Seven Ideas for Reducing Foreign Filing Costs
Posted by Jeff Sweetman on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 @ 10:35 AM
Many of the patent owners, their IP departments and patent attorneys we speak to are under budget pressure. This is especially the case in the essential - but relatively high cost - area of international patent protection.
A recession might last a year or two, but patents last for twenty years. It's therefore a delicate balancing act to reduce costs whilst maintaining a pipeline of patent rights that will avoid leaving an IP hole in years to come.
We have come up with seven great tips for controlling your foreign patent filing costs that are drawn from industry best practice, shouldn't compromise your IP strategy and will put a smile on your face - and that of your boss, partner or CFO!
One thing though: before implementing any of these strategies, talk to your patent attorney. They are experts and should have a sense of whether any of the following suggestions might have a negative impact on your business and intellectual property aims.
See the next blog post for our first "rule".