Initial Consultation
A
FAQ/Help Guide regarding Initial Consultations
What to do first
Initial Consultation Cost
How to Request an Initial Consultation
Conditions governing the Initial Consultation
What to do first
Bay Area IP is happy to help you find answers to any general question you may
have regarding the patent process. We ask that you send your initial
inquiries via e-mail if you have a specific question. However, generally,
a large volume of e-mail's or phone calls does impede us from completing work
for our existing clients. You will generally get the most value from our
communications if, before emailing or calling, you review the information on our
website carefully towards answering your question(s). Many of your basic
questions can be efficiently answered by searching our website using the search
engine on the left toolbar, and by looking through relevant topics in our IP Info,
andfrequently
asked questions (FAQs), sections on our website. Be sure to look at our FAQ/Help
Guide regarding Initial Consultations. After getting your basic questions
answered through our website, you will have enough time to ask us more detailed
questions, possibly more relevant to your unique situation.
Bay Area IP promptly responds to emails regarding the firm’s current lead-time
and ability to accept new clients. Although we make every attempt to provide
FREE information online to answer all your questions about most common
situations, you may have more detailed questions. Due to our high-volume
practice, before contacting us by phone, it is less burdensome on our workload
if you email
us your question(s). Generally, we will respond to your email
questions in a timely manner; however at times, our heavy caseload may delay our
response time somewhat. The vast majority of the time, the combination of
our FREE online information and email response will efficiently answer your
questions. If the combination of our online resources and email
interaction are not efficient towards answering your questions and/or resolving
any concerns, and if the cost of the services you are interested will be at
least $2000, then we will setup a time that a Bay Area IP patent practitioner
will be available for a meeting to quickly resolve your general questions. If
this informational call is less than 10 minutes long, then there is no charge
for our time. Thereafter, if your questions have not been resolved, then
you may want to arrange an initial consultation with a Bay
Area IP registered patent practitioner who can evaluate your unique situation in
more detail.
Initial Consultation Cost
The cost of our initial consultation depends on the category of service you
seek. Our services can be grouped into are two general categories, each
having its respective consultation costs as follows:
- Flat-fee services under $2000- 50% off for first one half hour.
See/pay current
cost.
- Services billed hourly or over $2000- First 10 minutes free, 50%
off next half hour. See/pay current
cost.
A more detailed description is given below.
For Flat-fee services in category 1, our firm strives to balance our competing
goals of providing the lowest possible cost for our flat-fee services while
being available to answer questions. Given that our online resources (such
as the IP
info , and FAQ sections
of our website) answer most common question, the vast majority of inventors
interested in our low-cost flat-fee services do not need to contact us to
procure the right service for their goals and situation. Hence, to
maintain our low cost flat-fee services for the majority, we offer a discount
telephone/video initial consultation to the few that find they need it.
The special initial consultation offer is for a 50% reduction off our normal
hourly rate for the first one half hour, and our normal hourly rate
thereafter.
For hourly services in category 2- As an incentive to learn more about each
other or to explore individual situations before starting a new project, for
limited time, a FREE initial consultation is available, which offer provides the
first 10 minutes free of charge. After the FREE 10 minutes, a 50%
reduction off our normal
hourly rate applies for the next half hour, and our normal hourly rate
thereafter. Introductory conferences beyond the FREE period must be prepaid
Our services that fall into the first category are typically as follows: “Patent-Pending”
Provisional Patents, and flat-rate patent research.
Our services that fall into the second category are typically as follows: non-Provisional
Patent Prosecution, and Quality
Oriented Provisional Patent Preparation.
How to request an Initial Consultation
To take advantage of Bay Area IP’s limited-time special offer for a free, or
reduced cost, initial telephone/video conference please complete
ourConsultation Request Form. You will get the most out of the consulation
if prior to, or concurrent with, requesting the initial consultation, youreview
the Guide
to Our Services. Please do not email confidential information unless it is encrypted.
Note, that as a registered patent practitioner, no member of the firm will
disclose or use your confidential
information without your explicit permission.
All consultation time beyond any free time, must be paid in advance. Pay
online by credit card , or mail your payments to Bay Area IP at our San Francisco office
mailing address with the retainer and your full contact information
including your full name, address, email address, and telephone number. For
mail-in payments, include a note about what the payment is for. Please
propose multiple times (during Pacific Time business hours, and after funds are
cashed) that you would prefer to have the conference call.
Please review our getting
started web page for an outline on how the process to become a client of our
firm typically proceeds.
Conditions governing the free Initial Consultation
Please note that Bay Area IP does not respond to e-mail's or conduct telephone
consultations unless you provide your verifiable full name, address, telephone
number, and e-mail address. Bay Area IP cannot respond to anonymous inquiries.
FREE initial consultations for hourly services are:
· Limited to 10 minutes, and any time beyond the FREE 15 minute period is
payable in advance by credit card, certified check, or money order for expedited
service, or by personal check if time is not critical (consultation available
upon check being cashed).
· Focused on the potential client’s options and employment of the firm.
· Any FREE consultation time will usually not cover our flat-fee services
noted as category 1 above.
However, any paid consultation time may cover any subject within the firms
purview as set forth in our service
offering.
NOTICE: Please be advised that all information transactions and/or
consultations between a prospective client and the firm are strictly for
informational purposes and do not constitute any sort of legal relationship.
Such consultations are performed under the ethics guidelines of 37 CFR § 10.31,
10.32, and 10.33 . Until the prospective client and the firm execute a
service agreement, and any required retainer payment is honored, the prospective
client is not a client of the firm. Please do not e-mail Bay Area IP any
confidential information prior to becoming our client.
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