Patent Preparation & Prosecution
At Lempia Summerfield Katz, our experienced patent attorneys deliver targeted preparation and prosecution services to secure robust protection for your innovations. Navigating the complexities of patent law demands exact technical precision and strategic foresight. Our team excels at both—transforming your inventions into defensible intellectual property assets that drive your business forward.
Expert Guidance from Filing to Grant
We navigate the complexities of patent law across borders so you can focus on pioneering the future. Our attorneys expertly manage your entire intellectual property lifecycle, ensuring your innovations are protected in every critical market.
- Domestic U.S. Preparation and Prosecution
We specialize in the meticulous drafting, filing, and targeted prosecution of utility and design patent applications before the USPTO, advocating directly on your behalf to secure the broadest possible claims. - U.S. Nationalization for Foreign Clients
We act as a trusted U.S. partner for foreign-based innovators and international associate firms. We possess extensive expertise in nationalizing foreign and PCT applications within the United States, expertly adapting and prosecuting foreign-originating claims to meet strict USPTO standards. - Global Portfolio Strategy
Beyond the United States, we coordinate seamless global protection, managing international portfolios through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) framework and direct foreign filings to ensure effective protection worldwide.
Customized Patent Strategies
A patent is only as valuable as the business strategy behind it. Because no two innovations—and no two companies—are alike, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all legal solutions. Our collaborative process pairs deep technical expertise with your commercial milestones to build a targeted patent portfolio tailored directly to your business needs and IP budget.
Whether you are an early-stage start-up looking to secure your first round of funding or an established enterprise scaling your market share, we align our drafting and prosecution strategies with your financial and commercial road maps. This ensures your intellectual property delivers maximum defensive value and investor appeal without unnecessary overhead.
Patent Prosecution Services
Patentability Searches & Opinions
Comprehensive assessments to evaluate the novelty and viability of your invention.
Patent Application Drafting
Precise, clear, and technically rigorous applications designed to withstand scrutiny.
Office Action Responses
Effective advocacy in responding to USPTO communications, overcoming rejections, and securing allowance.
Patent Appeals & Post-Grant Proceedings
Experienced representation in patent appeals and post-grant review proceedings to defend your intellectual property.
Why Choose Lempia Summerfield Katz?
- Technical Expertise
Our patent attorneys and agents possess the scientific backgrounds and engineering experience to understand your technology from the inside out. Serving clients across mobility, semiconductors, fintech, software, energy, consumer products, medical imaging, and medical devices, we craft customized patent portfolios that secure your competitive edge in the global marketplace. - Proven Track Record
Successful prosecution of complex patent applications resulting in robust intellectual property portfolios. - Client-Centric Approach
Dedicated service with open communication, ensuring alignment with your strategic goals and timelines. - Wide-Range of Experience
We serve innovators at every stage of growth, from early-stage start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations, in the United States and worldwide.
Patent Preparation & Prosecution FAQ
Utility patents protect how an invention works and how it is used. They cover new processes, machines, articles of manufacture, or compositions of matter. If your innovation provides a functional benefit—like a new semiconductor architecture or a medical device—you need a utility patent.
Design patents, on the other hand, protect how an invention looks. They cover the unique, ornamental design of a functional item. We frequently help clients secure both types to build a multi-layered wall of protection around their commercial products.
While it sounds like a courtroom trial, patent prosecution is actually the strategic, back-and-forth negotiation process with a government patent office (like the USPTO).
Once we file your application, a patent examiner will review it and often reject initial claims based on existing "prior art." Our job during prosecution is to advocate on your behalf—amending claims and presenting legal arguments to overcome these rejections. The ultimate goal is to secure the broadest, most commercially defensible patent allowance possible.
The golden rule of intellectual property is to file before you publicly disclose, sell, or offer to sell your invention. The United States operates on a "first-to-file" system, meaning priority goes to the first inventor to file an application, regardless of who invented it first.
Yes. While there is no single "worldwide patent," we expertly manage global IP portfolios.
We utilize international frameworks like the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and direct Paris Convention filings to extend your protection overseas. By coordinating with a trusted network of foreign associate counsel, we provide a seamless, single-point-of-contact experience to protect your competitive advantage in key international markets.
We proudly represent a diverse client roster, serving innovators at every stage of growth.
Our practice scales to meet your ambitions. We provide budget-conscious, highly targeted IP counsel for agile start-ups looking to secure their foundational patents and attract venture funding. Simultaneously, we possess the infrastructure and deep technical bench required to manage expansive, high-volume global portfolios for multinational Fortune 500 companies.