If you are an inventor and think you have a terrific idea for a new and innovative product of any kind, you need to quickly hire a patent attorney to represent you. In fact, IP attorneys are the only people who are legally allowed to apply for patents as they have been licensed to work in patent law and they must have an education within technology.
The laws surrounding applying for a patent are strict and very clear-cut and have been on the books in the U.S. for over 200 years. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) works directly with IP lawyers who represent inventors such as yourself.
When hiring an attorney to work with, be sure that his expertise matches the type of product you have. For example, if you have invented a manual hand tool of some sort, you will want to hire an attorney who has a mechanical engineering background.
Be sure that the lawyer you hire has not had any lawsuits brought against him and also check his references regarding any patents he has worked on in the past. A legitimate and experienced attorney will gladly offer you any information you request. You will be working with this person very closely for at least one year, so you want to be certain that he is trustworthy and capable.