What does it mean that Tony Woolard is a licensed patent attorney?

A patent attorney holds two separate credentials: a state bar license to practice law, and registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, commonly called the patent bar. Tony N. Woolard is admitted to the Connecticut bar under Juris Number 442912 and is registered to practice before the USPTO under Registration Number 53,532. USPTO registration requires a qualifying degree in science or engineering and passage of a separate examination on patent law and Patent Office procedure administered by the USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline.

What is the difference between a patent attorney and a patent agent?

A patent agent has passed the USPTO patent bar but is not a licensed lawyer, so a patent agent can prepare and prosecute patent applications but cannot draft contracts, form business entities, or represent clients in legal disputes. A patent attorney holds both the patent bar registration and a state law license, and can do all of it. Tony N. Woolard is a patent attorney, so the same attorney who files a patent can also prepare the licensing agreement, NDA, and operating agreement around it.

Do you need to be a patent attorney to file a trademark?

No. Any licensed attorney may represent clients in trademark matters before the USPTO. The separate patent bar registration is required specifically for patent prosecution, meaning preparing and pursuing patent applications and responding to patent office actions.

Can Harborage Law handle patent matters outside Connecticut?

Yes. Patent and trademark practice before the USPTO is federal, so a registered patent attorney may represent inventors and brand owners located in any state. Connecticut licensure governs state-law matters such as contracts, commercial leases, employment documents, business formation, and disputes.

What is a patent office action and can a rejection be overcome?

An office action is the written communication a USPTO examiner issues when there is a problem with an application. Patent office actions commonly include rejections under Section 101 for subject matter eligibility, Section 102 for anticipation, Section 103 for obviousness, and Section 112 for specification or claim definiteness. A rejection is not a final denial. It is an examiner's position that can often be answered with claim amendments, evidence, or legal argument, and many applications are allowed after a well prepared response.

Connecticut Small Business Legal Services

If you run a small business, chances are I can help. Here is the honest, complete picture of the work I do.

Most people find me for one thing, a trademark or a single contract, and are surprised to learn how much else I handle. So rather than make you guess, here is everything.

Where I do my best work

I genuinely enjoy all of it, but if you asked me what I love most, it is contracts, and then office actions, both trademark and patent. I am a licensed patent attorney, admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (Reg. No. 53,532), which is a separate bar admission from my Connecticut law license (Juris No. 442912). Office actions are the letters the USPTO sends when an examiner has a problem with your application, and most people receive one and assume the answer is no. Often it is not. It is a legal argument waiting to be made, and building that argument is my favorite part of this work.

If you are holding a refusal from the USPTO and you are not sure what it means, that is exactly the kind of call I would like to get.

Contracts and agreements

Contracts are the quiet backbone of your business. I draft them, review them before you sign, and negotiate them when the other side sends their version.

Client and service agreements tailored to your industry
Master service agreements (MSAs) and statements of work (SOWs)
Independent contractor and freelancer agreements
Non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements
Vendor, supplier, and partnership agreements
Consignment and distribution agreements
Consent, waiver, and indemnity forms for client-facing businesses
Website terms of service and privacy policies
AI use policies for businesses using AI tools in their work
Contract review and redlining, with the risky terms flagged clearly before you sign
Plain, readable signature pages so your clients understand what they are agreeing to

I have built agreement sets for photographers, makeup artists, doulas, massage therapists, bookkeepers, consultants, content creators, software companies, and food businesses. If your industry is not on that list, it is very likely still work I can do.

Learn more about contract work

Commercial leases

Signing a lease is often the largest financial commitment a small business makes, and most owners sign without anyone reading it first.

Lease review before you sign
Redlining and negotiation with the landlord
Personal guarantee and additional-insured requirements
Exit, assignment, and early termination provisions
Renewal and rent escalation terms

Trademarks and brand protection

Available to clients nationwide through my federal USPTO practice.

Comprehensive clearance searches before you file
Federal trademark applications with the USPTO
Office action responses, including likelihood-of-confusion refusals
Trademark oppositions and TTAB proceedings
Monitoring, renewals, and maintenance filings
Connecticut state trademark registration when that is the better fit

How to trademark a business name · Office action responses

Patents and patent office actions

I am a registered patent attorney (USPTO Reg. No. 53,532), admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and a Certified Patent Valuation Analyst. My scientific background is in biomedical science, from my years as a researcher at Yale School of Medicine. Patent work is available to inventors nationwide.

Patent office action responses, including rejections under Sections 101, 102, 103, and 112
Patentability and prior art analysis
Provisional and non-provisional patent applications
Patent valuation for licensing, sale, or investment conversations
Second opinions when another firm has told you a refusal cannot be overcome

What does "licensed patent attorney" actually mean?

It is a common point of confusion, so here is the plain version.

There are two separate credentials, and patent work requires both.

	What it allows
State bar license — Connecticut, Juris No. 442912	Practicing law: contracts, entity formation, leases, disputes
USPTO registration — the "patent bar", Reg. No. 53,532	Representing inventors before the Patent Office

To sit for the patent bar you must first hold a qualifying degree in science or engineering, then pass a separate examination on patent law and USPTO procedure, administered by the USPTO's Office of Enrollment and Discipline. It is a distinct admission with its own requirements, and most attorneys do not hold it.

Patent attorney versus patent agent. A patent agent has passed the patent bar but is not a lawyer, so they can handle your patent application but cannot draft your contracts, form your company, or represent you in a dispute. A patent attorney holds both credentials. I am the second, which means the same person who files your patent can also write the license agreement, the NDA, and the operating agreement around it.

One more distinction worth knowing: any licensed attorney may handle trademark matters before the USPTO. Patent prosecution is the part that requires the separate patent bar registration.

What this means for you practically: because patent and trademark practice before the USPTO is federal, I can represent inventors and brand owners in any state. My Connecticut license governs the state-law work, such as contracts, leases, employment documents, and formation.

Copyrights and creative work

Copyright registration for creative and written work
Licensing and permission agreements
Enforcement when someone uses your work without permission
Responding when someone claims you infringed theirs

Learn more about copyright protection

Business formation and structure

LLC formation, including single-member LLCs
Operating agreements that actually address what happens when things change
Corporations and business structure guidance
Entity reviews to confirm your structure still protects you personally
Permits and licensing support for regulated businesses

Learn more about business formation

Employment and your team

Independent contractor versus employee classification
Offer letters and employment agreements
Separation and severance agreements
Employee handbooks and workplace policies
Guidance when a difficult employee situation arises

When something goes wrong

I would rather prevent problems than fight them, but life happens, and you should not have to find a new lawyer when it does. I also handle demand letters, cease and desist letters (sending and responding), debt and collection disputes, insurance claim and coverage issues, and business disputes, including litigation when it becomes necessary.

Not sure where to start?

Most business owners are not certain what they need, and that is completely normal. My Risk Assessment reviews your contracts, your entity, and your brand, then gives you a written plan telling you what to fix first.

Or simply reach out and describe your situation in your own words. I will tell you honestly whether it is something I can help with, and if it is not, I will point you toward someone who can.

Book a Free Consultation

Attorney Tony N. Woolard is admitted to the Connecticut bar (Juris No. 442912) and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (Reg. No. 53,532). He is licensed to practice law in the State of Connecticut and is admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. State-law services, including contracts, leases, employment, formation, and disputes, are provided for Connecticut matters, including businesses formed elsewhere whose operations are based in Connecticut. Federal trademark, patent, and copyright services are available to clients nationwide.