"why become a patent attorney"

by Prof. Augustus Reinger IV 8 min read

The beauty of being a patent attorney is the fact that you get to learn of new innovations even before they hit the market. This is a privileged position to be in since it means you can be privy to information and ideas worth billions even without realizing it.

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What are the requirements to become a patent lawyer?

Jul 18, 2021 · 20 Reasons to Become a Patent Attorney Today. When you are considering your career options, whether you are considering a career path to follow in college or are looking to make a career change for growth, you will find that there are a lot of career options out there to consider as covered over at RunRex.com.One of the options you should consider is a career in …

What is the average salary of a patent lawyer?

There are several reasons why you should consider becoming a Patent Attorney. Wynne-Jones IP has put together a list of their top reasons why this is a career path worth pursuing.. Increasing job opportunities. It has been reported that over 142,000 jobs will be created in the UK within the science, research, engineering and technology sectors before 2023, according to the Social …

What is a patent attorney?

Reddie & Grose is recognised as a leading patent and trade mark firm. The firm has 23 partners, 44 qualified patent attorneys, 12 qualified trade mark attorneys and 30 assistants across offices in London, Cambridge and Munich. Our attorneys handle the full range of IP rights including patents, trade marks, and registered designs....

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Why have a career in patent law?

The Pros of Patent Law Working in patent law allows you to learn about different inventions across all fields of science and engineering, unlike in a laboratory or academic career where you become an expert in one subfield of science and devote most of your career to it.Jul 7, 2020

Is being a patent attorney interesting?

A lot of the job involves solving puzzles of one sort or another, which can require creative thinking and makes the job intellectually very stimulating. The variety of work, both in terms of clients and technology, makes being a patent attorney a particularly rewarding career.

Is patent law a good career?

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.

Is being a patent lawyer stressful?

The Career Stress may come in the form of long working hours, demanding clients, and tight deadlines, but that is true for any law firm. You may enjoy the job aspect where you interact with clients and their creative ideas, discussing their invention, and researching the likelihood of successfully attaining a patent.Jun 29, 2021

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 does a patent lawyer do day to day?

Responsibilities include consulting inventors to discuss their ideas, examining scientific documents, drafting and applying for patents, conducting litigations and defending or enforcing existing patents.

Do you need a Masters to be a patent attorney?

Yes. However, you do not need a law degree to become a patent attorney. ... The role of a patent attorney involves advising clients on those areas of law applicable to intellectual property.

What type of lawyer makes the most?

Types Of Lawyers That Make The Most MoneyMedical Lawyers – Average $138,431. Medical lawyers make one of the highest median wages in the legal field. ... Intellectual Property Attorneys – Average $128,913. ... Trial Attorneys – Average $97,158. ... Tax Attorneys – Average $101,204. ... Corporate Lawyers – $116,361.Dec 18, 2020

What is the difference between patent attorney and agent?

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.

Can patent lawyers travel?

These prosecution attorneys do minimal traveling. Rather, they have strict schedules because patent prosecution has very strict compliance for deadlines, so there is a need to be able to multitask within the given time constraints.

Are patent attorneys smart?

Patent attorneys are extremely intelligent. The ability to get advanced science and engineering degrees is something very few attorneys could do. The ability to get good grades in these disciplines is also something that is extremely difficult to do.

Does law school matter for patent law?

A patent attorney is someone who has a law degree, passed a state bar, and also passed the patent bar. To be sure, not everyone is allowed to take the patent bar. Roughly speaking, you need a degree from an accredited school in science or engineering.

What is a patent attorney?

A patent attorney is a member of a specialised legal profession qualified to write, obtain and advise clients about patents. A patent is a monopoly granted for a new scientific invention, relating to anything from computers and electronics to gene sequences.

How do I become a patent attorney?

To become a patent attorney you need to have a science or engineering degree, complete on-the-job training with a patent attorney for more than one year, and pass examinations in 9 prescribed subject groups.

Why become a patent attorney?

Patent attorneys at FPA Patent Attorneys are rewarded with a variety of intellectually stimulating work with a diverse group of clients. You will work with interesting and intelligent like-minded professionals and be well rewarded for your qualifications and experience.

FPA Patent Attorneys

FPA has a growing team of 10 Principals, with a team of 70 people, including 22 registered attorneys and 6 trainee attorneys.

What is a patent?

A patent is an exclusive right granted by the state allowing its owner to control commercial exploitation of an invention. The invention can relate to anything from computers and electronics to pharmaceuticals and gene sequences, provided that it is new and is not obvious.

What does a patent attorney do?

A patent attorney assists their client, or their employer, in obtaining a patent. This includes drafting the description of the invention and the claims, as well as communicating with the patent office to make the case for why a patent should be granted.

Anything else?

There is more to the job than just drafting patents and arguing with examiners. Patents are just one aspect of intellectual property; attorneys also need a good awareness of designs, trade marks and copyright.

What about other countries?

Patents are territorial – they only protect the invention in the country concerned. Many clients want their invention to be protected in many countries, and patent attorneys in the UK help with this.

What do you need to be a patent attorney?

A good science or engineering degree and broad-based interest in science and technology. Have you ever taken something apart to see how it works?

Why become a patent attorney?

Patent attorneys work in a unique space where law, commerce and technology all overlap. One of the really engaging aspects of the job is that you actively utilise both your scientific knowledge and your analytical reasoning every day.

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.

How much do patent attorneys make?

Patent attorneys typically earn more than $133K a year, while the median salary for careers in engineering does not pay anything comparable to that amount unless you are an experienced petroleum engineer. If so, you may earn that much, but with experience in that specific engineering field, you may clear well over the median salary ...

What is the job description of a patent agent?

Patent Agent Job Description: Typical Work Environment. As an engineer, your day-to-day activities probably include both working with your hands and on a computer. You may also attend meetings and communicate with members of your team or, at minimum, members of management.

How many questions are asked in the patent bar exam?

The Patent Bar Exam. The patent bar exam is a 100-question , six-hour, multiple-choice exam. It covers details from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (or MPEP), which outlines all aspects of patent law.

What does a patent agent do?

As a patent agent, you will not have much, if any, the opportunity to work with your hands. You will spend most of your day drafting patent applications and overcoming rejections to help your clients get their inventions patented.

How long does it take to get a patent bar?

The material is difficult, as are the exam questions. But if you compare even the six months of study typically necessary to pass the patent bar to the four years it takes to earn a college degree, it’s well worth it.

How many years of experience do you need to be a patent agent?

When you research patent agent job openings, you will notice that many hiring managers request that candidates have two years of experience in the patent field. However, since almost all employers in any field prefer candidates with experience, don’t let your lack of experience present a deterrent.

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What Does A Patent Attorney do?

  • A patent attorney assists their client, or their employer, in obtaining a patent. This includes drafting the description of the invention and the claims, as well as communicating with the patent office to make the case for why a patent should be granted. Drafting the description and the claims requires a technical background in order to properly understand the invention and clearly …
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Anything else?

  • There is more to the job than just drafting patents and arguing with examiners. Patents are just one aspect of intellectual property; attorneys also need a good awareness of designs, trade marks and copyright. Knowledge of these other forms of intellectual property is necessary for qualification and attorneys are expected to be able to advise on technical and commercial probl…
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What About Other Countries?

  • Patents are territorial – they only protect the invention in the country concerned. Many clients want their invention to be protected in many countries, and patent attorneys in the UK help with this. The vast majority of UK Chartered Patent Attorneys are also qualified (by a set of rigorous examinations) to represent clients before the European Patent Office(EPO), which has the powe…
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Why Become A Patent Attorney?

  • Patent attorneys work in a unique space where law, commerce and technology all overlap. One of the really engaging aspects of the job is that you actively utilise both your scientific knowledge and your analytical reasoning every day. A lot of the job involves solving puzzles of one sort or another, which can require creative thinking and makes the job intellectually very stimulating. Th…
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