Tag: Practical Tips for Running the Patent Law Office

Moving to the Cloud for the Solo – Google is Not The Answer, but Microsoft May Be

Last summer, I was evacuated from my house with just a few minute’s warning due to a very large forest fire. Thankfully, I did not lose anything in the fire, except the good will that I had banked with some friends who let me mooch their guest room for a few days.

As I write this, another fire is burning a few hundred yards from my house, whipped by 50mph gusts. The latest fire is small and is being contained, but it still makes me think.

I have reviewed Google’s and Microsoft’s offerings for small business and without a doubt, I would never recommend Google, but I can recommend Microsoft.

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Thinking of Going Solo? Think processes.

I have met many people who have successfully transitioned to solo life as an attorney, patent agent, or other professional. I especially loved the opportunity because I got to make the entire business from scratch. On one hand, that is a terrifying thought where I had to figure everything out myself. On the other hand, it was immensely gratifying because I got to do things in a way that made sense to me.

As I was considering starting my own business, I spent a considerable amount of time designing processes with which I would run the business. I wanted to get on paper, or at least in my mind, how I was going to do things. I knew that I needed to be efficient, and I distinctly hate wasting time doing trivial things. So I set about trying to figure out how things would work smoothly.

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To Those of You Who Are Considering Going Solo:

I have recently survived my third year of solo practice and am looking forward to more. For me, being solo suits my temperament and goals. For some of you, it may be the right choice and for others not.

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Working Effectively Means Having The Right Equipment

I have been using a multiple monitor system for about a year, but I recently upgraded. I was using a system with two 21 inch monitors that sat side by side in landscape mode. As I got used to the system, I would generally display a document that I was writing, a PDF of drawings, and a MindManager map of notes from a meeting all at the same time.

Even with two big 21 inch monitors, I had trouble trying to get everything on the screen at one time.

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Doing the Patent Interview

I have been developing my inventor interview over several years, and I have a technique that seems to work for me.

The key is to know what the inventor wants.

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Two Year Anniversary – How I am Better at Managing the Business

My two-year anniversary of hanging out my shingle was a month or two ago, and I suppose I should take some time to reflect on it.

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Extracting the Invention from the Inventor

One of the most intriguing parts of my job is coming to understand an invention with the inventor. By definition, the inventor has broken some new ground in their field of expertise and it is my job to extract the important features and define them in a way that makes sense to them, a person of ordinary skill in the art, as well as the patent examiner.

This exercise is one of the most enjoyable parts of the job when it goes well, and one of the most miserable when it does not.

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Hanging Out Your Shingle -- Think About It As A Business

I have always looked at the practice of law as any other business. One with income, expenses, customers, and a product to sell. I have always looked at my solo practice as a business, too, and tried to manage every aspect of it with a business mindset.

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Hanging Out Your Shingle -- The Downside

The downside of going at it alone is big. All of the docketing, secretarial work, filing, etc is handled by me. I order supplies, maintain the computers, do the billing, make the coffee, build the website, answer the phones, etc.

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Hanging Out Your Shingle -- The Upside

Breaking out on my own, as many other people would tell you, was the most frightening and most rewarding thing I have ever done in my career thus far. I know that everyone has their own story about why and how they made the jump. For me, I always had it in the back of my mind that it was something I would like to try. And to this day, things have worked out pretty well.

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