Memphis, TN Patent Attorney

Hire a Patent Attorney at Bold Patents

Patent law in Memphis, along with intellectual property & trademark law, can establish your rights to the innovations you have made. A Memphis patent attorney can make it easier to navigate these laws, determine the most effective way to protect your invention, and get the most legal protections possible. At Bold Patents, we can collaborate with you to protect what you have created, whether you are a business owner, independent inventor, or other entrepreneur.

Our attorneys have decades of patent law experience and have secured patents in many of the industries essential to Memphis. This includes logistics patents, bioscience and healthcare tech patents, and AgTech (agricultural technology) patents. These are complex industries that rapidly advance, so it is important you work with a team familiar with them. At Bold Patents, we can help you safeguard your bold invention.

The Industries That Make Up Memphis’s Innovative Culture

Some of the most essential industries in Memphis include:

• Medical devices and healthcare technologies
• Bioscience
• Automotive
• Logistics and supply chain
• Advanced manufacturing
• Agribusiness and AgTech
• Emerging technologies
• Information technology

Logistics consulting is an industry that is nearly seven times more concentrated in Memphis than in any other metro location in the southeast U.S. as of 2022. This immense concentration further pushes innovation and competition in the logistics industry. In addition, advances in this industry further innovation in other industries, leading to wider benefits for the economy.

All these sectors are further pushed by elements like:

• Universities. The University of Memphis furthers innovation and interest in many of these industries, particularly through the institution’s Division of Research and Innovation. This division helps with funding and developing new ideas, along with encouraging community and collaboration.
• The Memphis Medical District Collaborative. This covers six of Memphis’s neighborhoods. It includes a high concentration of medical facilities and educational institutions, along with businesses and homes. This district helps support medical innovation in the city.
• Local businesses and start-ups. Memphis has a strong entrepreneurial culture, from existing businesses to new start-ups. There were 137,000 small businesses in the Greater Memphis area as of 2021, and there were 33,000 new business applications that year. This entrepreneurial culture can also be seen in the growth of tech incubators and accelerators, along with collaborative and co-working spaces. Start-up patents in Memphis can help these new businesses get the competitive advantage they need.

Important Resources That Support Memphis Inventors and Entrepreneurs

Several crucial resources give personal, financial, and community support for innovators in Memphis. Some of these include:

• Local incubators and accelerators. These businesses, like Start Co. and Epicenter Memphis, provide information, research resources, networking opportunities, funding, and additional support for start-ups and small businesses.
• The University of Memphis’s Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). The OTT helps innovators license and commercialize their inventions. Their site lists about 55 issued patents.
• Local networking organized events. Events organized by Startup Grind Memphis or the Memphis Technology Foundation provide useful opportunities for entrepreneurs.

There are also available resources through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Some of the nearby Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs) include:

• Arkansas State Library in Little Rock, Arkansas
• Mississippi State University Libraries in Mississippi State, Mississippi
• John C. Hodges Library at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in Knoxville, Tennessee

PTRCs can help you conduct a patent search and answer important concerns about the patent filing process. The nearby USPTO regional outreach office is the Southeast Regional Office located in Alexandria, Virginia. This office can be reached at (571) 270-7100.

All these resources are much easier to find and use when you work with an experienced patent attorney. Protecting your intellectual property in Memphis is crucial for helping you get and maintain a presence in the market and industry you are operating in. An attorney can review your goals for your business and invention. Then, they can determine how to effectively use the local resources available to you.

What Is a Patent?

A patent is a type of intellectual property protection. You can secure it through the USPTO and obtain the right to prevent other parties from using, selling, making, or offering to sell your invention in U.S. states and territories. In order for an invention to qualify for a patent, it must meet the minimum qualifications:

• It is new and novel
• It is not an obvious derivative of an existing invention
• There are clear instructions on how to make and use the invention
• It is usable, and does not exist only theoretically

There are three types of patents: utility, design, and plant patents. Each protects a different type of invention or a different aspect of an invention. Each type of patent also has its own definition that an invention must meet to qualify. Utility and plant patents also have a provisional patent application, offering an early filing date.

What Is the Process of Filing a Patent?

Generally, the steps in the patent filing process include:

1. Assessing your invention’s patentability, including conducting a patent and art search
2. Documenting the invention and creating an application
3. Filing a provisional patent, if needed
4. Refining the invention
5. Filing your application and relevant fees with the USPTO
6. Responding to USPTO office actions during the examination process
7. Securing patent protection

If the USPTO does not approve your patent application, you can make a Request for Continued Examination.

Having a patent is not the end of the process, as you have to take action if your rights are infringed upon. When you hire a patent attorney, they can make the initial process faster, and they can also help you with defending your patent.

How Can Bold Patents Help Me as I File for a Memphis Patent?

The attorneys at Bold Patents have provided exceptional assistance to many inventors, and we understand the unique needs of innovators in Memphis. We aim for individualized legal care that considers your unique business goals and needs, both in the short and long term. While large corporations have a lot of resources, they are not the only ones who can file patents. You can secure patent protection and are more likely to be successful with a dedicated patent attorney.

We understand how much a useful patent can benefit someone’s life and business, and we want to help you get the most you can from what you’ve made.

Our firm has worked to patent several logistics inventions, such as:

• Rentable multipurpose private facility
• Level adapter for use with a jack and lifting devices
• Waste tank filter for vehicles

We have also helped patent medical and healthcare inventions, like methods for cosmetic surgery and systems for dispensing medication. Our client testimonials have praised our communication, personability, and professional reliability.

Whether you are an independent innovator, a small business, or an entrepreneur just beginning a start-up, Bold Patents can help you. We have worked for years in patent and intellectual property law, and we can navigate the USPTO process with ease.

Find Your Industry’s Patent Requirements

It’s important to get targeted patent guidance for your specific industry. Click on your industry below to discover specialized patent requirements, strategic approaches, and how our attorneys can transform your ideas into protected assets.

FAQs

How Long Does It Typically Take to Get a Patent in Memphis, TN?

If there are no Requests for Continued Examination (RCEs), the average time it takes for the USPTO to reach a resolution is26.3 months as of October 2025. When only looking at applications with one or more RCEs, this average timeline increases to 44.2 months.

Many factors can influence how quickly your unique patent is processed in Memphis, like the complexity of your invention, whether you work with an attorney, and the patent type for which you are filing.

Do I Need a Local Patent Attorney in Memphis, or Can I Work With Someone Remotely?

It is crucial that you work with a local Memphis patent attorney. Working with someone remotely will not give you the same insight into the city’s innovative landscape or provide you with local resources.

A local attorney can help with both of those matters and more. They understand the industries that are essential in Memphis, the current advancements in those fields, and how patent law interacts with those innovations. They also know how to effectively leverage local resources.

What Types of Inventions Are Commonly Patented in Memphis?

Given the medical device and logistics sectors in the city, there are frequently medical device patents in Memphis, technology patents, and logistics innovation patents. Patents might be for new operating systems or user interface designs, a method for gene therapy, or sustainable packaging solutions. The invention must meet the definition of a patent, such as being new and useful, as well as fit a type of patent. This includes utility, design, or plant patents.

How Do Local Resources, Like Start Co., Assist With the Patent-Filing Process?

Local resources, like Start Co., help with the patent-filing process by providing inventors with financial and community support, along with other important resources, like office spaces, networking opportunities, research options, and facilities. This can support innovators as they file their patents, which can be more directly supported by a patent attorney.

Contact Bold Patents Today

At Bold Patents, we can support your innovations and protect your ability to build your future. Contact our patent attorneys today and schedule a consultation to learn how we can aid you.

Bold Patents J.D. Houvener, Esq., MBA, P.E.

Principal Patent Attorney, Bold Patents