Some time ago Anthony Cerminaro linked to this publication of the American Intellectual Property Association, written for U.S. laws, which:
is intended to assist the independent or novice inventor in protecting, evaluating and commercializing new ideas and inventions and “to help individuals profit from their ideas. It is not intended as a “do-it-yourself†book which will allow you to do without the services of a lawyer. However, it is intended to provide you with basic information which will help you to decide whether or not to go to a lawyer in the first place, and which will help you to understand what the lawyer says to you if you do consult with a specific lawyer who specializes in the practice of intellectual property law.
Update: Sander Gelsing has some observations about the publication, including on its relevance to the Canadian context.
