how to become a patent lawyer with phd

by Ted Bernhard 4 min read

No, a PhD is not generally required to become a patent attorney. How do you become a Chartered Patent Attorney? The training to become a patent attorney occurs largely on-the-job. This generally involves working for one or more fully qualified patent attorneys, and preparing for and sitting a series of examinations.

As a PhD in a STEM field, you can seek a non-lawyer position first, such as Scientific Advisor, to see how you like the work. You may also be eligible to take the US Patent Office Registration Exam and become a Patent Agent, representing clients seeking to obtain patents.

Full Answer

What is the starting salary for a patent attorney?

Oct 20, 2021 · Prospective patent lawyers typically earn either a 4-year degree in a field of science like chemistry, biology or physics or a technical degree in electrical, civil, mechanical or biomedical engineering. Patent lawyers are required to complete a law program from an accredited law school and pass a state bar exam.

What are the requirements to become a patent lawyer?

Aug 19, 2019 · Steps to Become a Patent Attorney. Be a United States Citizen or Legally Reside in the United States. Complete a Bachelors Degree in one of the following fields: Prepare for, enroll in, and pass the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) Complete your law degree from an ABA accredited law school. Have ...

How to select and hire a patent attorney?

Nov 05, 2010 · Law students intending to practice patent law might choose a degree program, or add a certificate program, that includes courses in intellectual property, trade secrets, patents and trademarks. Success Tip. Take the patent bar exam. All individuals intending to appear before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office must pass the patent bar exam.

Can you get a patent without a lawyer?

In the US, if you want to become a Patent Attorney, then you need to go to law school and get a JD (3 years) and pass the USPTO Bar exam. If you want to become a Patent Agent, then you simply need to take and pass the USPTO patent-bar exam.

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How do I become a patent agent after PhD?

Although obtaining a law degree is not essential after your PhD, it is recommended, and all patent agents must pass rigorous qualifying exams. Further down the road, training in patent law offers opportunities for in-house work in biotech companies, business development, and mergers and acquisitions.

Is a patent lawyer worth it?

The pros of not hiring a patent attorney are that you eliminate an expense. But, in most cases, any cost of a patent search whether you do it yourself or hire a patent attorney is worth the fees.Aug 6, 2019

Are patent agents happy?

People in patent law seem (on average) to be about as happy as people in any other field. Based on my observations of friends and colleagues, agents seem to be somewhat happier than attorneys. Prosecutors seem to be happier than litigators. In-house people seem to be happier than people in law firms.Nov 12, 2009

How expensive is a patent?

A patent attorney will usually charge between $8,000 and $10,000 for a patent application, but the cost can be higher. In most cases, you should budget between $15,000 and $20,000 to complete the patenting process for your invention.

Is being a patent attorney 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

Are patent agents in demand?

Patent agents are in high demand as individuals and corporations continue to formulate new ideas and inventions. In an increasingly technology-based society, there's an influx of inventions and the need to secure them as one's intellectual property. Patent agents' opportunities for career advancement are good, as well.

Why should I go into 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

How do you practice patent law?

IV. In order to practice patent law before the USPTO, you must become a registered patent agent. In order to become a registered patent agent, you must take and pass the patent bar examination (officially, the Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases Before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office).

How to become a patent attorney?

To become a patent attorney, the USPTO requires applicants to have a degree or background in science or engineering, as well as a law degree from an accredited law school in the United States. The individual must then pass the patent bar exam.

What education do I need to become a patent attorney?

Required Education and Background to Become a Patent Attorney. According to the USPTO, to become a patent attorney an individual is required to have a degree in science or engineering , however, there is an exception to this rule. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than the subjects we covered, ...

What is the USPTO requirement?

The USPTO also requires those seeking to register with the USPTO to have good moral standing. That is, an individual must not have engaged in dishonest behavior or convicted of a crime that requires dishonesty, such as a conviction for fraud.

How many questions are asked in the USPTO exam?

To pass the exam, an individual must answer 70% of the questions correctly or 63 out of the 90 questions correctly.

What is the background of a patent attorney?

Typically, patent attorneys have a strong background in the fields of science and engineering.

How much does a patent attorney make?

How Much Money Does a Patent Attorney Make? According to PayScale, the average starting pay for a patent attorney is $138,054. On the lower end of the pay scale, attorneys make $82,000 and at the high end of the pay scale, patent attorneys make up to $204,000 per year.

Can I become a patent lawyer without a degree?

Yes, you can become a patent lawyer without having a science degree, but you are required to complete certain coursework in the science field. You can see a more complete list of the coursework you need earlier in this post. That said, to avoid having to complete extra coursework, it’s advisable that you obtain a science or engineering degree, ...

What is patent attorney?

It’s not all about the science and technical stuff; patent attorneys are part of the legal industry and are specialists in intellectual property law. Thus, a passion and aptitude for law is pretty crucial.

What are the qualities of a patent attorney?

4. Commercial awareness. 5. Aptitude for language. There’s no patent for the perfect patent attorney (yes, it would never be approved), but there are certain qualities that most patent attorneys have: 1. An undergraduate degree in a hard science or engineering subject.

Patently waiting

Once qualified, Padget says ‘the surprising thing was just how varied the job is.’ As well as drafting patent applications, it involves what is called ‘prosecution’, the process of defending your application to patent offices around the world; ‘it’s pretty rare that applications fly through, there is usually something that you have to fix before a patent is granted.’ It is here that you need a confident grasp of your subject and be able to argue why your particular invention differs from others in the literature..

Going it alone

The wide range of experience came in handy when Padget decided to start-up her own practice this summer, when AstraZeneca moved from its Cheshire base. In partnership with another patent attorney, she set up Alembia Intellectual Property.

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What It Is

Starting Points

  • You don’t have to go to law school necessarily to have a rewarding career in patent law. As a PhD in a STEM field, you can seek a non-lawyer position first, such as Scientific Advisor, to see how you like the work. You may also be eligible to take the US Patent Office Registration Exam and become a Patent Agent, representing clients seeking to obta...
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Advancement

  • Though one can be very happy for a long time in a non-lawyer role (particularly as a Patent Agent), many advancement opportunities are only available to attorneys. You can work in any size law firm that suits you, as long as it has an intellectual property practice, and if very enterprising you can start your own practice. You can also work in-house with innovative companies of various si…
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Disciplines

  • Most STEM disciplines can enter this career (except for Math), and your scientific knowledge will be a greater advantage here than it will be in many non-academic professions.
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Personality and Outlook

  • Ability to tolerate fast-paced, high-pressure environments is essential for anyone working in a law firm. You should be extremely comfortable with the commercialization and administration of science and technology, and a tireless, eagle-eyed reader of long, detailed documents containing both technical and legal jargon.
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Preparation

  • Take classes in intellectual property, technology commercialization, and the economics of science. Read up on contemporary intellectual property law and interesting case studies. Ask your PI to introduce you to any patent lawyers s/he knows, or to anyone in your university’s technology transfer office, who might be able to make such an introduction so that you can conduct inform…
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