Patent law: a job for science and technical graduates
Patent attorneys help clients protect their innovations and developments, and advise on the intellectual property rights of others. They provide clients with a limited right to control the exploitation of a technical or practical invention. This could be a new chemical compound, electrical device or a mechanical process. It must be granted by the Government's Intellectual Property Office and can only be upheld in the countries where the patent has been obtained.
Bringing science and law together to protect inventions
Patent attorneys need a good understanding of intellectual property law in order to advise clients, create legal documents and occasionally make a case in the Patents County Court. However, when patent agencies recruit graduates they are not looking for a law degree – they want technical and science graduates.
There are around 1,650 registered patent attorneys in the UK, nearly all of whom have a background in science or engineering. So if you’re studying one of these subjects and have an interest in intellectual property law this could be the career for you.
What do patent attorneys do?
It is the patent attorney’s job to put together an extensive description and definition of the invention to ensure that others cannot infringe upon it. This is where those technical skills from university come in. You’ll need to understand exactly how the invention works and be able to record its ins and outs in a clear and unambiguous way. Clients with a new pharmaceutical product, for example, would need a patent attorney with a firm understanding of chemistry, and a mechanical product would need an engineering expert.
What other skills do I need?
You will need to master expert writing skills. Drawing up a description of an invention is a lot harder than it sounds: it will have to be thorough yet concise with no room for loopholes. You’ll need to highlight the invention’s uniqueness compared to previous inventions. If you already have great technical writing skills then you’ll have a head start in the recruitment process but your abilities can be improved with time and practise.
A grasp of European languages will also stand you in good stead. You will need to liaise with the European Patent Office if your client wants to protect their invention beyond the British border. A sound reading knowledge of French and German is an advantage.
How do I start?
To become a registered patent attorney you will have to qualify with the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA). This can take anything from two to six years and requires on-the-job training and exams at foundation and advanced levels. If you wish to become a European patent attorney you will need to pass the examinations set by the European Patent Office.
Where can I find a graduate job in patent work?
You could work in a private firm that deals with a range of clients or for a scientific or technical organisation that has an in-house intellectual property department. It is worth researching the type of employer you would like to work for and then writing to them speculatively to see if they’re looking for trainees. For further information check out the CIPA website.
Further information
- Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
- UK Intellectual Property Office
- European Patent Office
- European Patent Institute