How Do I Become an in-House Patent Attorney?

An in-house patent attorney is tasked with safeguarding a firm's intellectual property rights and investigating cases that involve any type of copyright infringement. Someone wishing to become an in-house patent attorney must have successfully graduated from law school and obtained an attorney's license. Additionally, many firms prefer to hire experienced lawyers to fill these roles rather than individuals who have no prior experience in the field.

To become an in-house patent attorney, an individual must successfully graduate from high school and complete an undergraduate degree program. Some employers prefer job applicants to have bachelor's degrees in law-related fields, while other firms accept applications from people who studied other topics. Having graduated from college, a prospective lawyer must enroll in law school and the programs offered by these educational establishments normally last for at least three years. Due to high levels of competition for places, applicants for law schools typically need to have achieved higher than average scores while in high school and college.

Rules in many areas require law school graduates to complete a licensing or certification process that culminates in a test, often called the bar exam. Prior to taking the exam, candidates may have to attend a series of lectures that cover different aspects of the law including rules pertaining to copyright, patents and intellectual property rights. Students have to achieve a minimum score to pass the test and receive a license.

A qualified lawyer who wishes to become an in-house patent attorney must gain some first hand experience working in the field. Some small legal firms specialize in assisting clients with advice on registering patents and defending charges of copyright infringement. Many firms offer internships to law school students during which these individuals can shadow licensed attorneys as they offer opinions and draw up legal documents. Graduates can often find work at these small companies by accepting trainee roles in which case these individuals may be tasked with performing administrative duties on behalf of an experienced attorney. These training sessions may last for months or years after which the trainees may be offered permanent positions in the firm.

Having gained some experience in the field, someone wishing to become an in-house patent attorney may contact a staffing recruitment firm that finds qualified candidates for jobs at major firms. Many larger companies employ one or more in-house attorneys, and these companies often outsource the hiring to staffing agencies. Other firms handle recruitment in-house, in which case a qualified lawyer with prior patent related experience may submit a resume and job application to the firm. Some companies look favorably on job seekers who can also produce letters of recommendation from college professors and experienced lawyers. Additionally, firms may prefer individuals who have some industry-specific knowledge; a lawyer with a bachelor's degree in engineering may have a better chance of working for an engineering firm that one who studied languages or science while at college.