Solo engineer trying to file patent: Can I get useful legal help for ~$1-2k?

I'm looking for legal assistance at a cost of ~$1-2k to help me determine if the idea is patentable and to help write a patent.

Does anyone know if this amount of money could allow me to sit down with a professional in the field of technology IP and talk over the idea to determine which, if any, of the aspects are patentable and how to best approach writing the patent?

Any and all advice and perspectives are appreciated!

if you've formed a business entity around the patentable idea, a law firm may be willing to defer their compensation (if you pitch them).

but you only want to patent something if you think you can defend that patent in the future. otherwise it's an expensive paper trophy.

These are "patent attorneys" and "patent agents".

One becomes a patent agent by meeting certain background requirements in science or engineering defined by the Patent Office, and passing an exam on patent law and procedure given by the Patent Office.

One becomes a patent attorney by satisfying the requirements for a patent agent and by becoming an attorney.

Since a patent attorney is an attorney, they can give advice beyond just patentability and can do more than just deal with the patent office. They can draft contracts to license you invention. They can draft confidentiality agreements to make people sign that you hire to help develop you invention. Once the patent is issued, they can litigate for you against infringers.

This comes with a price. Patent attorneys will generally cost more than patent agents. At the stage you are at, it doesn't sound like you need anything done that requires an attorney. You just need patent advice and reprentation at the patent office. Thus, since you are on a budget [1], you should take a look at patent agents.

[1] People not on a budget should probably consider patent agents more, too. I think that a lot of people just assume that they need a patent attorney to get a patent drafted and filed.

I'm not a lawyer, but it's been my experience that if your invention combines A and B, and the examiner can find A and B in separate patents, then you're pretty much cooked. If you find both A and B in a single patent, then you'd better hope the patent is expired. If you find prior art, then your options are to give up or narrow your claims. That can be a gut wrenching, if you're already in the hole to a lawyer when you have to make this decision. At best, narrowing your claims still lets you protect the important elements of your invention.

If you find a "close" patent, then following its citations, and the patents that cite it, is a good way to chase down more possible prior art.

Now, I've found that it's touch and go whether the examiner will look outside the patent literature. As it gets easier and easier to search for anything that's been written about anything, fertile ground for finding prior art will of course expand. It could include the academic literature, so if you're a student, you might be able to get some (free) help from your friendly neighborhood reference librarian.