Under the "America Invents Act," the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) established a new pro bono program designed to assist financially under-resourced, independent inventors and small businesses. The program strives to match inventors with volunteer attorneys who donate their services to help file patent applications. The IP Venture Clinic at Case Western Reserve University School of Law was selected to administer the program throughout Ohio. Ohio's educational, legal and economic development communities are actively working together with the USPTO to build a network of pro bono support for inventors who otherwise cannot afford to protect their intellectual property.Through the network, firms and patent attorneys have the opportunity to commit time to help the local economy by providing pro bono legal services and increasing the commercial potential new innovation across the state. Armed with intellectual property assets, community inventors can connect with startup resources and investment.In order to make the process as streamlined as possible, the IP Venture Clinic at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, the Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association ("CIPLA") and the USPTO have worked together to develop screening and tracking systems to identify client readiness and ensure that volunteers are connected only with serious inventors.We maintain case continuity - attorneys do not have to work the case from start to finish.While we have received a strong response from the members of the patent bar at large, we need law firm leadership to support volunteer participation. Avenues of participation include brief advice clinics, mentoring junior attorneys and full pro bono representation.Participating attorneys and firms may earn up to 6 CLE credits in biennium and recognition through publicity generated from the IP Venture Clinic, USPTO and CIPLA.