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54 Your Idea, Inc.

lawyers by state. It has a vast database of attorneys you can search
by name, specialty, or geographic area, and it lists most attorneys'
credentials and experience.

Budgeting for Your IP Attorney

Whereas personal injury lawyers generally work on a contingency
fee, nearly all IP lawyers work strictly on an hourly basis. They usu­
ally require an initial retainer and will bill you by the quarter hour
(or other fraction). Before hiring your IP lawyer, find out how they
charge their time so there's no big surprises on your bill. Hourly
rates for attorneys differ according to their city and whether they
work for a large or smaller firm. One way to cut costs here is to work
with a junior partner or associate, whose hourly rate is much less
than that of a senior attorney. Consider a junior partner or associate
if your idea is straightforward, easily explained, and not too similar
to other products or services in existence. Also, most IP lawyers will
allow you a free initial consultation. It never hurts to ask.

Some IP lawyers will charge on a flat-fee basis for more rou­
tine trademark and copyright filings. For example, lawyers usually
charge $1 ,200 to $1 ,500 to file a trademark application, including the
existing trademark search and government filing fee ($350 per class
of goods or services per online application at this time). They may
give you a break when more than one application needs to be filed.
They may charge artwork fees if necessary for the application.

Before you meet with a lawyer, it's important to learn some basics
about intellectual property so you have an idea of what you need.

Types of I ntellec tual Property

A broad overview of the main types of intellectual property can be
found in the table on the facing page.