How do I become a qualified patent agent?
To become a registered patent agent (or attorney), you must pass the qualifying examinations set by the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents (CIPA). Your first four or five years of employment will be punctuated by training and exams. Foundation papers are taken after about one year in the profession, while advanced papers usually require three years’ training. It is no longer a requirement to have professional experience to sit the exams, but you do need two years’ practice to be entered on the Register of Patent Agents so, in reality, you need to obtain a training post as a technical assistant to a patent agent. This training position is likely to include on-the-job training, private study and in-house support and guidance. Your employer may also send you on external courses, lectures and seminars run by CIPA.
Corporate practice employers tend to offer structured support during training, often sending trainees on courses. Private practice firms can sometimes be more reluctant to do this, but the broader base of work may be an advantage in exams, since they require broad technical knowledge even if you’re working in a specialist area.
Exemptions from patent attorney examinations
It’s possible to gain exemption from some or all of the foundation exams. Full exemption can be gained from a Certificate in Intellectual Property Law, which takes three months’ full time study or one year’s part-time study. Other postgraduate qualifications in intellectual property may provide partial exemption. You can get details about various courses from the CIPA website. Advanced examinations require knowledge that can only be acquired on the job, so there are no exemptions for these.
Qualifying as a European patent attorney
Almost all patent agents in the UK also qualify as European patent attorneys. This also requires passing examinations, and some of the papers will be written in French and German. Before taking the examination, you must have completed three years’ practical training. Passing the European exams gives you exemption from some of the UK papers. Training for the European exams can incorporate a one-week training course run by the Centre for International Industrial Property Studies (CEIPI), usually in Strasbourg. European qualifications are restricted to patent law, while the UK ones may cover all aspects of intellectual property.
