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How can I maximize my time and efforts during law school in order to become a well-prepared attorney in patent law? #Spring25
I am a high school senior planning to attend UC Berkeley as an English major for my undergraduate studies in the fall. I am also an aspiring patent lawyer who has a plethora of questions considering most have my family has never gone to college, and I am pioneering higher education for us all. I love English, philosophy, statistics, and governmental affairs classes.
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Daniel’s Answer
Hi Sara, as a patent practitioner, I can say this is a wonderful career. I will also echo the previous answer in that it does require a science or engineering degree. I would say electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, are great, in-demand technical backgrounds.
If you are not interested in an engineering degree, you can still become an intellectual property attorney and instead focus on copyrights or trademarks which do not require a technical background. These areas are considered "soft IP" as opposed to patent law which is considered "hard IP."
As for success in law school, I would say organization is critical. The subject matter isn't terribly difficult to learn, it is the volume of the work and the amount of reading that is the challenge. If you can master your day-to-day schedule, you'll do great!
If you are not interested in an engineering degree, you can still become an intellectual property attorney and instead focus on copyrights or trademarks which do not require a technical background. These areas are considered "soft IP" as opposed to patent law which is considered "hard IP."
As for success in law school, I would say organization is critical. The subject matter isn't terribly difficult to learn, it is the volume of the work and the amount of reading that is the challenge. If you can master your day-to-day schedule, you'll do great!
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Sara,
It's wonderful that you want to become a patent lawyer. It's a well-paid profession that will be in demand in the future. You will need a different education though.
Patents are given on technical inventions or designs. In order to judge a patent application, you need a technical or scientific degree in the field you want to be a patent lawyer for or an art/design degree. There are lists of which degrees are eligible to sit the patent bar exam (see link below).
On the road to become a patent lawyer, you first need to earn a bachelors in science or engineering (for sciency/technical inventions) or a bachelors in arts or design (for design patents).
You then take the LSAT and apply to law school.
After law school, you need to pass the bar exam to become a lawyer and the patent bar to become a patent lawyer. You can then register with the USPTO.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-patent-attorney
https://www.patenteducationseries.com/exam/qualifications.html
It's wonderful that you want to become a patent lawyer. It's a well-paid profession that will be in demand in the future. You will need a different education though.
Patents are given on technical inventions or designs. In order to judge a patent application, you need a technical or scientific degree in the field you want to be a patent lawyer for or an art/design degree. There are lists of which degrees are eligible to sit the patent bar exam (see link below).
On the road to become a patent lawyer, you first need to earn a bachelors in science or engineering (for sciency/technical inventions) or a bachelors in arts or design (for design patents).
You then take the LSAT and apply to law school.
After law school, you need to pass the bar exam to become a lawyer and the patent bar to become a patent lawyer. You can then register with the USPTO.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
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