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[WHY US]Why us
Why The Rapacke Law Group, a flat fee IP law firm
What if your law firm didn't act like a traditional law firm? No hourly billing and no charges for calls or emails. Patents, trademarks and other IP services for a transparent flat fee, quoted before any work begins.
[01]Working with us
Forget the traditional law firm experience.
Working with The Rapacke Law Group, three things are different from the first call.
- 01
Never feel uninformed.
We explain the IP protection process clearly and keep you updated at every step, from the patentability search to the examiner's answer.
- 02
Never pay for calls or emails.
With flat fee pricing you know your legal costs ahead of time, so you can budget for them and ask every question you have.
- 03
Never wait on an answer.
Prompt, clear communication is critical in any attorney-client relationship, so questions get a quick, direct answer.
[02]The problem
Protecting your IP shouldn't be so difficult.
Isn't it time a law firm simplified the IP protection process? We think so.
Why is getting a patent hard?
A patent application succeeds or fails on details most inventors never have to think about. These are just a few of the reasons obtaining IP protection can be a challenge.
- Understanding relevant prior art. Everything published before your filing date, anywhere in the world, can be used against your application. A patentability search finds it first.
- Identifying the point of novelty. The claims have to say exactly what is new about your invention, broad enough to matter and narrow enough to be granted.
- Describing the best methods of use. The application must teach someone skilled in your field how to make and use the invention.
- Creating adequate drawings. The USPTO has strict rules for drawings, and a design patent is defined almost entirely by them.
A flat fee IP law firm takes those details off your plate for a price you know up front, so the cost of doing it properly never becomes a reason to cut corners.
[03]Flat fee vs hourly
How is a flat fee different from hourly billing?
Most IP firms bill by the hour. We quote one flat fee per service before any work begins.
With hourly billing, every call, email and revision adds to the bill, so the final cost is only known at the end. With a flat fee, the price is agreed before work starts and does not change because you asked a question or the drafting took longer.
| Flat fee | Hourly billing | |
|---|---|---|
| When you know the cost | Before any work begins | When the invoices arrive |
| Calls and emails | Included, never billed | Usually billed in increments |
| Revisions to a draft | Part of the fee | Billed as time spent |
| Budgeting | One number per service | An estimate that can grow |
The fee for each service is published on our pricing page. For the wider picture, read flat fee vs hourly attorney and what a flat fee IP attorney costs.
Startups that search and file every year can also pay one monthly price with an IP plan for startups.
[04]Compare your options
How we compare to filing services and hourly firms.
Online filing services, hourly firms and filing it yourself all cost less on day one. Here is what each one includes, side by side, for patents and trademarks.
Rapacke Law Group vs. the alternatives
Capability
The Rapacke
Law Group
Law Group
Hourly law
firm
firm
Online legal
service
service
Filing it
yourself
yourself
Free strategy call with an attorneyA call with a registered patent attorney before you commit, at no cost and with no obligation to retain the firm.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online legal service
Filing it yourself
Price quoted before work startsThe full fee is agreed before any work begins. The number you approve is the number you pay.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online legal service
Filing it yourself
Refund guarantee on covered services*Patentability searches, provisional and design patents. Subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.The RLG Guarantee covers the patentability search, provisional patent and design patent fees on the terms of the Guarantee Policy. Coverage varies by service.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online legal servicePartial
Filing it yourself
No charge for calls and emailsQuestions during your matter are included. No meter runs on a conversation with your attorney.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online legal servicePartial
Filing it yourself
Registered patent attorney on the fileOnly an attorney registered with the USPTO may prosecute a patent application for you.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online legal servicePartial
Filing it yourself
Know it’s patentable, or get your money back*If the search finds your invention is not novel, the search fee is refunded in full.A patentability search tells you whether an invention is new before you spend on filing it. If the search finds it is not novel, the fee is refunded.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online legal service
Filing it yourself
Comparison of delivery models, not of named firms. Refunds under The RLG Guarantee are subject to the terms of the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter, and coverage varies by service.
Rapacke Law Group vs. the alternatives
Capability
The Rapacke
Law Group
Law Group
Hourly law
firm
firm
Online filing
service
service
Filing it
yourself
yourself
Free strategy call with an attorneyA call with a licensed trademark attorney before you commit, at no cost and with no obligation to retain the firm.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online filing service
Filing it yourself
One flat fee, quoted before work startsThe full fee is agreed before any work begins. Online services quote a base price and add the search, each office action and the USPTO fee on top.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online filing servicePartial
Filing it yourself
Refund if the USPTO denies it*Covered services only. Subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter.On covered services the fee is refunded if the application is denied. Coverage varies by service.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online filing servicePartial
Filing it yourself
Attorney-run conflict search before filingA licensed attorney searches the register and reads the results, so you learn about a conflicting mark before you pay to file, not from the examiner.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online filing servicePartial
Filing it yourself
Unlimited office action responses includedMore than half of applications receive at least one office action. Every response is included in the flat fee, however many the examiner issues.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online filing service
Filing it yourself
USPTO filing fee included in the priceThe government filing fee for one class is part of the $2,000, not an extra line on the invoice.
The Rapacke Law Group
Hourly law firm
Online filing service
Filing it yourself
Comparison of delivery models, not of named firms. Refunds under The RLG Guarantee are subject to the terms of the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter, and coverage varies by service.
The real cost of registering a trademark
Line item
The Rapacke
Law Group
Law Group
Online filing
service
service
Hourly law
firm
firm
Application preparation and filing
The Rapacke Law GroupIncluded
Online filing service+$599 or more
Hourly law firm+$1,100 or more
Office action responsesMore than half of applications receive at least one.
The Rapacke Law GroupUnlimited, included
Online filing service+$599 or more each
Hourly law firm+$1,400 or more each
Trademark search
The Rapacke Law GroupIncluded
Online filing service+$299 or more
Hourly law firm+$1,200 or more
USPTO filing fee, one class
The Rapacke Law GroupIncluded
Online filing service+$350
Hourly law firm+$350
Full refund if the USPTO denies the application*
The Rapacke Law Group
Online filing service
Hourly law firm
Full refund or additional searches if your first choice has registrability issues*
The Rapacke Law Group
Online filing service
Hourly law firm
Total registration cost
The Rapacke Law Group$2,000 only if approved
Online filing service$1,847+
Hourly law firm$4,050+
Comparison of delivery models, not of named firms; the alternative columns are typical published prices, and actual costs vary. USPTO fee shown for one class. Refunds under The RLG Guarantee are subject to the RLG Guarantee Policy in your engagement letter, and coverage varies by service.
[05]Who does the work
Attorneys who understand what you built.
Every attorney came to IP law from a technical or scientific background.
- Andrew Rapacke, Managing Partner, Registered Patent Attorney. Former Naval Engineering Officer. M.S. in electrical and electronics engineering.
- Ken Brooks, Registered Patent Attorney. Materials science and engineering. Patents in software, AI, and electrical and mechanical systems.
- Chris Watt, Registered Patent Attorney, Former USPTO Examiner. Software, AI and machine learning, and MedTech. A full-stack software engineer.
- Casey Goldenberg, Attorney, Trademarks and Patent Prosecution. Trademarks and patent prosecution, from a scientific background.
Andrew Rapacke is the managing partner. Meet everyone on the team page, or read what clients say about working with the firm.
[06]Client reviews
See what our clients are saying.
4.7 across 614 public reviews on Google, Trustpilot and Avvo.
#1Top reviewed IP law firm*
Read client reviews“The Rapacke Group stands by their fees with no surprises.”
Lowell CrawfordClient review “It gave us peace of mind knowing the total cost for this service was included in their flat-fee proposal.”
Nick P.Provisional patent · Client review “Could not be happier with the customer service and straightforward fixed-fee approach.”
Sammerjit RaikhyDesign 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.
What is a flat fee IP law firm?
A firm that charges one agreed price for each service, such as a patentability search, a provisional patent or a trademark application, instead of billing by the hour. You know the cost before any work begins.
Do you charge for calls or emails?
No. Calls and emails about your matter are part of the flat fee, so you can ask every question you have without watching the clock.
What does the flat fee include?
It depends on the service and is set out before you commit. For example, the utility patent fee includes drawings and USPTO filing fees, and the trademark fee includes the conflict search, every office action and the USPTO fee for one class. Anything outside the quoted service is quoted flat before any work begins.
Do you work with clients outside Florida?
Yes. Patents and trademarks are federal, filed with the USPTO, and the firm works with inventors and founders in all 50 states by phone and video.
How do I get started?
Book a free IP strategy call. You talk through what you are protecting, get a straight answer on what to protect first and a flat-fee quote, with no obligation.
[08]Learning Center
Read more about flat fees.
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…
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Ready to get started?
Talk through your idea with a registered patent attorney. The call is free, with no obligation.