How competitive is patent law?

Patent work is a specialist, niche market with relatively few vacancies compared to other areas of law so it is competitive. However, there is increasing demand for new trainee patent attorneys in particular, as nearly half of registered patent agents are over 50 and the CIPA has articulated concern about the potential ‘brain drain’ as they reach retirement age. The UK Intellectual Property Office regularly recruits a number of patent examiner trainees per year. But positions remain highly sought after, so you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd.

Any knowledge or experience of intellectual property law will be helpful, and it pays to emphasise any skills you possess that other candidates are unlikely to have. Patent agents and examiners need an unusual combination of skills - you'll eventually need to have at least a basic understanding of intellectual property law, technology and languages - and employers don’t want to waste time and money training the wrong person, so make sure you fit the bill before you apply. After qualification it tends to be fairly easy to move around in the sector.