John Laurence's path to IP law is unusual and directly relevant to the quality of his legal work. He began his career as an engineer in the broadcast and post-production industries, where he designed, installed, and maintained complex systems — including video production and distribution systems, control and routing systems, post-production and special effects systems, and storage and database systems. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from New York University Tandon School of Engineering before going on to earn his J.D. from New York Law School and his LLM in Intellectual Property and Technology Law from Fordham University Law School. This blend of hands-on technical industry experience and specialized legal training is the foundation of TCP Law's approach to every client matter.

USPTO Patent Bar registration — also called being a registered patent practitioner — is a separate federal credential from a state bar admission, and it is legally required to prosecute patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office on behalf of clients. To qualify, a candidate must pass the USPTO's Patent Bar examination and demonstrate a qualifying scientific or technical background, such as a degree in engineering or a related field. John Laurence satisfies this requirement through his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from NYU Tandon and is fully registered with the USPTO. This means that when TCP Law handles your patent application, it is being drafted, filed, and argued before the USPTO by a credentialed patent practitioner — not merely a general practice attorney who handles patents on the side.

TCP Law has developed and managed patent portfolios across a notably broad range of technologies, reflecting John Laurence's engineering background and years of practice. These include mechanical, electrical, and medical devices; communication and cellular systems; semiconductor manufacturing systems; business payment systems; machine learning and artificial intelligence systems; and internet-based technologies. This breadth means that whether your invention involves hardware, software, a medical application, or an AI-driven process, TCP Law has substantive experience navigating the specific technical and legal challenges that arise in your field. Attorney Laurence also has experience filing Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications for international protection and Hague System applications for industrial designs.

Yes — TCP Law's trademark practice extends well beyond basic USPTO filings. Attorney Laurence has filed, prosecuted, and enforced trademarks for many brands covering a wide range of goods and services. His practice includes managing international trademark registrations under the Madrid System (the international treaty framework that allows a single application to seek protection in over 100 member countries), as well as handling oppositions and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) — the USPTO's internal tribunal for disputed trademark matters. For businesses with global brand exposure or those facing challenges to their existing registrations, this depth of trademark experience is directly relevant.

TCP Law's stated primary professional goal is safeguarding and enforcing clients' intellectual property rights. In practice, this means the firm focuses on two things: helping clients identify which IP rights actually serve their needs and future goals, and then devising feasible, realistic strategies for obtaining and enforcing those rights — always with the client's specific circumstances in mind. This is a notably practical orientation: rather than recommending maximum protection regardless of cost or strategy, the firm works to align its approach with what genuinely makes sense for each client. TCP Law offers free introductory consultations specifically so that prospective clients can explore their situation and goals before committing to any engagement.

TCP Law's billing practices are designed to be both transparent and flexible — and notably, the firm does not bill for phone conferences or non-substantive emails. This is a meaningful departure from how many law firms operate, and it reflects the firm's stated goal of unity of interest with clients. Depending on the nature of the engagement, TCP Law may offer hourly billing at a reasonable rate, flat rate billing for matters where the scope of services is predictable, or a capped fee structure when it is initially unclear which services will best serve a client's needs. In all cases, the firm's commitment is to full billing transparency — clients are kept fully aware of what they are paying for and the value they are receiving.

Yes. In addition to preparing and filing patent applications, John Laurence has experience practicing before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) — the USPTO's adjudicative body that handles appeals of patent examination decisions and inter partes review proceedings (challenges to the validity of already-granted patents). This means TCP Law can assist clients not only in securing patent protection through prosecution, but also in defending granted patents against validity challenges, appealing adverse examination decisions, and navigating the more complex post-grant proceedings that arise when competitors challenge your IP. Having an attorney who has worked across the full lifecycle of patent protection — from application through enforcement and dispute — is a meaningful advantage.

Before practicing law, John Laurence worked as an engineer in the broadcast and post-production industries — not as a student, but as a working professional designing and maintaining complex technical systems in a demanding commercial environment. This real-world engineering experience means he understands how systems actually function in practice, not just in theory, which is directly relevant to drafting patent claims (the precise legal language that defines the boundaries of your protection) that are technically accurate, commercially meaningful, and legally defensible. For inventors working in media technology, communications, software, or complex systems, having an attorney who has operated in a technical industry — rather than merely studied it — is a substantive advantage in patent prosecution.

TCP Law is explicitly oriented toward strategic IP portfolio development, not just transactional filings. The firm has contributed to monetizing intellectual property rights for clients globally and has experience conducting patentability and trademark searches specifically to develop IP portfolios strategically. This means attorney Laurence approaches each matter with an eye toward how individual IP assets — patents, trademarks, copyrights — fit together to create durable, enforceable, and commercially valuable protection over time. For businesses and inventors who are building a body of technology or a growing brand, this portfolio-level perspective is particularly valuable and distinguishes TCP Law from firms that simply process applications without broader strategic context.

Yes — the size of a law firm has little bearing on the quality of IP representation, and in many respects a focused solo boutique practice offers meaningful advantages. At TCP Law, every client matter is handled directly by John Laurence — an attorney with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, a J.D., an LLM in IP and Technology Law, USPTO Patent Bar registration, and years of hands-on experience in both technical and legal fields. In large firms, clients often pay senior partner rates but receive the majority of their day-to-day service from junior associates; at TCP Law, the attorney whose credentials you are evaluating is the attorney who works on your file. For businesses, inventors, and creators whose IP assets represent real commercial value, direct access to a seasoned, credentialed specialist is what actually matters — not the number of attorneys on the firm's website.