The first thing to remember is that these jobs in intellectual property usually end up with the attorney attempting to prove that the intellectual property belonged to one individual and not another one. This can be difficult to do, as it is somewhat different from many other types of attorneys. Many of these attorneys begin by receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in a field like microbiology or computer engineering, as these programs provide an excellent base for this career. While it is possible to get involved with these jobs without a science degree, you must have some technical components to your coursework in order to be considered for the next step. Patent law requires this technological aspect, even though most law schools only require a Bachelor's degree for admission.
The next step for getting one of the intellectual property jobs is to get into an accredited law school. While you are attempting this law school, it is absolutely vital that you take as many intellectual property courses as possible. This will all be looked at once you apply at firms that specialize in patent law, so all this is very important to your future. Remember that getting into a good law school is not always easy and you will have to work hard to convince the school that you are a worthy candidate. It is possible to take a summer job working at an intellectual property law firm, so do your best to take one of these jobs for the experience. It will definitely come in handy when you apply for a position within the firm later on down the line.
In order to actually have the ability to apply for one of these jobs in intellectual property, you must pass the patent BAR exam in your state. This is different from the traditional BAR exam, as it will focus strictly on patents. Even if you pass this exam, you will only be a patent agent, rather than an attorney. In order to become a patent attorney, you must also the regular BAR exam in your state, so a great deal of work will be in front of you once you have graduated. It is possible to take the patent BAR exam before you graduate, so you will not have to worry about studying for both exams at once.
Once you have passed both of these exams, you will be well on your way to finding one of these intellectual property jobs. It is important to remember that you might not find the perfect job right away, but the most important thing is that you are able to start working immediately. It is also possible to go solo immediately, as this will allow you to work on your own and generate clients. It is not always easy to be independent, but it will give you the freedom to do as you wish in the long run. As soon as you are licensed, you can begin practicing law in your state of residence and you may even find that clients will be seeking you out. Since jobs in intellectual property are rarer than other forms of law, there are fewer attorneys that are involved with this practice.
Find yourself a community that is in need of someone with your background and the intellectual property jobs will begin coming in. It is not only the larger centers that need this services, as people from all over the country are running into problems with their intellectual property. Many of these cases are also very high in profile, which is perhaps one reason why these jobs are so rewarding.
- See Top 10 Reasons Most Law Firms Have No Idea How to Hire and Evaluate Patent Attorneys for more information.
