Is Patent Law a Good Career Choice?

Becoming a lawyer requires additional training, but the long-term career prospects are often much better than, for example, becoming a faculty member of a research-intensive institution. Over the years, patent law has become an attractive career choice for many people who want to combine their science education with the law. It offers various opportunities, from patent attorneys who review USPTO databases and resolve patent data discrepancies to patent attorneys participating in patent litigation or court proceedings. But is a career in patent law worth it? Is it stressful?The Program works to provide its fellows with summer internships focusing on patent law, connecting them with law firms that have significant patent practice.

To obtain the European degree, you must have worked as a trainee patent attorney for two years before you can start. As the U. S. economy continues its technology-oriented growth, the need for patent attorneys will increase.

In the case of patent firms, you don't need any legal knowledge, but it's important to understand beforehand what a patent attorney does, what their role entails, and why you would be good at it. We have found that there is some confusion about what it means to be an intellectual property attorney. A patent is a description of an invention and must be described in a way that explains what it is about, but also in a way that reflects its ingenuity. Undoubtedly, the greatest demand for intellectual property lawyers is for those who can work in patent matters. On the one hand, the profession requires a technical degree and the patent ban must be approved in order to practice. In Germany, they have something a little different and they have to spend some time at the German patent office to understand what they do before they qualify.

Patent law firms offer in-house courses where other lawyers teach you how to stand for exams, and you also attend training with outside vendors to learn all of this. One of the most enjoyable aspects of intellectual property law for us is that, unless someone practices it or is very familiar with it, it is unlikely that they will have a good idea of what intellectual property law is. Within the internal legal organizations of many companies, there are departments or divisions that have lawyers dedicated to protecting the company's intellectual property, including applying for and obtaining patents on inventions made by company employees. Jobs in the field of patent law seem to pay off and offer an appropriate reward to anyone who wants to continue working on them. There are many misconceptions about the knowledge and skills needed to become a successful patent attorney, and not many doctors and postdocs know that it is a profession that can only be accessed if you are a scientist.

Much of this time is spent sitting in front of the computer reading newspapers and writing letters to the patent office, so in a sense it's a lonely job.