Thoughts to PaperReviews of thoughtstopaper.com

No communication, very efficient at invoicing, but delivers no results. Made key mistakes during the process, which cost me tens of thousands of dollars. They take no pride in their work, and it really gave me a very bad impression of US legal professionals.

My review is in culmination of 4 years of working with TTP: They will nickel & dime you, provide subpar service, which will lead to further required actions so they can nickel and dime you more. I originally had them do a Patent Search, advertised as 5-8 days, I checked in after 2 weeks and was told it would be ready the next day. It was another week before I received it. The “Patent Engineer” grabbed the first 3 patents he could find with basic search terms from my invention, none of which even closely related and he contradicted himself in his own report. The WIPO and USPTO examiners found multiple similar prior arts – zero overlap with TTP. I paid $449 for the provisional patent, a year later another $3k for a PCT (zero discounts for work already completed). The review came back that Claim #1 described NOTHING original in my invention – basically described the current market space. That’s when I learned Claim #1 HAS to pass the requirements or the entire patent is rejected. I paid a “professional” firm to write it because I assumed they would know these things. Another year I pay them to file the USPTO Utility patent (they rearranged a few claims, and submitted it. They charged me another $2500 for what I already paid $3000 for them to do). I hear nothing for 4 months, I ask for an update and they rush me a draft in a day (be prepared to be ignored and then receive rushed work). When the patent examiner missed the amendments, they charged me a $750 retainer to call/email the examiner (I received the communication summary from USPTO, it was VERY brief). The Patent is finally approved! They charge me ANOTHER $595 to file the Allowance Fee (it’s a 1-page form already 90% filled in by the USPTO. When you ask their Online Chat they claim the $3k fee covers all services to receive granted patent, pure lies). The retainer was completely used up to tell the patent examiner “you forgot to read the amendments” which he immediately recognized (45min Email, 45 phone, 1hr doc drafting, 30min case history research, 15 min admin tasks. There was no back and forth). The patent is granted – I’m patiently waiting for weeks. Turns out it has been sitting in their mailroom, instead of being mailed to me. Then they tell me it normally takes them a MONTH to forward patent letters. Talking to 2 of their paralegals one stated ALL physical mail goes directly to the client because they receive digital copies from USPTO, while another states clients receive NO physical mail. Infuriatingly unorganized and incompetent.