If you’re an 80s kid, you’re sure to remember the scene in “Gremlins 2” where the head Gremlin leads his cohorts in a rousing rendition of Frank Sinatra’s classic song, “New York, New York” as they prepare to invade the The City That Never Sleeps. If you enjoyed that film and subsequently grew up to be an inventor living in the Big Apple, you would presumably love to see one of your creations take the New York population by storm, similar to a gremlin invasion. There are a few things you need to do, however, as you wait for one of your inventions to come to this kind of prominence. One of them is to talk to patent lawyers in NYC.

Did you invent remote controlled residential windows? What about that idea for a stove that cooks dinner for you? Anytime you come up with a great idea, especially one that can be used in Americans’ daily lives, you need to protect your proverbial mental real estate by securing a patent. Remember that time you told a couple of friends about the self-cleaning wineglass you had in mind? Your "friend" Joel immediately appropriated it and put it into production, and there was absolutely nothing you could do about it. You and Joel are on the outs of course, but to prevent more lost friendships, you simply must look into the patent process before you come up with your next big idea.

When you talk to a lawyer, be prepared to pay for his or her services up front. In other words, don’t expect a patent attorney in NYC to work for you on a contingency basis (meaning he or she gets paid if your big idea results in a profit). Even lawyers have to keep the lights on, and working for free simply doesn’t accomplish that task … or put food on the table.

Is your invention a little hard to illustrate with just words? A self-cleaning horse trough or an all-in-one boot-plus-sock combo might be difficult to explain, and you need to be prepared to accurately represent your idea so both you and you patent lawyer can leave the meeting with a better idea of how to move forward. Therefore, be prepared to present photos or illustrations of your invention so your lawyer can understand exactly what you’re talking about.

When searching for patent lawyers in NYC, look for attorneys who have practiced in this field for an extended period of time. Experience simply pays off in the end. Don’t be afraid to talk to several individuals before you decide on the one who seems right for you.