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♦ NOW SERVING INVENTORS STATEWIDE IN FLORIDA ♦

Free legal help to patent your invention.

Dade Legal Aid matches financially under-resourced Florida inventors and small businesses with volunteer  patent attorneys at no cost for legal services. Florida currently has no other regional patent pro bono program, so if you qualify, this is your path.

CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY

200%
FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE CAP 

FL
STATEWIDE ELIGIBILITY

WHAT WE HELP WITH

$0
LEGAL FEES FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS

? Is this program right for you ?

  1. You’re a Florida resident with an actual invention — not just an idea.
  2. Your household income is under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
  3. You haven’t already filed 2 or more patent applications.
  4. You’re ready to complete a prior art search before applying.

If all four are true, start with the Eligibility section below.

WHO THIS IS FOR

Three ways to qualify

We support solo inventors, small businesses, and qualifying nonprofits — each with its own eligibility track.

Solo inventors

An individual Florida resident with an original invention and no obligation to assign its rights away.

Small businesses

Up to 4 named inventors, each qualifying individually, with gross income under $150,000.

Nonprofits

501(c)(3) organizations with a budget of $200,000 or less, not a research institution or university.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

What you’ll need to qualify

Every applicant must meet the income and knowledge requirements below, plus the criteria for their track.

TRACK 1

Solo Inventor

  • Florida resident (statewide)
  • Household income under 200% of
    federal poverty guidelines
  • Not obligated to assign invention
    rights to a third party
  • Able to describe how the invention is
    made and used
  • Has not already filed 2 or more patent
    applications with the USPTO

TRACK 2

Multi-Inventor / Small Business

  • Up to 4 named inventors, each
    individually meeting Track 1’s
    residency and income rules
  • Business gross income under
    $150,000, prior and current year

TRACK 3

Nonprofit (501(c)(3))

  • Up to 4 named inventors, each
    assigning rights to the nonprofit
  • Annual operating budget of $200,000
    or less
  • Not a research institution or institution
    of higher learning

200% of the federal poverty guidelines depends on household size and is updated by HHS every January. [Page pulls the currentyear table from HHS rather than a fixed number] — use our quick calculator, or check the official guidelines directly.

PROGRAM SCOPE

What we help with — and what we don’t

We keep our scope narrow so our volunteer attorneys can serve every accepted applicant well.

We help with

✓ Preparing and filing a provisional patent application
✓ Preparing and filing a non-provisional (utility) patent application
✓ Responding to USPTO Office Actions

We don’t handle

  • International or PCT patent filings
  • Licensing, assignment, or ownership disputes
  • Patent litigation or infringement matters

Need help with one of these?

Contact the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service ↗ (statewide) or the
Miami-Dade Bar Lawyer Referral Service ↗ (local).

We can’t accept a non-provisional application if its 12-month filing deadline falls within 3 months of your application date. This gives our volunteers time to do the work properly — if you’re inside that window, please  consult a private patent attorney to protect your filing date.

REQUIRED BEFORE YOU APPLY

Do your prior art search first

Every application must include at least 3 related references. “There’s nothing else like it” isn’t a search — these  free tools will get you a real answer.

USPTO Patent Public Search
The USPTO's own full-text & image search
Google Patents
Free — U.S. and international patents together
Espacenet (EPO)
Searches patents filed worldwide
Florida PTRC Locations
Trained librarians who can help with your search in person
USPTO Basic Patent Training
Free course — also satisfies the knowledge requirement
Curso de Formación (Español)
La versión en español del curso de la USPTO

HOW TO APPLY

Five steps to a volunteer attorney

Placement isn’t guaranteed — it depends on volunteer availability — but every complete application gets  reviewed. There’s no mandatory fee to apply — a $50 voluntary contribution is recommended, but you won’t be  turned away if you can’t contribute.

1

Confirm you qualify
Check your track and income against the Eligibility section above.

2

Complete patent training
Unless you already have a provisional application on file, finish the USPTO’s free certificate course.

3

Do your prior art search
Identify at least 3 related references using the tools above.

4

Submit your application
Household size and income, residency, a general description of your invention, and your 3 references.
[Apply Now button links to intake form — TBD]

5

Hear back from us
We’ll respond within 5 business days. If eligible, we’ll try to match you with a volunteer attorney.

Submitting an application does not create an attorney-client relationship between the applicant and Dade Legal Aid, Put Something Back, or any individual attorney or agent.

FOR LEGAL PROFESSIONALS

Volunteer as a patent
attorney or patent agent

This program runs in collaboration with the USPTO’s national Patent Pro
Bono Program. We’re recruiting volunteers alongside our launch.

Who can volunteer

Any registered patent attorney or patent agent in good standing. No minimum years of experience — we match volunteers to cases by technical background and availability.

Time commitment

Flexible. No obligation to accept a case once registered — choose full representation, limited-scope help, a one-time consultation, or mentoring.

Recognition

50+ pro bono hours a year qualifies you for USPTO’s Patent Pro Bono Achievement Certificate, with optional public recognition on USPTO’s site.
Learn more at USPTO ↗

What we’ll ask for when you sign up

  • Name, firm/organization, email, and phone
  • Attorney or patent agent, plus your USPTO registration number
  • State bar number and state(s) of admission (attorneys)
  • Technical background — mechanical, electrical, software, chemical, biotech, etc.
  • Preferred level of involvement and hours available per month
  • Conflict-of-interest acknowledgment

Have an invention worth protecting?
If you meet the requirements above, your next step takes about
ten minutes.

Start your applicationDo your prior art search

DADE LEGAL AID

The Patent Pro Bono Program is an initiative of Dade Legal Aid’s Put Something Back Pro Bono Program that  screens and places patent applicants with volunteer patent practitioners.

PROGRAM

Eligibility requirements
Program scope
Prior art search
How to apply
Volunteer with us

MORE USPTO SUPPORT

Inventors Assistance Center ↗
Pro Se Assistance Program ↗
Inventor & Entrepreneur Resources ↗
USPTO Patent Pro Bono Program ↗

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