Protecting inventors and their ideas
Grace J. Fishel has over 25 years of experience helping inventors at all stages of patent filing.

A patent may be obtained for any new and useful process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. Such a patent is a "utility" patent because of the requirement that the invention be useful. A "design" patent may be obtained for any new, original and ornamental design for an article of manufacture. There is no requirement that a design be useful. A patent gives the owner a right to exclude others from making, selling or using the invention. In general, a patent must be obtained individually in each country where protection is wanted from that country's patent office. In some instances, it is possible to make a single application for a block of countries, e.g., under the European Patent Convention.

We assist clients in acquiring and maintaining patents in the U.S. and throughout the world by:

Conducting patent searches and rendering patentability opinions.

• Preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications (utility and design) before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including appeals to the Board of Interferences and Patent Appeals.
• Filing Patent Cooperation Treaty applications.
• Obtaining foreign patents through an established network of patent law agents and firms worldwide.
• Providing maintenance fee reminders such that U.S. and foreign patents do not lapse unintentionally.
• Filing and prosecuting petitions such as for:

            - Reinstatement of lapsed patents for non-payment of maintenance fees;
            - Patent term extension for regulatory delay; and,
            - Patent reexamination.


Call Grace J. Fishel at 314.878.0440 or contact the law firm online to schedule an appointment.