How to be a Patent Attorney? 20 Tips to Find a Patent Lawyer
Patent attorneys are well-paid and respected professionals, as is covered in detail over at runrex.com, and it is, therefore, no surprise that the list of people looking to get into this profession is ever-growing. If you are among the people who have always been intrigued with patent law and have wondered what it would take for you to become a patent lawyer, then you are in the right place as this article will look to explain to you how you can become one with the following 20 tips.
The general requirements that you need to meet
Have U.S. citizenship or legally reside in the U.S.
One of the major requirements that you need to meet if you are to become a patent attorney in the U.S. is to have U.S. citizenship or to legally reside in the country. As is explained over at guttulus.com, if you don’t have U.S. citizenship, you will need to show proof that you reside legally and have permission to work in the U.S. by presenting a copy of both your work permit as well as all the documentation submitted to and received from the Department of Labor and USCIS.
Have an undergraduate degree in a scientific field
Another requirement to become a patent attorney is having an undergraduate in a scientific field. This, as outlined over at runrex.com, is one of the ways through which you can establish that you possess the necessary technical and scientific skills to be a patent attorney.
Alternatively, you can complete scientific coursework equivalent to an undergraduate degree in a scientific field
If you don’t have the requisite undergraduate degree, another way to meet the scientific and technical requirements is to submit official transcripts showing that you have completed an undergraduate degree as well as either a 24 semester hours in physics, 30 semester hours in chemistry, or 32 or 40 semester hours in a combination of a couple of science courses discussed over at runrex.com.
Pass the Fundamental of Engineering test
Alternatively, if you don’t have the undergraduate degree or equivalent coursework as mentioned above, by taking the Fundamental of Engineering test, you can still meet the scientific and technical training required to become a patent attorney.
Good moral character requirements
Other than the scientific and technical requirements, you will also need to show the USPTO that you have good moral character. If you have ever been convicted of a felony, have been disbarred from the practice of law or any other profession, or have been previously refused registration due to a failure to show good moral value, unless more than 2 years have passed, then you will be ineligible to be a patent attorney.
Graduate law school
If you are to register with the USPTO as a patent attorney, then you need to be an attorney, which means being licensed to practice law by the Bar Association in your jurisdiction as explained over runrex.com. This means that you must obtain a Juris Doctor degree from a law school that is has been approved by the American Bar Association, although not all states require one to complete law school.
Pass your state Bar exam
Other than the state of Wisconsin as covered over at guttulus.com, you will also need to pass a Bar exam before you can be licensed to practice law, which is yet another requirement for you to become a patent attorney.
How to pass the Patent Bar
Next up on what to do to become a patent attorney is passing the Patent Bar, which is going to be addressed through the following tips.
Apply to register with the OED at the USPTO
If you want to take and pass the Patent Bar, you will need to register with the Office of Enrollment and Discipline, OED, at the USPTO. Your registration, as discussed over at runrex.com, should be accompanied by evidence of scientific and technical training, evidence that you reside legally in the U.S. if you are not a citizen, a full explanation in writing if you have a criminal record, as well as proof of payment required.
Your admission letter
Once you have registered and submitted your application, you will need to get your admission letter to continue with your bid to become a patent attorney. The admission letter will contain instructions on the examination process as well as a USPTO identification number, which you will be required to use in all your future correspondence with the OED.
Register for the exam
Next up, you will have to register for the Patent Bar exam, which is administered by both the USPTO and Prometric, a commercial test delivery provider. While the USPTO exam is given on paper and is only offered once every fiscal year at the USPTO office in Alexandria, Virginia, the Prometric exam is computer-based and is offered in a variety of locations at various times all through the year.
Discover the material covered on the exam
As the gurus over at guttulus.com will tell you, the material covered on the Patent Bar exam is ever-changing to reflect changes in patent law. Therefore, if you are to pass and become a patent lawyer, it is important to find out what material will be covered in your exam, which you can do by checking out the USPTO website.
Come up with an effective study plan
The subject matter experts over at runrex.com also recommend that you come up with an effective study plan if you want to pass your Patent Bar exam. Here, other than studying on your own, which has a first-time pass rate of about 15%, you should enroll in a trusted and reputable commercial exam prep course.
Examples of prep courses
If you decide to go the prep course route, some of the courses you can choose include the Practicing Law Institute, PLI, Patent Bar Review prep course, which is the most commonly taken one, the PetBar Patent Review prep course, or the Wysebridge Patent Bar Review, which is the cheapest of them all, with the PLI prep course being the most expensive, although it comes with an 88% first-time pass rate as outlined over at guttulus.com.
Take your exam
The penultimate step to becoming a patent attorney is taking your Patent Bar exam, which you must do within 90 days of receiving your admission letter from the OED.
Obtain your results
Finally, you need to find out whether you have passed the exam or not. Your results will be mailed to you soon after you finish taking your examination. If you pass, you will be given instructions on how to proceed to complete the registration process and become a fully licensed patent attorney.
Essential skills for patent attorneys
On the matter of how you can become a patent attorney, it is important to highlight a number of the important skills required
Communication skills
As a patent attorney, you will need to lean heavily on your communication skills, both oral and written, according to the gurus over at runrex.com. You will need to be an excellent communicator so that you can instruct, explain, persuade, describe, and advise. Expect employers to test your communication skills during job interviews through both interview questions and written exercises.
Technical proficiency
As a patent attorney, you will be required to be comfortable with technical information and jargon, over a wide range of industries. Therefore, as is discussed over at guttulus.com, having a technical bent is important in becoming a patent attorney.
An eye for detail
Details are crucial in this job, particularly since accuracy is at the heart of everything that a patent attorney does, as the experts over at runrex.com will tell you. If you want to become a patent attorney, then you will require a to have a keen eye for detail.
Analytical skills
Patent attorneys also have to analyze large amounts of information and data to reach logical conclusions. Therefore, another essential skill required if you want to become a patent attorney is excellent analytical skills.
Time management skills
You will also have to regularly work under strict deadlines, both legal and commercial ones driven by your clients’ business needs and goals. This is why having excellent time management skills is important if you want to become a patent attorney.
Hopefully, this article will help you on your way to becoming a patent attorney, with the subject matter experts over at runrex.com and guttulus.com being available to you if you need help or more information on this and other related topics.