We started working with California Lawyers for the Arts (CLA), a nonprofit serving as statewide administrator for the California Inventors Assistance Program (CIAP). The firm assisted Bill Carpenter. Carpenter applied to CIAP for assistance with a patent application already filed, which had received a final rejection… The CIAP presents a valuable opportunity for patent practitioners to make a big difference in an inventor’s life. It allows patent practitioners to utilize the skill sets in their practice area and provides a feeling of reward upon obtaining a positive outcome for low income and under resourced individuals. We highly encourage practitioners to consider volunteering through their regional patent pro bono programs.
Sleep Styler creator Tara Brown, an ophthalmologist by trade, turned to Knobbe Martens for help securing IP protection as soon as she had her final prototype – a no-heat hair roller – in hand. Attorneys helped her file for patent protection and obtain trademark registration. Brown then raised over $40,000 in an August 2016 Kickstarter campaign, and in March 2017, her Shark Tank episode aired, where she agreed to take $75,000 in funding in exchange for 25 percent equity. The very next week, sales soared from $70,000 in revenue to $3 million, and within three months hit the $50 million mark.