3D printing
Printers, processes, materials and the products they make.
[SERVICES]All services
Intellectual property services for startups and inventors
Patents, trademarks, IP disputes and business legal work from one IP law firm. Every engagement is quoted flat, and four services carry The RLG Guarantee.
Our attorneys
Andrew RapackeElectrical and computer engineering. Former Naval Engineering Officer.
Chris WattSoftware, AI and machine learning, and MedTech. A full-stack software engineer.
Ken BrooksSoftware, AI and machine learning, electrical and mechanical systems.
Casey GoldenbergTrademarks and patent prosecution, from a scientific background.
[01]4 service lines
Four service lines, one firm.
Pick a line to see every service in it. The four covered services, the patentability search, provisional patents, design patents and trademarks, carry The RLG Guarantee.
Patents
Search, file and defend patents on software, devices and designs.- Patentability searchKnow it’s patentable before you fileNot patentable, full refund*
- Utility patentsProtect how an invention works
- Design patentsProtect how a product looksUSPTO denies it, full refund*
- Provisional patentsPatent pending while you buildPatentability issues, full refund*
- Software patentsMobile apps and software platforms
- SaaS patentsCloud and subscription software
- AI patentsModels, training and AI products
- Medical device patentsDevices, diagnostics and MedTech
- PCT patentsProtect an invention abroad
- Patent office actionsAnswer a USPTO rejection
- Post-grant proceedingsChallenge or defend an issued patent
Trademarks
Clear, register and defend your name and logo, in the US and abroad.IP litigation
Enforce your patents, trademarks and trade secrets, or defend a claim against you.Startup legal services
Formation, contracts, fundraising and ongoing counsel for growing companies.- Business formation and structureChoosing and setting up the right entity for a new company
- Contracts and agreementsThe agreements a growing business runs on, drafted and reviewed
- Cease and desist lettersLetters that put a copier on notice, and replies to letters you receive
- Fractional IP counselFractional IP counsel on a monthly plan
- FDA regulatory complianceCounsel on the regulatory side of a medical product launch
- Fundraising agreementsThe agreements behind raising money from investors
- IP licensing agreementsLicense a technology or brand in or out
- Non-disclosure agreementsKeep what you share with partners and manufacturers confidential
- Privacy and data protectionPrivacy policies and data protection for products that handle personal data
- Technology transfer agreementsMove technology between companies, universities and partners
*Refunds subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.
[02]Intelligent IP Quiz
Not sure which you need?
Start from what is happening in your business. Most clients need more than one of these, and the Intelligent IP Quiz sorts it out in about a minute.
Take the IP quizAbout a minute
- You built something newA patent, starting with the patentability search
- You are naming a company or productA trademark, cleared before you launch
- Someone copied you, or says you copied themIP litigation, often starting with a letter
- You are forming, hiring or raising moneyStartup legal services, from formation to funding
[03]By industry
IP counsel that knows your field.
Our attorneys come from engineering and science. Pick your industry to see what we protect there.
Aerospace
Aircraft, drones and spacecraft, protected before the first public flight.
AI and machine learning
Models, training methods and the AI features inside your product.
Autonomous vehicles
Sensing, navigation and control systems for vehicles that drive themselves.
Blockchain
Protocols, wallets and the technical methods behind decentralized products.
Computer hardware
Components, peripherals and the systems that tie them together.
Consumer electronics
Devices people carry and use every day, from how they work to how they look.
Consumer products
Everyday products and the brands on them, protected before launch.
Cybersecurity
Security software and hardware, and what to patent or keep secret.
Defense
Defense technology, planned around contracts and export rules.
Digital health
Telehealth, remote monitoring and health apps, built around patient data.
E-commerce
Online brands and Amazon sellers, from the trademark to the product itself.
Electrical hardware
Power electronics, controls, sensors, batteries and motors, from circuit to system.
Energy and clean tech
Batteries, solar, storage, charging and the grid, from the cell to the system.
Fintech
Payments, lending and trading technology, claimed as technical improvements.
Gaming
Game engines, mechanics, controllers and titles, protected before the reveal.
Medical devices
Devices, diagnostics and software as a medical device, timed with the FDA.
Robotics
Robots, grippers and the software that moves them, protected before the pilot.
Semiconductors
Chip design, fabrication processes and packaging.
Software and SaaS
The methods your platform performs, protected however the code is written.
Sporting goods
Equipment and gear, from how it performs to the design customers recognize.
Not on the list?
Most inventions cross more than one field. Tell us what you built and we will tell you where it fits.
[04]IP basics
What to know before you hire an IP law firm.
Plain answers to the questions founders ask before they protect anything. General information, not advice on your situation.
What does an intellectual property law firm do?
It helps you own, register and enforce the things your business creates. That means searching before you file, preparing applications to the USPTO, answering examiners, drafting the agreements that keep ownership with the company, and taking action when someone copies you or claims you copied them.
Patent work before the USPTO is done by registered patent attorneys, who have passed the USPTO's registration exam on top of being licensed lawyers. Trademark, copyright, contract and litigation work does not need that registration, which is why an IP firm's team usually mixes both.
Patent vs trademark vs copyright vs trade secret
| Type | What it protects | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Patent | How an invention works, or how a product looks | Utility patents generally 20 years from filing. Design patents 15 years from grant |
| Trademark | A name, logo or slogan that tells customers who a product comes from | As long as you use it and keep the registration maintained, with a filing between years 5 and 6 and renewals every 10 years |
| Copyright | Original work such as code, writing, images and design | The author's life plus 70 years. Work made for hire, 95 years from publication or 120 from creation, whichever ends first |
| Trade secret | Confidential information that is valuable because it is secret, like source code, formulas or customer data | As long as it stays secret |
- Patents come from applying to the USPTO and passing examination.
- Trademarks start with use. Federal registration at the USPTO adds a legal presumption that you own the mark.
- Copyright is automatic when the work is created. Registration is required before suing over a US work.
- Trade secrets last only while you keep them secret, with access limits and NDAs.
Most companies end up with more than one. A software product can have a patent on how it works, copyright in its code, a trademark on its name and trade secrets in its back end. For a longer comparison, read copyright vs patent vs trademark.
When do you need an IP attorney?
- Before you go public with an invention. A launch, demo, sale or post can start deadlines that cost patent rights.
- Before you name a company or product. A conflict search now is cheaper than a rebrand later.
- When someone outside the company builds for you. Code or designs from a contractor are not yours without a written assignment.
- Before you raise money or sell the company. Investors and buyers check who owns the IP.
- When the USPTO writes back. Office actions have deadlines, usually three months, extendable to six.
- When someone copies you, or sends you a letter. What you do first can shape the whole dispute.
What should a startup protect first?
- Ownership. Written assignments from founders, employees and contractors, and NDAs before you share details with partners.
- Your name. A trademark search and application before launch, so the brand you build is one you can keep.
- Your invention. A patentability search, then a provisional before anything goes public.
- Everything else, as you grow. International filings within 12 months of your first filing, through PCT applications and international trademarks, then licensing, and enforcement when it is needed.
Read more in how to protect your IP.
[05]The process
How working with us goes.
The same path for a patent, a trademark or a contract. Timing shown is typical, never a promised date.
Any serviceCall to filing
- Day one01Day oneStrategy callFree. Tell an attorney what you are building, naming or facing.
- On the call02On the callThe right servicePatent, trademark, dispute or startup work, or a mix.
- No hourly billing03No hourly billingFlat quoteOne fee per step, confirmed before any work begins.
- $999 patent search04$999 patent searchSearch firstA patentability or trademark conflict search, where a filing is involved.
- At your pace05At your paceYou review and approveNothing is filed or sent until you approve it.
- Our team06Our teamFiled or signedFiled with the USPTO, sent to the other side, or signed and in force.
- 07OngoingOffice actions, maintenance and enforcement as your portfolio grows.
[06]Flat fees
What the most common filings cost.
One flat fee for each filing, confirmed on your strategy call before any work begins. No hourly billing.
FilingWhenWhat’s includedGuaranteeFlat fee
Patentability searchPatentable, or your money backStart hereRefunded if not patentable. Credited toward your application if it is.Coveredby The RLG Guarantee$999
Provisional patentLock in your filing dateBefore launchPatent pending from the day it is filed. Search fee credited.Coveredby The RLG Guarantee$2.5k–3.5k
TrademarkApproved, or your money backAny timeConflict search, every office action and the USPTO fee for one class included.Coveredby The RLG Guarantee$2,000
Utility patentProtect how it worksMonth 12Drawings and USPTO filing fees included. Software $11,000.Not covered by The RLG Guarantee$7k–12k
PCT applicationProtect it abroadMonth 12One international application that holds your date in over 150 countries.Not covered by The RLG Guarantee$12,000
*Refunds subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter. Office action responses on utility applications are quoted flat at $2,500 to $3,500 each. Rush filings add 50 percent to the flat fee. Litigation and startup legal work are quoted on your call.
[07]Questions
Questions about our IP services.
Short answers about how we work and what each service covers. Your first call is free.
Book A Free Strategy CallWhat intellectual property services do you offer?
Four service lines. Patents, from the patentability search to provisional, utility, design and PCT filings and post-grant proceedings. Trademarks, in the US and abroad, including office actions and TTAB proceedings. IP litigation over patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. And startup legal services, from formation and contracts to fundraising and ongoing counsel.
How much do your intellectual property services cost?
Filings are flat fees, quoted before any work begins. The patentability search is $999, provisional patents run $2,500 to $3,500, design patents are $3,200, trademarks are $2,000 with the USPTO fee for one class included, and utility applications run $7,000 to $12,000. Litigation and startup legal work are quoted on your call.
What is the difference between a patent, a trademark and a copyright?
A patent protects an invention, how something works or looks. A trademark protects the name or logo customers know you by. A copyright protects original work like code, writing and design. Trade secrets cover the confidential information you never publish. Most businesses use more than one.
Do you handle copyrights?
Yes. We handle copyright disputes, including infringement of code, content and design. Copyright exists the moment a work is created, but a US work has to be registered before you can sue over it, and registering early keeps statutory damages and attorney fees available. More in our copyright articles and on copyright litigation.
Can you help protect trade secrets?
Yes, before and after a problem. NDAs and agreements keep confidential information with the company, and trade secret litigation enforces it when someone takes it. A trade secret lasts only as long as you keep it secret, so the agreements matter as much as the lawsuit.
Do you work with clients outside Florida?
Yes. The firm works with founders, inventors and companies in all 50 states. Patent and trademark applications are filed with the USPTO, so the work does not depend on where you live. For protection abroad, we file PCT applications and international trademarks.
Which services does The RLG Guarantee cover?
Four services. Patentability searches, provisional patents, design patents and trademarks. If the search finds your invention is not novel, a full refund or another search. Patentability issues on a provisional, a full refund or more searches. If the USPTO denies a covered design patent or trademark application, a full refund. Utility patents, office actions on them, litigation and startup legal work are not covered. The guarantee is a refund promise, not a promise of a granted patent or registration, and refunds are subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.
Do I need an IP attorney, or can I file myself?
You can file yourself. The risk is in what is hard to fix later. A patent application cannot take on new material after it is filed, and a trademark filed without a conflict search can be refused or challenged. An attorney is most useful before the first filing, when the choices are still open.
What happens on the free strategy call?
You tell us what you are building, naming or dealing with. You leave knowing which service fits, what it costs as a flat fee, and what to do first. There is no obligation.
Do you handle business and corporate law?
For startups and growing companies, yes. Business formation, contracts, NDAs, fundraising agreements, licensing, privacy and FDA regulatory work, plus fractional IP counsel for ongoing questions. It all sits under our startup legal services.
[08]Learning Center
Learn the basics.
What Are the 4 Types of Intellectual Property? Empower Your Ideas With Legal Protection
While it typically does not get the same level of attention as marketing or the designing of a product, intellectual property is central to most businesses. The…
How Much a Flat Fee IP Attorney Costs and What to Expect
See what a flat fee IP attorney actually charges for patents and trademarks, what’s included, and red flags to avoid. Get transparent flat fee pricing with no hourly…
5 Examples of Trade Secrets and How They Fit into Your Intellectual Property Strategy
Explore 5 famous examples of trade secrets, from Coca-Cola to Google, and learn how to fit trade secrets into your IP strategy. Book a free IP strategy call.
[09]Client reviews
Clients who protected their work with us.
4.7 across 614 public reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo.
#1Top reviewed IP law firm*
Read client reviews“Andrew Rapacke and his team are exceptional. They did our provisional and non provisional patents. The entire team is professional and an ease to work with.”
Von DorjevskiFounder, Inguardia Health · Client review “They filed my trademark within a day.”
Pritesh K.Trademark · Google “I wanted to patent one of my jewelry designs and it was a very smooth process for me as all the details were taken care by the firm.”
Alex TorresDesign patent · Client review
Reviews reflect individual client experiences. Quotes are excerpts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. *#1 top reviewed means the most public client reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo of any US patent or trademark firm.
Start with one conversation.
Tell us what you are building, naming or facing. The call is free, with no obligation.