Entrepreneurs in need of a patent attorney must choose someone who knows the art of describing an invention in a way that distinguishes it as novel from both past and future inventions, according to Jeffrey Schox, a patent attorney who works exclusively with startups. Knowing the unique funding and technology-development curves of startup companies is also critical, according to Schox, who also lectures on the subject at Stanford University.

Patent attorney Jeffrey Schox addresses the most common patent-related questions investors have and what infringement means. He discusses how business licensing agreements allow complex products that contain plenty of patented inventions to be built and sold. Schox is also a lecturer at Stanford who teaches courses at the university’s engineering and law schools.

Patent attorney Jeffrey Schox talks about when the best times are to submit provisional applications in advance of filing for a full patent, mapping those points along a general technology-development curve. He describes the critical phase for obtaining a full patent and advises startups to begin the process early, as well as to re-file provisional applications to prevent them from lapsing.

Attorney Jeffrey Schox, who specializes in patent law for startups, shares two methods for determining when a business should apply for a patent: by rewarding engineers within a company who self-report and file themselves, or by a more top-down approach where chief executives are invited to first identify what’s most important to the company, what’s the budget, and then decide what to patent.

Jeffrey Schox, a patent attorney and lecturer at Stanford University, discusses the best way to describe your unique invention to get a patent application approved. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approves 60 to 70 percent of applications, and an ideal description for an invention is about 200 words and could outline a handful of steps, according to Schox.

Attorney and Stanford lecturer Jeffrey Schox breaks down the total cost and time for obtaining a U.S. patent and discusses the art of crafting a description broad enough to ensure the best claim protection, but also narrow enough to distinguish an invention from anything previously patented. Schox also explains the value of submitting a provisional application and what it involves.

Patent attorney Jeffrey Schox gives a brief overview of the most important reasons a startup should build a patent portfolio: to increase valuation, deter patent-infringement lawsuits, and to protect intellectual property when partnering with a larger company. Schox, a lecturer at Stanford University, also explains when patents become important for startups.