Law firm to cut rates to help strapped clients

A Cobb County law firm, vowing to help recession-stricken clients, promised this week to lower rates beginning in January.

Gardner Groff Greenwald & Villanueva will reduce its flat-fee payment up to 12 percent compared to 2008 rates, according to Art Gardner, one of the firm’s founders. The patent and trademark law firm’s 2009 hourly rates will not increase over 2008 rates, he added.

“The changes we are making were designed after consulting with our clients,” Gardner said in a press release. “We understand the challenges they’re facing.”

Lower rates may prompt clients to file more patent applications, Garnder said, “which could be the difference between moving forward with profitable innovations or stagnating.”

Gardner Groff, founded in 1995, specializes in intellectual property law.