what is the difference between a patent agent and attorney

by Rex Hane V 7 min read

A patent attorney has attended law school and taken and passed an examination for registration to practice law in that state. A patent agent is not a lawyer and cannot provide any legal advice, including advice on patent licensing or patent infringement.

What are the disadvantages of being a patent attorney?

Oct 21, 2018 · In one sentence: The difference between patent attorneys and patent agents is that patent attorneys (who are also patent agents) are licensed lawyers and can practice in court and give advice in all business related legal matters, while patent agents have only passed the Patent Bar Exam and are registered to practice by the USPTO.

What are the requirements to become a patent agent?

The difference between patent attorneys and patent agents lies in their capacity to practice law. A patent attorney has attended law school and taken and passed an examination for registration to practice law in that state. A patent agent is not a lawyer and cannot provide any legal advice, including advice on patent licensing or patent infringement.

What is the average salary of a patent lawyer?

Nov 09, 2020 · Patent attorneys and agents are similar in a lot of different ways. Both of these professionals can prepare, execute, file patent applications with the USPTO. The main difference between these two individuals is the larger capacity for them to be able to practice law. Patent agents are not lawyers, and thus they cannot give any legal advice.

What exactly does a patent lawyer do?

The simple answer is that both patent attorneys and patent agents can practice before the U.S. Patent Office. This means that both patent attorneys and patent agents can prepare and file patent applications and responses with the U.S. Patent Office (commonly called “patent prosecution”). Patent agents cannot handle any legal matters or offer legal advice.

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What does a patent agent do?

But, like Patent Attorneys, Patent Agents work with inventors, researchers, and attorneys to evaluate invention technology, assess patentability, draft patent applications, and analyze and respond to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Actions.

Can a lawyer be a patent agent?

By the 2005 Amendment, the advocates were disqualified to be the patent agents. In the light of the above judgment given by the Court, all advocates having a science degree can file patent applications for their clients and they do not have to register themselves as patent agent with the patent office.May 7, 2013

How do you become a patent agent vs a patent attorney?

A patent agent is someone who has passed the Patent Bar through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). A patent attorney is a person who has gone to and graduated from law school. This person has passed the State Bar exam as well as the USPTO exam.

Is a patent attorney a lawyer?

Is a patent attorney a type of lawyer? Yes. However, you do not need a law degree to become a patent attorney. Patent attorneys are a specialist type of lawyer monitored by their own regulator, IPReg.

Does a patent agent need a law degree?

In order to become a patent agent, a degree in law is not required. A degree in science, engineering or technology is a must. An individual with a degree in law does not automatically qualify as a patent agent unless he meets the above requirements.Aug 25, 2016

How do you become a patent attorney?

Here are six steps to become a patent attorney:Earn a science or engineering degree. ... Take the LSAT. ... Attend law school. ... Pass the state bar exam. ... Pass patent bar and register with USPTO. ... Consider additional specialized education.Jul 23, 2021

How much is a patent agent?

If you plan to hire a patent attorney, you can expect to pay a minimum of $2,000 just for their time alone. Filing a provisional patent application will cost $130 for small entities such as independent inventors and small businesses.

Can a patent agent file a patent?

Can file a patent with the USPTO? Yes, all patent agents, by definition have passed the patent bar exam and are authorized to file your invention with the USPTO.Oct 21, 2018

How many patent agents are in the US?

How Many Patent Agents Are There in the United States? According to the USPTO and statistics relating to the agency, the office has 42,503 agents that are active and registered practitioners. There are over 30,000 patent attorneys and over 10,000 patent agents.

Do you need a PhD to become a patent attorney?

You don't have to be a genius, but academic qualifications are valued. You may have to get your head round some extremely complex and technical patents in your working life. Around 60% of patent attorney trainees have a postgraduate qualification and around half of these have a PhD.Jul 11, 2017

What is the highest paid lawyer?

Highest paid lawyers: salary by practice areaPatent attorney: $180,000.Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.Trial attorneys: $134,000.Tax attorney (tax law): $122,000.Corporate lawyer: $115,000.Employment lawyer: $87,000.Real Estate attorney: $86,000.Divorce attorney: $84,000.More items...•Dec 14, 2021

What is a patent lawyer called?

Key Takeaways. Patent attorneys are lawyers who have passed the United States Patent and Trademark Office patent agent registration examination and have expertise in patent law.

Patent Agent vs Patent Attorney

The table above shows a quick summary of a patent agent vs a patent attorney. As you can see, both agents and attorneys can handle all matters related to writing and filing a patent. In most routine patent matters it should not make a difference if you hire a patent agent or patent attorney.

So who is better, a patent agent vs patent attorney?

Since we have already learned that both patent agents and patent attorneys can write and file patents for you, how do you choose? It is very hard for the average person to know who is a good patent agent and a good patent attorney.

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Who is John Ferrell?

John Ferrell is a founding partner of Carr & Ferrell LLP, one of Silicon Valley's foremost technology law firms, and specializes in patent and intellectual property law matters. He is the Chair of the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group.

What is the difference between a patent attorney and a patent agent?

The difference between patent attorneys and patent agents lies in their capacity to practice law. A patent attorney has attended law school and taken and passed an examination for registration to practice law in that state. A patent agent is not a lawyer and cannot provide any legal advice, including advice on patent licensing or patent ...

Is a patent agent a lawyer?

A patent agent is not a lawyer and cannot provide any legal advice, including advice on patent licensing or patent infringement. Only lawyers can draft contracts or non-disclosure agreements or represent you in any legal proceedings involving state or Federal court.

How to choose a patent attorney?

Without specialized knowledge, it's hard to tell who will be a good patent agent or attorney. However, here are a few tips to help you choose: 1 Find out how long the patent agent or attorney has been practicing, so you can see how much experience they have with patents. 2 Ask them about their background; it's helpful if they specialize in your invention's industry or field. 3 Make sure they are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 4 See if they have any certifications, and find out where they received training. 5 Look for referrals and reviews. 6 Check references, including a list of patent applications they have written in the past. 7 Ask for their price, which may be a fixed-fee quote for the job you need them to do. Armed with this information, you can make an educated decision on which agent or attorney to hire. 8 See how well they communicate with you and whether or not you can have a comfortable working relationship. This may be the most important consideration of all.

What is a patent agent?

Patent agents are people who have a great deal more education in terms of technical subjects and they likely possess a greater background in either science of engineering.

How long does it take to become a patent agent?

For most patent agents, it takes several years of training minimally to operate at an optimal level of competency. Make sure to speak to agents and ask about their experience before working with them. Ask questions about education, training after college, and practice.

Can a patent agent give legal advice?

Patent agents are not lawyers, and thus they cannot give any legal advice. Specifically, they cannot give legal advice when it comes to licenses and possible infringements on already licensed patents. Attorneys are the only people who can draft contracts and other documents like non-disclosure agreements.

What is the difference between a patent attorney and a patent agent?

In many cases, a patent attorney can be considered for all legal matters involving patents, trademarks, infringements, and other legal matters, while a patent agent can only assist with patent applications and filings.

Can a patent agent work for an attorney?

After reading about the comparison between patent agents and attorneys, perhaps you're considering this as a career choice. Patent agents have many opportunities. They may work in an attorney's office, or find employment at major corporations in their legal department. They can also work as independent patent agents or even work for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner.

What is the difference between a patent attorney and a patent agent?

Differences between Registered Patent Attorneys and Registered Patent Agents 1 Only Registered Patent Attorneys have attended law school and hold an additional Law Degree which provides them with an edge in the Techno-legal process of Patents. 2 Only Registered Patent Attorneys can send Legal Notices if there is a potential infringement of your patent. 3 Only Registered Patent Attorneys can appear in Court of Law in case of Infringement. 4 It is preferable to work with a Registered Patent Attorney, if you need any legal advice for Infringement, Licensing or Commercialization of your Patent and related Agreements

What is the aim of a patent?

As the aim of the patent is to stop third parties from infringement of your invention whereas bad patents fail miserably at that. Only Registered Patent Attorneys have attended law school and hold an additional Law Degree which provides them with an edge in the Techno-legal process of Patents.

Who is a Patent Agent?

A patent agent is certified professional who is licensed by the Indian patent office to advise the inventors as well as patent applicants with their patent applications. They also help in the preparation and filing of the patent application.

Who is a Patent Attorney?

Unlike, patent agents, the term ' Patent Attorney ' is not defined in the Patent Act. A patent attorney is any person who is permitted to deal with patent litigation as they hold a law degree and are entitled to practice before the Indian Court.

Statutory Provisions Regarding Patent Agent

A patent agent has been defined in Indian Patent act under provision 127 of the Indian Patent Act,1970.

What is a patent?

It is basically a lawful protection accorded to an inventor on their work, acknowledging them as the owner and ensuring that only they have the right to manipulate and distribute it as they see fit.

What distinguishes the two professionals?

The two are almost the same except for their qualifications which in turn affects the extent of their jurisdiction. A patent agent is an expert who has a technical degree hence scientific knowledge in areas such as technology and engineering and has also passed the Patent Bar Examination.

How do you choose the right one?

While it is evident that the attorney is more knowledgeable than the agent on matters of law, it does not make them the best to handle all situations. For instance, the latter charges less fee than the former hence is a good choice when you are on a low budget.

Conclusion

Both an attorney and an agent can help you get a patent for your invention. The difference is that the latter can only draft and file your application but cannot represent you in legal proceedings. The former on the other hand has a vast knowledge of the law hence can advise you accordingly and help you with other legalities.

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What Is The Difference Between A Patent Attorney and A Patent Agent?

  • To protect and commercialize an invention, the inventor must get a patent for it in India (or abroad as well). To do so, one must traverse the complex path of patent filingand patent examination before attaining the promised land: a patent registration or grant. An inventor may choose to do so himself as no one is better acquainted with the invention than him. However, patents are inter…
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Registered Patent Attorney Or Registered Patent Agent

  • Generally, both the terms Registered Patent Attorney and Registered Patent Agent are used interchangeably. However, there are significant differences between a Registered Patent Attorney and a Registered Patent Agent. Although Registered Patent Agent can perform most of the basic functions related to patents, the legal exposure of the Registered Patent Attorney provides him …
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Similarities Between Registered Patent Attorneys and Registered Patent Agents

  1. Technical Degree such as B.Sc., B.Tech., M.Tech. etc
  2. Qualified the Patent Agent Examination. You should note that their names must be in the list of Registered Patent Agents published on the Indian Patent Office Website.
  3. Provide advice related to Patentability of the Invention.
  4. Draft & File Patent Applications.
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Differences Between Registered Patent Attorneys and Registered Patent Agents

  • Based on the above similarities you may think that the registered patent agent can perform all services required for filing a patent and patent registrationor patent grant. However, the difference lies in how they achieve patent registration or grant of a patent. We do not say or claim that Registered Patent Agents cannot get a grant of a good patent, but it is the legal exposure of the …
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What Is A Patent?

  • It is basically a lawful protection accorded to an inventor on their work, acknowledging them as the owner and ensuring that only they have the right to manipulate and distribute it as they see fit. It thus protects them from people who would like to benefit from their invention unlawfully. The document has to be drafted carefully in accordance with both the law and the inventor’s needs. …
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What Distinguishes The Two Professionals?

  • The two are almost the same except for their qualifications which in turn affects the extent of their jurisdiction. A patent agent is an expert who has a technical degree hence scientific knowledge in areas such as technology and engineering and has also passed the Patent Bar Examination. Therefore, they can file applications and advise clients on the relevant issues exclu…
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How Do You Choose The Right One?

  • While it is evident that the attorney is more knowledgeable than the agent on matters of law, it does not make them the best to handle all situations. For instance, the latter charges less fee than the former hence is a good choice when you are on a low budget. Their work is mainly to draft the application and file it with the office. Sometimes this might be all you require. Other times, the pr…
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Conclusion

  • Both an attorney and an agent can help you get a patent for your invention. The difference is that the latter can only draft and file your application but cannot represent you in legal proceedings. The former on the other hand has a vast knowledge of the law hence can advise you accordingly and help you with other legalities. For this reason, the attorney will charge you higher than the ag…
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