Degrees for patent law
I want to be a patent lawyer in the future, but everywhere I have been looking is saying a science or engineering related degree instead of a law degree. My 2nd choice is either optometry or dentistry. Would I be able to do a degree in say optometry and then qualify to become a patent lawyer?
Original post by Miamoo_33
I want to be a patent lawyer in the future, but everywhere I have been looking is saying a science or engineering related degree instead of a law degree. My 2nd choice is either optometry or dentistry. Would I be able to do a degree in say optometry and then qualify to become a patent lawyer?
Hi @Miamoo_33
You can study any undergad degree that you want to and still qualify as a lawyer! Nearly 50% of lawyers in the UK, do a undergrad which is not law and then do a second conversion course either in the form of a GDL or a MA Law. Of course, this does add a year to your studies but it has the benefit of diversifying your interests and areas of study. I would say to choose to do the degree you find the most interesting as this is the best way to ensure a good time at uni and also better results as you need the motivation behind the subject to want to put the required hours of study in 🙂 In terms of becoming a patent lawyer, you would need a qualifying law degree first so either a LLB or a conversion before you start to specialise as a patent lawyer rather than just a lawyer.
I hope this helps 🙂
Sophie
OP - Plz ignore the bot answer above - becoming a patent attorney is very different from the route into legal practice as a mainstream lawyer. You don't do the GDL or an MA. Most of the training takes place on the job and science and engineering backgrounds are *very strongly* preferred.
I don't have too much familiarity but if its a path you're set on - science/engineering is the way to go. Take a look at the profiles of staff on the websites of the larger patent attorney firms and you'll get a feel for the typical path into practice.
I don't have too much familiarity but if its a path you're set on - science/engineering is the way to go. Take a look at the profiles of staff on the websites of the larger patent attorney firms and you'll get a feel for the typical path into practice.
Depends on what you mean by "patent lawyer". Do you mean a patent attorney or an intellectual property (IP) solicitor/barrister? They are different roles.
As above patent attorneys are usually from a STEM background because ultimately they are reviewing technical patents in a legal context. You can learn the legal aspects after your degree but they can't practically teach a law grad analogue circuit design or synthetic chemistry etc. Note that I think it's more typical for patent attorneys to be from engineering, chemistry, or bioscience backgrounds than healthcare professions degrees.
Note that you can still work intellectual property law as a solicitor or barrister having done a law degree, which is quite different from being a patent attorney although the two areas intersect in their field of practice I gather.
As above patent attorneys are usually from a STEM background because ultimately they are reviewing technical patents in a legal context. You can learn the legal aspects after your degree but they can't practically teach a law grad analogue circuit design or synthetic chemistry etc. Note that I think it's more typical for patent attorneys to be from engineering, chemistry, or bioscience backgrounds than healthcare professions degrees.
Note that you can still work intellectual property law as a solicitor or barrister having done a law degree, which is quite different from being a patent attorney although the two areas intersect in their field of practice I gather.
(edited 5 months ago)
Original post by artful_lounger
Depends on what you mean by "patent lawyer". Do you mean a patent attorney or an intellectual property (IP) solicitor/barrister? They are different roles.
As above patent attorneys are usually from a STEM background because ultimately they are reviewing technical patents in a legal context. You can learn the legal aspects after your degree but they can't practically teach a law grad analogue circuit design or synthetic chemistry etc. Note that I think it's more typical for patent attorneys to be from engineering, chemistry, or bioscience backgrounds than healthcare professions degrees.
Note that you can still work intellectual property law as a solicitor or barrister having done a law degree, which is quite different from being a patent attorney although the two areas intersect in their field of practice I gather.
As above patent attorneys are usually from a STEM background because ultimately they are reviewing technical patents in a legal context. You can learn the legal aspects after your degree but they can't practically teach a law grad analogue circuit design or synthetic chemistry etc. Note that I think it's more typical for patent attorneys to be from engineering, chemistry, or bioscience backgrounds than healthcare professions degrees.
Note that you can still work intellectual property law as a solicitor or barrister having done a law degree, which is quite different from being a patent attorney although the two areas intersect in their field of practice I gather.
A patent attorney is what I want to be. I’m thinking of doing marine biology degree since that’s something I’m interested in, but being a patent attorney is my end goal.
Original post by Miamoo_33
A patent attorney is what I want to be. I’m thinking of doing marine biology degree since that’s something I’m interested in, but being a patent attorney is my end goal.
Read what you are being told - you can't do that. If you want to be a patent attorney, you need to make yourself an expert in an area where patents are taken out. No-one patents whales and dolphins. Patents are taken out on technology - you could perhaps to marine engineering and focus on patents for ships engines and boat design - but you are probably aiming to be one of 5 people worldwide that do that. You need to do a degree that gives you a technical expertise in an area where patents are created.
Original post by Miamoo_33
I want to be a patent lawyer in the future, but everywhere I have been looking is saying a science or engineering related degree instead of a law degree. My 2nd choice is either optometry or dentistry. Would I be able to do a degree in say optometry and then qualify to become a patent lawyer?
Hey! I have no experience in law yet, but I also want to become a patent attorney. At the moment I am studying veterinary medicine and I wonder if you or anybody here knows if that will give me strong foundation for patent law?
Thank you in advance.
Original post by Htyu
Hey! I have no experience in law yet, but I also want to become a patent attorney. At the moment I am studying veterinary medicine and I wonder if you or anybody here knows if that will give me strong foundation for patent law?
Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance.
Did you read any of the replies in this thread? No, Veterinary Medicine will not get you into being a patent attorney.
Can no-one use Google nowadays?
Original post by threeportdrift
Did you read any of the replies in this thread? No, Veterinary Medicine will not get you into being a patent attorney.
Can no-one use Google nowadays?
Can no-one use Google nowadays?
Why not if it is a STEM degree plus it includes biology, biotechnology, food science (people and animal feed) and pharmacy (people and animals)? Plus I did google it and there are many patent attorneys with DVM.
BTW no need to be harsh and not well rounded individual. Be kind and stay strong!
(edited 3 months ago)
Original post by threeportdrift
Did you read any of the replies in this thread? No, Veterinary Medicine will not get you into being a patent attorney.
Can no-one use Google nowadays?
Can no-one use Google nowadays?
No response is better than an aggressive and patronising response.
Original post by threeportdrift
Read what you are being told - you can't do that. If you want to be a patent attorney, you need to make yourself an expert in an area where patents are taken out. No-one patents whales and dolphins. Patents are taken out on technology - you could perhaps to marine engineering and focus on patents for ships engines and boat design - but you are probably aiming to be one of 5 people worldwide that do that. You need to do a degree that gives you a technical expertise in an area where patents are created.
Oh I thought it was any stem degree you could take
Hello. I’ve never replied to one of these but am alarmed by some of the misinformation above so had to jump in.
This IP Careers Guide is a must-read for anyone interested in patent law: https://www.ipcareers.co.uk/bookstore/chartered-patent-attorneys-guide/
Finally, even though patent law is technically under the umbrella of intellectual property law, when someone says they are an intellectual property lawyer, it usually means they are in trademarks and copyright, or else they would have specified patent lawyer. You do not need a science degree to pursue this non-patent law path if IP law.
All the best of luck to you!
1.
You are REQUIRED to have a science degree to become qualified to practice as a patent attorney in the UK and the EU (many firms try to get you to qualify in both jurisdictions).
2.
Theoretically, any science degree would be considered valid. However, in terms of what degrees tend to get hired is another thing entirely. For the electronics and engineering patents, degrees such as physics, electrical & mechanical engineering tend to lead the pack. Increasingly computer science or some sort of AI degree and math are also highly valued. For the life science, a PhD tends to be preferred and the degrees tend to be chemistry, biochemistry, etc. Though in theory a pharmacy or marine biology would be able to qualify as a patent attorney, I have personally never seen someone with that background.
Finally, even though patent law is technically under the umbrella of intellectual property law, when someone says they are an intellectual property lawyer, it usually means they are in trademarks and copyright, or else they would have specified patent lawyer. You do not need a science degree to pursue this non-patent law path if IP law.
All the best of luck to you!
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