Recently I noticed that there are a few people holding themselves out to be qualified to file patent applications in Australia through enlace.com and freelancer.com. Some of these contractors are not based in Australia nor are they qualified to operate in Australia.
One of Alder IP’s recent clients allegedly filed an Australian Provisional Patent Application through an one of this scam patent attorneys based in India using the freelancer.com website. Two years later, the client spoke to me about licensing the patent application. During my research into the matter, I dsicovered that the patent application was never drafted nor was it even filed with IP Australia, the client was given fake filing receipts and other fake documentation by the scam patent attorney.
The freelancer contractor seems to have provided completely fake and counterfeit letters and notices issued by IP Australia and then continued to invoice the client to work that obviously was not even provided.
If you use elance.com or freelancer.com for patent related services, please check with the Australian Professional Standards Board for Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys (PSB). Their website is at www.psb.gov.au and their website includes a complete list of all of the patent attorneys in Australia that are qualified to act on behalf of clients filing patent applications in Australia. If they are not on the official list published by the PSB then they are not qualified to act as Australian patent attorneys.
Patent Attorneys who are registered by the PSB have the necessary qualifications and experience to help clients in Australia with their patent issues. Australian Patent Attorneys are also bound by mandatory minimum service requirements as per the Code of Conduct which is also available from the PSB’s website.
If you are using an alleged patent attorney through elance.com I strongly recommend checking their qualifications in Australia through the PSB. If you use an unqualified patent attorney you may be destroying your own rights in your invention. Additionally, there is no little or no recourse if something goes wrong. Australian Patent Applicants run a significant risk, if they don’t use Australian Patent Attorneys.
Alder IP is an incorporate patent attorney firm qualified and registered with the PSB to provide patent services in Australia.