In light of malpractice risk and increasing workload, it is vital for practitioners to work effectively and efficiently. This manual provides a tool for promoting the quality of application conduct by enhancing mindfulness of the practitioner to procedural options available at any given point during the application protocol. It will aid the practitioner in anticipating the Patent Office's actions, as well as elevate the practitioner's awareness of options available in prosecuting an application.Table of Contents:Part One: Domestic Filing PracticeIntroduction - Patents: The Weak and the StrongSources of Domestic Patent LawPre-Filing Activities & ConsiderationsFilingPost-FilingPost-GrantPart Two: Foreign Filing PracticeIntroduction: Patent WorldSources of International Patent Law and RegulationsPrincipal International IP AccordsPre-Application Activities and ConsiderationsApplication/ProsecutionForeign Filing StrategiesPart Three: International Biotechnology Patent Applications Introduction: Patents for LifeDomestic Biotechnology Patent ApplicationsInternational Biotechnology Patent ApplicationIndexesAppendix