Actually, you don't need to be a patent lawyer or have any other special qualifications to apply for and prosecute a patent on your own invention. The procedures and fees are documented at the USPTO web site. You have to pay the application and maintenance fees and you would need a lawyer to defend it in litigation.
An applicant for patent may file and prosecute his or her own case, or he or she may be represented by a registered attorney, registered agent, or other individual authorized to practice before the Patent and Trademark Office in patent cases.
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From the USPTO's MPEP, section 401: