Do you want to become a Patent Agent? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:
Job Description - 
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A patent is a right which gives inventors and organisations the authority to stop other people using their invention. Securing a patent and enforcing the rights it provides is a long and complicated process, so some inventors and organisations use patent agents to help them.
Patent agents write patent applications which describe their client's invention in legal terms. They apply to the UK Patent Office or European Patent Office and try to persuade them to grant a patent. If a patent holder believes that someone is infringing their rights, the patent agent can advise them on the law and represent them in court if necessary.
Salaries range from around £18,000 to £120,000 a year.
The usual working hours are from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Additional hours may sometimes be required. Patent agents spend most of their time in offices, but they could also appear in court or travel to the European Patent Office and the European Patents Institute in Munich.
A patent agent should:
Most patent agents work in specialist firms offering their services to a range of clients. Some work for companies involved in engineering, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, IT or food and drink, dealing with patent issues relating to their employer's products. Patent agents work in many large cities but there are more vacancies in London and south-east England.
Candidates need a degree in science or engineering. There are also postgraduate qualifications in intellectual property law. Entrants start as trainees or technical assistants. People aged over 35 or 40 years may have difficulty in entering.
Trainees work towards admission to the Register of Patent Agents. This involves examinations and supervised training for at least two years. It usually takes between four and five years to become fully qualified. Most British patent agents take an additional qualification which permits them to practise before the European Patent Office.
It is possible to become a partner in a firm of patent agents, be promoted to head of a patents department, or move to an executive or management position. With additional training and qualifications, a patent agent can become a solicitor in the UK or an attorney in the United States. There are opportunities for self-employment and work overseas.
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