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PA Patent launched to offer pro-bono legal help to inventors, startups

Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, a program of the the Arts + Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, is formally launching PA Patent, a statewide effort to provide under-resourced inventors, startups and tax-exempt organizations the assistance of pro bono patent attorneys.

Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, a program of the the Arts + Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, is formally launching PA Patent, a statewide effort to provide under-resourced inventors, startups and tax-exempt organizations the assistance of pro bono patent attorneys.

PA Patent, a partnership of firms around Pennsylvania, with assistance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, has scheduled an invitation-only kickoff event for Feb. 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the offices of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, 200 S. Broad St., the group said Wednesday.

During a pilot of PA Patent started a year ago, 43 patent attorneys volunteered to represent "members of the creative economy," the organization said. During the last 12 months, 14 cases made it through a screening process, and an additional 11 cases are in the pipeline.

PA Patent is part of a national effort under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act to establish pro bono patent services in every state.

hbrubaker@phillynews.com

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@InqBrubaker