Patent attorney
Help people protect their rights when they invent a new product, design or process.
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£519
Entry level
£1,538
Experienced
Monthly
£2,250
Entry level
£6,667
Experienced
Yearly
£27,000
Entry level
£80,000
Experienced
8,700
people are currently employed
High growth
200 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would help people protect their rights when they invent a new product, design or process.
You’d ensure that an original idea is legally credited to the inventor – whether that’s an individual or a company – so other people can’t copy the invention for a set period of time.
You would:
Meet inventors or manufacturers to get the details of their invention, innovation or design
Search existing patents to check the invention or design is original
Advise about the chances of being granted a patent
Write a detailed legal description of the invention or design - known as a patent draft
Apply for patents to the UK Intellectual Property Office or European Patent Office
Answer questions from patent examiners
Advise clients whose patent rights may have been breached
Represent clients if a case comes to court
You would also advise on other intellectual property issues such as design rights, industrial design, copyright and trade marks. You’d need to keep up to date with intellectual property law.
A scientific or technical background would help you to understand the new products and processes that you would need to assess and advise upon.
Reading skills in French and German may also be an advantage for some roles.
Many patent attorneys are also qualified trade mark attorneys.
Hours
Environment
Travel
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Top skills
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It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- negotiating
- time management
- developing a plan
- sorting
- attention to detail
- empathising
- researching
- written communication
- verbal communication
- building relationships
Your skills are important
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Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Business
Design and Technology
Engineering Science
English
You'd need qualifications that help you understand technical products and processes. You'd also need knowledge of intellectual property law.
An honours degree or postgraduate qualification (SCQF Level 10/11) in a scientific or engineering subject would be useful.
Before becoming a fully qualified patent attorney you would need to complete a series of on the job professional qualifications in intellectual property law. The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys has more information.
Some employers also look for foreign language qualifications.
To enter a science or engineering degree usually requires four to five Highers, often in one sitting. You may be able to gain advanced entry into the second or third year of a degree with a relevant HNC/HND qualification (SCQF Level 7/8).
Entry to a postgraduate qualification usually requires an honours degree (SCQF level 10), and some courses will require relevant experience.
Any qualifications that show understanding of law, language and science and the ability to gather organise and present information such as BTEC Diploma in Public Services.
Relevant experience such as attending Law Society of Scotland events and activities for school students.
Once in work you must pass Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and/or Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA) exams in order to join the Register of Patent Agents and the Register of Trade Mark Agents.
If you wish to work on international patents you will need to pass the European qualifying exams.
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