Overview

Recent federal legislation, the America Invents Act of 2011, requires that “The Director [of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)] shall work with and support intellectual property law associations across the country in the establishment of pro bono programs designed to assist financially under-resourced independent inventors and small businesses.” The USPTO is working to make pro bono assistance a reality by working with and supporting many different IP law associations in their effort to ensure that no good invention is left undiscovered due to the financial inability to secure the services of a registered patent professional.

The USPTO Patent Pro Bono Programs across the country are individually run as regional programs available to assist inventors and small businesses in their state or region. The Arizona Public Patent Program is responsible for collecting applications from inventors and small businesses and recruiting volunteer pro bono attorneys in its capacity as the regional Patent Pro Bono Program for Arizona. The USPTO’s pro bono website provides more information about regional programs in other states.