Patent Pro Bono Program

Patent Pro Bono Program

Provides Patent Pro Bono support by pairing inventors with volunteer patent attorneys and agents nationwide.

The USPTO Patent Pro Bono Program connects financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses with volunteer patent attorneys and agents through a nationwide network of independent regional programs. The program provides free legal assistance for the preparation and filing of patent applications — no cash is disbursed; the benefit is donated professional services with an estimated market value exceeding $39.3 million in donated attorney time between 2015 and 2022. The program is administered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and operates through state-based regional organizations that recruit and coordinate volunteer practitioners.

To qualify, an inventor must meet an income threshold — typically gross household income below approximately three times the federal poverty level, though some regional programs may apply different thresholds. In addition, applicants must either have already filed a provisional patent application or completed a USPTO-recognized certificate training course, and must be able to describe their invention's features and how it works. The program is open to individual inventors, small businesses, nonprofits, and qualifying universities, all of which must be based in the United States. International inventors and large corporations are ineligible.

Applicants connect with their state's regional program through the USPTO's program directory. Regional coordinators assess eligibility and match inventors with available volunteer attorneys. Because volunteer availability varies by region and specialty, processing timelines differ. Inventors with pending provisional applications, low income, and a technically describable invention are the strongest candidates. The program does not guarantee an attorney match or a successful patent outcome — it provides facilitated access to pro bono legal services for the patent application process.