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[newLAatty]

I'm relatively new to patent prosecution and want to learn how to build my own book of business.  How do patent attorneys get new clients?  I appreciate ANY input.

[Robert K S]

Good question.  I don't have any specific answers but depending on your level of enthusiasm you might try any ethical means not disallowed by the regs (37 C.F.R. § 10.31, § 10.32, § 10.33).  By my admittedly novice interpretation this includes:

* By "word": Talking about your practice every chance you get (carries the risk of making you bore in social settings and get you ostracized from parties)
* By "circular": in 21st century parlance, start a patent law blog (some of our members here have their own and maybe they can pipe in with respect as to whether their blogs successfully generate new business or only help make the competition better)
* By "letter": find some companies you would like to do business with, and send them a letter describing your experience, qualifications, and the service you offer, along with your general philosophies on seeking patent protection and what you see as the unique challenges in the field and why you are better-equipped to handle them than others
* By "advertising" in "public media": taking out an ad in a telephone directory, a legal directory, a newspaper, or other periodical, radio, or television, on the internet, starting your own Facebook group, etc., always making sure to include your name on any ad
* By proper "direct contact": cold-calling or setting up meetings, see "by letter" above
* By referral: you're buddy's a non-patent attorney, so she or he refers on all of his or her clients who want patent work done on to you

...keeping in mind with any of the above options that it would be a bad idea indeed to:
* defraud in any manner,
* deceive,
* mislead,
* threaten,
* exert undue influence,
* intimidate, or
* overreach through any of the above methods,
* name-drop a Congressional representative,
* offer TM services or any other non-patent legal services if you're only an agent,
* accept money or share fees for referrals except from non-profit referral services.

It really seems to me that none of the above methods would actually be very effective, though.  They would probably only ever attract the crackpots and crazies coming to you with their hardshell fruit containers and whatnot demanding patents on their inventions, then shooting up your office when you show them the prior art that renders their ideas unpatentable.

Getting good clients is more about networking, forging good relationships with people, and building a reputation through years of struggle accompanied by luck that results in outcomes that are so outstanding as to attract notice.

If you don't want to do all of that, maybe you just want to seek a position in-house where there's a never-ending supply of work.

[bleedingpen]

Clients come from two major sources:

other attorneys
and your own clients. 

Rub elbow with other attorneys (business attorneys) and that will get things started.

[bleedingpen]

* By "letter": find some companies you would like to do business with, and send them a letter describing your experience, qualifications, and the service you offer, along with your general philosophies on seeking patent protection and what you see as the unique challenges in the field and why you are better-equipped to handle them than others

Be careful with this.  My bar requires a notice on the outside of the envelope and on the letter that displays "Legal Advertisement" or something to that effect. 

Also, fwiw, I tried this one for a very small sample of recently formed LLCs that had names that would make me expect them to be needy of IP counsel.  Unfortunately, I did not receive a single response to those letters. 

[UVAgal4]

In France, it is against the law to do any sort of advertizing for legal services - no ads in the phone book, commercials on tv, etc.
The best way here is to join professional associations (like IEEE) go to their meetings, etc. Which is also good in that it keeps you up-to-date as far as the technology is concerned as well. Then, during the cocktail hour, discuss with others and hand out your card.

[guysmiley]

All of the clients I have obtained so far have been through former coworkers and personal relationships.  Make sure you tell everyone you meet what you are doing, you never know when someone might need something.