[robknight]

Hello,

I'm currently fighting my way through the nightmare that is patent searching....

Is there a patent lawyer or similar on here that may be able to help? Or can anyone please suggest a good one that won't break the bank?

Many thanks!

Rob.

[admagic]

My experience is "good" , "patent lawyer", and "wont break the bank" are mutually exclusive terms...and Ihave used a few in my time!

Patent searching aint that hard. It is perspiration not inspiration.

Start with your keywords to find a patents generally in your niche.

When you have, look at the classification of those patents, then drill down on each of those classifications.

Once you have exhausted ...(a) Patents that come up for your keywords and(b) Patents that lie in the classification codes of the patents that come up for your keywords, hey presto.

And Patent agents charges to do that are IMHO extortionate. What is worse is - one of the b*ggers I once used MISSED one of the key competition, so dont assume because they are high paid they are good. Like solicitors - finding ones that charge high is easy. Finding ones that care enough to do the job right too are few and far between.

Dont tell you who told you this...I will deny it all!...write a compelling application for something like a SMART grant, and you will find the government offices will do a patent search for you as part of their due diligence. You might even get a grant out of it too!

[Calibre Designs]

Good advice Admagic as always.

Fee is a member on this forum who could help as she did all that research herself whilst developing her product. I'm just a mere designer who helped guide her along the way.

[boxby]

Crossguard's rates are quite good. http://www.crossguard.info/
Phillip Cooper.