Pro Bono Publico

We provide patent legal services (and other intellectual property services) at no charge to individuals that cannot afford legal services. The State Bar of Arizona requests that all lawyers provide about 50 hours of “no charge” legal service each year. This is enough time for each of our lawyers to help one or two people file a new patent each year.

How to request

The State Bar of Arizona sets guidelines for who may receive pro bono publico services. So we can understand if you might qualify, please write us a letter that tells us:

  1. Your name, telephone number, email address, and mailing address.
  2. Your job and your family income.
  3. Where you live. If you own your home, how much you owe on your mortgage.
  4. An estimate of your net worth.
  5. What experience you have in the technical field of your invention.
  6. Do NOT tell us about your invention — we can not promise confidentiality until after we accept you as a client.
  7. AN ATTORNEY WILL NOT READ YOUR LETTER.
  8. Send the letter to:

Pro Bono Request
Law Office of Andrew P. Lahser, PLC
16824 E. Ave of the Fountains
Suite 14
Fountain Hills, AZ 85268
OR
FAX (480) 837-5378

A Patent Attorney will not read your letter. Our office staff will review your letter to determine whether:

  • Your income below or near the bottom 25% of US incomes (less than about $25,000/year).
  • Your other assets are insufficient to pay for legal services.
  • You have some ability, education, skill or experience that will help promote your invention.

If you write us, we promise to write back. We may not be able to help you for a variety of reasons that are unrelated to your invention. For example, we may just be too busy or already involved in a pro bono patent.

How much it costs

When we provide pro bono services, we still require that the individual pay for the actual charges and expenses of filing a patent application. These charges can be significant. They do not compensate the lawyer. These charges are required by the government to file a patent application. The charges vary depending on the invention, but some examples include (these include the 50% discount the Patent Office extends to individuals and small business):

  • Upon filing the patent application, approximately $550 or more for US non-provisional patent filing fees.
  • Before the end of the first year, approximately $3500 or more for international patent application fee (optional).
  • During the second and third years, $405 for each request for continued examination.
  • During the third or fourth year, approximately $1000 for patent issuance and publication fees.
  • Patent Maintenance fees: $490 at 3.5 years, $1240 at 7.5 years, and $2055 at 11.5 years .

We believe that every individual should contribute something financially to the cost of securing their patent. We enjoy the ambition of our existing pro bono clients, who may also be listed in our representative client section.