A Career as a Patent Attorney
A patent attorney is an attorney who has the specialized qualifications necessary for representing clients in obtaining patents and acting in all matters and procedures relating to patent law and practice, such as filing an opposition. The term is used differently in different countries, and thus may or may not require the same legal qualifications as a general legal practitioner.
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The stress of deadlines is a big one. There are always deadlines and some of them are career fatal. Always having to justify your billing is another stress. Most pieces of work have a tight budget and you have to bill enough to cover your salary, the costs of running the firm and a little profit.
A day in the office for me might involve: assessing technology and advising on whether it is patentable. drafting and filing a patent application. going through the application process, eg responding to a patent examiner's report and arguing why the invention should be granted a patent.
Careers in patent law offer good -- that is, usually interesting and well remunerated -- job opportunities. Although becoming an attorney requires additional training, long-term career prospects are often much better than, say, those of becoming a faculty member at a research-intensive institution.
It is quite hard to become a patent attorney, but it's not impossible. You have to be someone who can sit down for long hours to study and prepare for your examinations.
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
Patent law grants protection for new inventions which can be products, processes or designs and provides a mechanism for protection of the invention. The patent law promotes the sharing of new developments with others to foster innovation.
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.
Key skills for patent attorneysMeticulous attention to detail.Independence.Ability to explain complex information clearly and concisely.Good communication skills.Sound scientific and technical knowledge.Good IT skills.Analytical skills.
Individuals who want to become a patent agent need to pass the patent bar exam. You do not need a law degree or legal training to take the patent bar: all you need is a bachelor's degree in science or engineering (for more information, click here and here).Jul 7, 2020
Despite being an open book exam, the patent bar exam is one of the toughest in the country, with less than 50% passing since 2013. Many students put in additional hours post-course of study but still feel like they're ill-prepared and nervous on exam day.Jun 1, 2021
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.
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