The USPTO maintains a register of practitioners authorized to practice in patent matters before the office. It is a useful place to verify registration and practitioner category.
Check Registration
Search the official register and review the current listing. Registration is different from an endorsement. The USPTO does not recommend a particular practitioner for your matter.
Patent attorneys and patent agents can have different authority outside patent-office practice. Some registrations have a limited scope, including design patent practice. Match the scope of the registration to the work you need.
Ask About the Work
Before an engagement, discuss the relevant technical experience, who will do the work, how communication works, and what the fee estimate includes. A practitioner should explain the scope of any proposed engagement and complete the necessary conflict process.
Keep Initial Details Limited
A first inquiry can identify the broad need without describing confidential invention details. Ask the practitioner how to proceed before sending those details.
Our inventor referral page provides a contact request when intake is available. A request does not guarantee a match or create an engagement.