Structure And Language

A patent application is many things. It is a legal document defining the rights of the patentee, it is a sales pitch to the patent examiner, and it is a warning to competitors to keep away from the patented technology. Since all of these functions are greatly facilitated by clear writing, it behooves the patent attorney to use his very best legal writing skills.

In my experience clear writing comes from clear thinking. The importance of this principle cannot be overestimated. The patent attorney needs to understand what is being claimed, and how the scope of the claims fit into the overall patenting strategy. All of that should be in place before the patent attorney even begins drafting of the Specification.