.S. applications, drafted more than 600 applications, and filed more than 1,000 PTAB appeal briefs involving AI, semiconductors, cloud systems, medical devices, and advanced manufacturing.
Janet Pioli
Senior Counsel · Registered Patent Attorney · Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Background
A registered patent attorney with more than 30 years of experience and a molecular-biology and biotechnology background, Janet advises on portfolio development, clearance, due diligence, prosecution, and appeals involving medical devices, diagnostics, biotechnology, industrial equipment, and consumer products.
Robert Hyun Chang
Of Counsel · Registered Patent Attorney · Materials Engineer
A registered patent attorney with more than 25 years of intellectual-property experience and degrees in metallurgical and materials science engineering and physics, Robert helps technology companies draft and prosecute U.S. patent applications, build and monetize portfolios, and develop claim and licensing strategies grounded in complex technology and commercial objectives.
Danielle Gross, Ph.D.
Registered Patent Agent · Ph.D. in Biochemistry · Life Sciences & Medical Devices
A registered patent agent with more than a decade of prosecution experience and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Danielle helps life-sciences and technology companies draft and prosecute U.S. patent applications, build portfolios, and develop claim strategies grounded in complex science.
Ganesh J. Prabu
Technical Advisor · Wireless Engineer · Patent Analysis and Licensing Support
Ganesh J. Prabu is a wireless engineer and technical advisor with more than two decades of experience, including roles at Motorola and BlackBerry. He supports patent prosecution, licensing, and litigation through technical analysis of 5G, LTE, and IoT technologies, claim-chart development, reverse engineering, and evidence-of-use analysis.
