Frequently asked questions.
How the firm works, who it is for, what things cost, and what happens after you get in touch. Service specific questions are answered on each service page.
Practice, fees and process
What matters does the firm handle?
Federal IP and related technology matters under the nine services: patents, trademarks, tech and commercial contracts, commercialization and policy, gaming and media, fractional GC, federal and defense transactions, and pre-litigation disputes.
What does the firm not handle?
Texas state-law advice; courtroom litigation — matters are scoped to pre-litigation and then handed off to trial counsel; and general family, criminal, or personal-injury work.
Where is the attorney licensed?
Illinois and Washington, D.C., and registered with the USPTO. Texas admission is pending. The firm does not advise on Texas state law. See the full licensure disclaimer in the footer of every page.
What is market-benchmarked flat-fee legal pricing?
Attorney fees are published against a written scope and set with reference to public competitor ranges and official fees. Official fees are extra, at cost.
Are USPTO and other government fees included?
No, unless a specific engagement card says otherwise. They are billed separately and can change.
What happens if the facts change mid-matter?
The engagement letter and the product’s scope-change triggers control. New claims, extra classes, rush deadlines, or a contested turn reopen the fee.
Does the consultation create an attorney–client relationship?
The paid consultation is limited to that consultation. An ongoing representation starts only after a conflicts check, a signed engagement letter, and any required retainer.
How do I pay?
Stripe or credit card online, or Zelle. Flat fees can be milestone-based when the engagement letter allows.
What does the $50 consultation include?
Thirty minutes with the attorney, review of the documents you send ahead, and a clear view of scope and cost. The $50 is credited toward your fee when the firm takes your matter on.
Will you guarantee a patent or trademark will issue?
No. Examining authorities are outside the firm’s control.
About the firm
What does The SciTech & IP Law Firm PLLC do?
The firm provides science, technology and intellectual property legal services to innovators, founders and organisations building innovation driven businesses. The work covers protecting, commercialising and enforcing patents, trademarks, copyrights and technology assets, with counsel that starts from your business objective rather than from a filing checklist.
Who is the firm a good fit for?
Inventors, startup founders, scientists, engineers, digital creators, e commerce brands, SaaS platforms and innovation driven companies that need sophisticated IP and technology guidance. The common thread is a client who wants a lawyer who understands both the law and the underlying science, and who can connect legal work directly to a commercial outcome.
How are you different from other IP and technology firms?
Three structural differences. The attorney who takes your call is the attorney who does the work, with no handoff to an associate. Advanced STEM training means less of your budget is spent explaining your own technology. And the active matter load is capped deliberately, which is what makes both flat fees and responsive turnaround possible rather than aspirational.
Do you work with clients outside Texas?
Yes. The firm is based in Austin and represents clients across the United States, and internationally on many IP matters. Patent and trademark practice before the USPTO is federal, so it is not limited by state. Where a matter requires state specific advice outside the firm’s admissions, we coordinate with or refer you to qualified local counsel.
What industries and technologies do you focus on?
IP intensive and regulated sectors: biotech and life sciences, medical devices and diagnostics, software and SaaS, AI and data driven products, robotics, materials and industrial innovation, defense and dual use technology, gaming and digital media, and consumer products. Technical fluency in these areas is what makes the legal work fast.
Fees and engagement
How does the flat fee model work?
For most matters the work is scoped up front and quoted as a single transparent fee against a defined deliverable, rather than billed hourly against an open ended engagement. You approve the number before anything billable starts, which means you can budget the work, compare it against alternatives, and decide whether it is worth doing at all.
What other billing arrangements do you offer?
Hourly billing remains available for matters whose shape genuinely cannot be known in advance, an active dispute being the clearest example. Monthly retainers are used for the fractional general counsel arrangement, and milestone based structures suit longer commercialisation projects. The structure is agreed during intake, before work begins.
Are government and third party fees included?
No, and they are itemised separately so there is no confusion. USPTO filing, examination, issue and maintenance fees are set by the government and vary with entity size. Search vendors, foreign associates and recording fees are also passed through at cost. Both the legal fee and the expected outside costs are laid out during scoping.
How do I schedule a consultation, and what happens next?
Book the thirty minute consultation through the booking page. It is $50, payable when you book, and it covers your goals and the documents you send ahead. If it is a fit, we run a conflicts check, scope the work, quote a fee, and open the matter with a signed engagement letter — with the $50 credited toward that fee.
When does an attorney client relationship actually begin?
An ongoing representation begins only when a written engagement letter has been signed by both sides. Browsing this site, sending an email or submitting the contact form does not create one, and a paid consultation is limited to that consultation. Material you send beforehand is reviewed for conflicts and fit, and is not treated as confidential until the firm confirms it can act for you.
Working together
When should my startup first talk to an IP lawyer?
Before publicly disclosing key innovations, before signing major customer or vendor contracts, and before closing an investment round. Early advice mostly prevents irreversible mistakes: losing patent rights through disclosure, signing away IP in a contract clause nobody read closely, or creating ownership gaps that complicate a future funding round or exit.
What should I prepare before the first meeting?
A short description of the product or technology, any prior or pending filings, key contracts and NDAs, relevant timelines such as launch or conference dates, and your top two or three business priorities. Sending background in advance means the call is spent on strategy rather than fact gathering.
Can you act as outside general counsel for my company?
Yes. For many startups and scaling companies the firm functions as fractional or outside general counsel on IP, technology and related commercial issues. That includes reviewing and negotiating contracts, managing the IP portfolio, coordinating specialist local counsel, and helping leadership identify risk before it becomes a problem.
How do you work with inventors and R&D teams?
Closely, and usually starting earlier than teams expect. The process is to understand the technology, identify what is patentable versus what is better kept as a trade secret, and map filings onto the product and commercialisation roadmap. The output is a prioritised plan matched to your budget, market timing and competitive landscape.
Is my information confidential before I become a client?
Treat it as not fully protected until an engagement letter is signed. Documents you send with a consultation booking are reviewed for conflicts and fit, and are not treated as confidential until the firm confirms it can act for you. If a matter requires disclosure before engagement, say so and we will put a confidentiality agreement in place first.
Start with a 30 minute consultation.
A $50 video call covering your goals, your timeline and the documents you send ahead. The $50 is credited toward your fee when the firm takes your matter on.
