Patent Attorney
What is the work like?
Patent attorneys or agents help their clients or employers secure and protect patents and other intellectual property rights. Patents are granted by the government to protect an inventor or company from their invention being copied by others for up to 20 years.
As a patent attorney, your work would involve:
- meeting inventors or manufacturers to find out the details of their invention
- searching existing patents to check that the invention is original
- advising about the chances of being granted a patent
- writing a detailed legal description of the invention (known as a patent draft)
- applying for patents to the UK Intellectual Property Office or European Patent Office
- answering questions from patent examiners
- advising clients whose patent rights may have been broken
- representing clients if a case comes to court
- advising on other intellectual property issues such as design, copyright and trade marks
- keeping up to date with intellectual property law.
Many patent attorneys are also qualified trade mark attorneys.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
To become a patent attorney you will need a strong scientific or technical background. In practice, this usually means you should have a degree in a scientific, engineering or technical subject. It may be an advantage to also have a postgraduate scientific or engineering qualification.
You may be accepted for patent attorney training without a scientific or engineering degree, if you have high-level technical work experience in industry, or if you are a qualified solicitor with experience of working in intellectual property rights. Contact the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) for advice.
You may make yourself more attractive to employers by taking a Postgraduate Certificate or LLM in Intellectual Property Law, which can count towards qualification as a patent attorney. Courses are available at:
- Bournemouth University Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management
- Brunel University, Middlesex
- Manchester University
- Nottingham Trent University
- Queen Mary University Intellectual Property Research Institute, London.
You will also find it useful to have a good reading knowledge of French and German, because clients often want European patents. However, you may not need formal qualifications in these languages.
What further training and development can I do?
Once you start as a technical assistant in a firm of patent attorneys, you will learn on the job and also study for professional exams from the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA).
Passing the CIPA exams will allow you to join the Register of Patent Agents. To qualify, you must pass five Foundation papers and three Advanced papers. You must also have at least two years’ experience working under the supervision of a qualified patent attorney whilst you study for your exams (although in practice many trainee patent attorneys take four or five years to qualify).
If you hold an LLM or Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law, you will be exempt from some or all of the foundation papers.
CIPA also offers a four-week intensive course in developing patent drafting skills. See the CIPA website for more information about qualification and membership.
Most patent attorneys also aim to qualify as European patent attorneys by working towards the European Qualifying Exam. To sit the exam, you need at least three years' experience under the supervision of a registered European patent attorney.
Where can I go for more information?
95 Chancery LaneLondon
WC2A 1DT
Tel: 020 7405 9450
Cardiff Road
Newport
South Wales
NP10 8QQ
Tel: 0845 9 500 505
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Trainees usually earn between £20,000 and £30,000 a year.
- Newly-qualified salaries are between £50,000 and £70,000, and can reach £100,000 after three to five years' experience.
- Partners in private practice can earn between £100,000 and £300,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
Your standard working hours would be 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with occasional overtime if necessary to meet deadlines.
You would be mainly office-based, but also travel to meet clients, attend court and visit the UK Intellectual Property Office. There may also be overseas travel to the European Patent Office in Munich.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- a scientific or technical background
- an understanding of intellectual property law
- excellent spoken and written communication skills
- the ability to explain complex technical information clearly
- good analytical skills
- the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- accuracy and attention to detail
- the ability to read French and German.
What opportunities are there?
You could work in private practice, advising clients on patent rights, or for a large manufacturer's in-house patent department. Competition for trainee places is strong.
Jobs may be advertised on the CIPA website, in scientific and technical trade journals, and by specialist recruitment agencies.
With experience, you could become an associate or partner in a private practice firm. In industry, you could move into management or research and development. You could also choose to become a patent examiner with the UK Intellectual Property Office or European Patent Office.
You may find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open new window):
CIPA Jobs
IP Jobs
New Scientist
Totally Legal
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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