The Pocket Legal Companion to Patents

April 1, 2014

This work continues in the venerable tradition of the concise, popularized legal book devoted to a specific topic and directed to the general public. U.S. patent attorney Battle (Trademark; Legal-Wise; Legal Forms; Senior Counsel; Retirement) knows the typical misconceptions of patent seekers and warns them that, for example, "Sending a registered letter to yourself describing the invention is useless as evidence," and gives additional practical advice throughout on what to expect. The necessary topics are presented in a chapter each on protecting your idea, what is patentable, tests of patentability, preparing and submitting the patent filing, infringement, foreign patent rights, licensing, and marketing an invention. Legal forms are reproduced in the applicable chapters but should have been better identified in the index for quick reference. An appendix specifies appropriate parts of the U.S. Code that apply. A glossary for the novice such as the one in Nolo's Patent It Yourself (2012) would be a good addition. VERDICT Very useful for practical information, a patent overview, and the necessary specifics for people with a brainstorm concoction that they want to unleash on the market.--Janice Dunham, John Jay Coll. Library, CUNY

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