The Thornton Firm, LLC

The Thornton Firm, LLC We are a Las Vegas firm specializing in patent and intellectual property law. Scott D. Thornton is the firm’s founder and namesake.

Regional in nature and global in reach, The Thornton Firm offers a full range of intellectual property legal services for small businesses, inventors and entrepreneurs. Honoring over two hundred years of innovation in the United States, The Thornton Firm puts inventors first. He is a lifelong science enthusiast who enjoys learning and keeping himself current of recent advances and developments in

a wide variety of technological areas. His practice centers around patent and intellectual property law with his primary emphasis focusing on patent applications and prosecution. As a patent attorney and small business owner, he is dedicated to helping people secure the broadest intellectual property rights in their ideas and innovations.

Independent inventors are busy. Many work full-time jobs, run businesses, and raise families. They develop their invent...
08/24/2026

Independent inventors are busy. Many work full-time jobs, run businesses, and raise families. They develop their inventions whenever they can find the time.

Meeting with a patent attorney should not require losing hours to traffic, parking, and travel.

Virtual meetings make it easier to discuss an invention from home, an office, or even a workshop. Inventors can share drawings, CAD files, photographs, videos, and prototypes while co-inventors or other members of the development team join from different locations.

Like most people, I did not expect my professional life to change almost overnight in 2020. Before COVID, meeting with a client usually meant sitting together in an office or conference room. Then everything closed…

Developing a new invention takes time, creativity, and persistence. Unfortunately, many first-time inventors make avoida...
08/10/2026

Developing a new invention takes time, creativity, and persistence. Unfortunately, many first-time inventors make avoidable mistakes that can delay the patent process or even jeopardize valuable rights.

Understanding those pitfalls early can save both time and money.

If you're working on a new invention, this guide explores 10 of the biggest mistakes first-time inventors make—and how to avoid them.

Every successful invention begins with an idea, but turning that idea into a valuable asset requires more than creativity. Independent inventors often invest significant amounts of time, money, and effort into developing something new, only…

Independent inventors should keep clear records from the beginning. Sketches, prototype notes, test results, failed atte...
07/26/2026

Independent inventors should keep clear records from the beginning. Sketches, prototype notes, test results, failed attempts, and design changes can all help explain how an invention developed and why it matters.

An inventor’s notebook will not replace a patent application, but good records can help support stronger patent drafting and may become useful when responding to USPTO rejections.

If you are working on an invention, write it down, date it, preserve it, and keep your records organized.

Inventors often think about patents in terms of ideas. They imagine the product, the device, the system, the software, or the improvement they want to protect. Patent law, though, does not reward vague ideas. It…

Not every valuable invention needs to be patented.Trade secrets can protect formulas, processes, software, business meth...
07/13/2026

Not every valuable invention needs to be patented.

Trade secrets can protect formulas, processes, software, business methods, and other confidential information that provides a competitive advantage.

Learn what trade secrets are, how the Defend Trade Secrets Act protects them, and how patents, trademarks, and trade secrets can work together.

Every successful business possesses information that provides a competitive advantage. Sometimes that advantage comes from a patent. Sometimes it comes from a recognizable trademark. In many cases, however, the most valuable asset never appears in…

Trademark classes can be confusing, especially for inventors and entrepreneurs filing a trademark application for the fi...
06/29/2026

Trademark classes can be confusing, especially for inventors and entrepreneurs filing a trademark application for the first time.

Classes help identify the goods or services connected to a brand. But choosing the right class is only part of the process. A strong trademark, a good search, and a clear filing strategy all matter.

Many entrepreneurs focus on the trademark they want to protect. They spend time choosing a business name, product name, logo, or slogan. Then they discover that every trademark application requires them to identify specific goods…

Many inventors improve products, tools, systems, or technologies that already exist.That can still be patentable. The ke...
06/14/2026

Many inventors improve products, tools, systems, or technologies that already exist.

That can still be patentable. The key question is whether the improvement is new, useful, and nonobvious.

This article explains how improvement patents work and why inventors should not assume an existing product automatically ends the patent discussion.

Many independent inventors believe an invention must be completely different from anything that came before it in order to qualify for patent protection. That is not how the patent system works. Many patents protect improvements…

Many inventors believe they can patent an idea. In reality, patent law generally requires more than an idea alone.Unders...
06/01/2026

Many inventors believe they can patent an idea. In reality, patent law generally requires more than an idea alone.

Understanding the difference between an idea and a patentable invention is one of the first steps in the patent process.

One of the most common questions inventors ask is whether they can patent an idea. The answer is usually no. Every invention starts with an idea, but the patent system protects inventions, not ideas. That…

A trademark does not have to be identical to create legal problems at the USPTO.Under the Lanham Act, the USPTO may refu...
05/18/2026

A trademark does not have to be identical to create legal problems at the USPTO.

Under the Lanham Act, the USPTO may refuse registration when a proposed trademark is likely to cause confusion with an existing trademark. Trademark examining attorneys evaluate issues such as similarity of the marks, related goods or services, trade channels, and overall commercial impression.

For independent inventors and small businesses, a proper trademark search early in the process can help avoid costly branding disputes and trademark application refusals later.

For businesses in Las Vegas, branding matters. Your trademark identifies your business, distinguishes your goods or services from competitors, and helps consumers recognize your brand in a crowded marketplace. Protecting your brand with a federal…

Patent claims often sound awkward and repetitive. That’s intentional.They are not written for style. They are written to...
05/04/2026

Patent claims often sound awkward and repetitive. That’s intentional.

They are not written for style. They are written to define ownership.

Think of your patent like a mining property. The invention is the property, and the claims are the fence.

Independent and dependent claims work together to create layers of protection. The specification must support those claims through written description and enablement.

Strong claims take time to draft, but they determine whether a patent actually protects anything.

If you have ever read a patent, you probably noticed that claims came across as awkward, repetitive, and unnatural. Words repeat. Sentences run long. The structure feels rigid. Your high school English teacher would probably…

The Department of Justice has taken a significant step by reclassifying certain state-licensed medical cannabis products...
04/23/2026

The Department of Justice has taken a significant step by reclassifying certain state-licensed medical cannabis products to Schedule III. This marks the first meaningful federal shift in how cannabis is treated under the Controlled Substances Act.

However, the change is limited. Most cannabis products, including those commonly sold in state markets, remain federally illegal. As a result, federal trademark protection for cannabis goods will likely remain unavailable.

On December 18, 2025, President Trump ordered that cannabis will be rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. Today, the federal government has finally taken action on cannabis rescheduling. After…

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5940 Rainbow Boulevard Suite 1192
Las Vegas, NV
89118

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
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