The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the recipients of the 2020 Patent Pro Bono Achievement Certificate, which recognizes individuals and law firms that assist financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses seeking patents.
Established under the 2011 America Invents Act, the USPTO’s Patent Pro Bono Program is a nationwide network of independently operated regional programs that match volunteer practitioners with financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses for the purpose of securing patent protection. Each regional program provides services for residents of one or more states.
In 2020, the program shattered its previous volunteer participation record, as more than 100 patent practitioners and over 25 corporations and law firms (listed below) reported 50 or more hours of patent pro bono service to a regional patent pro bono program. The recognized practitioners are listed on the Patent Pro Bono Program page on the USPTO website.
“I want to thank all of the recipients for their commitment to helping under-resourced inventors and small businesses in what was an especially challenging year for so many,” said Drew Hirshfeld, performing the functions and duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “The work of these practitioners helped contribute to the 273 pro bono patent applications we received in 2020. Because of their service, the innovation economy is stronger.”
To date, more than 1,800 patent practitioners have agreed to volunteer their time and resources to help make the Patent Pro Bono Program a success. Since 2015, these legal professionals have filed more than 1,500 patent applications on behalf of their pro bono clients.
Certificate recipients 2020
Recipient Organization | City and State | Regional Patent Pro Bono Program(s) Served |
---|---|---|
Perkins Coie | Los Angeles, CA | CA Inventors Assistance Program |
Morrison & Foerster | Los Angeles, CA | CA Inventors Assistance Program |
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP | Palo Alto, CA | CA Inventors Assistance Program |
Stinson LLP | Kansas City, MO | St. Louis University Pro Bono |
Intellectual Property Consulting LLC | New Orleans, LA | Louisiana Invents |
Barnes & Thornburg | Minneapolis, MN | LegalCORPS’ Inventor Assistance |
Dykema Gossett | Minneapolis, MN | LegalCORPS’ Inventor Assistance |
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath | Minneapolis, MN | LegalCORPS’ Inventor Assistance |
Fredrikson & Byron | Minneapolis, MN | LegalCORPS’ Inventor Assistance |
Merchant & Gould | Minneapolis, MN | LegalCORPS’ Inventor Assistance |
Patterson Thuente IP | Minneapolis, MN | LegalCORPS’ Inventor Assistance |
Alston Bird | Atlanta, GA | Georgia PATENTS |
Southeastern IP Consulting | Greenville, SC | Georgia PATENTS |
Smith, Gambrell & Russell | Atlanta, GA | Georgia PATENTS |
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton | Atlanta, GA | Georgia PATENTS |
Baysinger Legal | Atlanta, GA | Georgia PATENTS |
Ballard Spahr | Atlanta, GA | Georgia PATENTS |
Fish & Richardson | Atlanta, GA | Georgia PATENTS |
Foley & Lardner | Chicago, IL | Chicago-Kent Patent Hub |
DLA Piper | Chicago, IL | Chicago-Kent Patent Hub |
Incubate IP | Glen Ellyn, IL | Chicago-Kent Patent Hub |
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP | Chicago, IL | Chicago-Kent Patent Hub |
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP | Albuquerque, NM | Mi Casa Resource Center’s ProBoPat |
Dorsey & Whitney LLP | Denver, CO | Mi Casa Resource Center’s ProBoPat |
Lowenstein Sandler LLP | Centerville, UT | Mi Casa Resource Center’s ProBoPat |
McDonald Hopkins | Cleveland, OH | Ohio Patent Pro Bono Program |
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino | Cleveland, OH | Ohio Patent Pro Bono Program |
Parker-Hannifin Corporation | Mayfield Heights, OH | Ohio Patent Pro Bono Program |
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