The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced a partnership with several law schools across the US where a small company or independent inventor may qualify for free (pro-bono) patent and trademark services. Some examples listed by the patent office are; patent searches, patentability opinions, patent filing, and help responding to patent office actions. This is a much needed service since many small companies and independent inventors cannot afford the cost of filing a patent. Please contact each school directly to see if you qualify for free patent help.

A table of schools is provided in this link: http://www.uspto.gov/ip/boards/oed/practitioner/agents/law_school_pilot.jsp