Trainee patent attorneys in certain countries undergo specialized training and certification programs, separate from general legal education, to gain expertise in the complex field of patent law. This includes on-the-job training, classroom education, and standardized exams, with a focus on hard and applied sciences. Upon completion of the program and passing exams, trainees become registered patent attorneys.
The title of trainee patent attorney is commonly used in countries that have a special training track and registration process for patent attorneys that do not require them to obtain a general legal education. Instead, the country has adopted a qualification and certification program for patent professionals, which includes on-the-job training, classroom education and standardized exams. The intern typically works at a patent firm under a training contract while pursuing certification and becomes a registered patent attorney after satisfying all qualifications.
The practice of patents is a particularly complex legal arena that requires specialized scientific knowledge that is outside the law. Practitioners need to know intellectual property laws, but they also need to understand the mechanics behind inventions being considered for special protection to be able to make the case that inventions are unique. Lawyers practicing patent law must have outside expertise in hard and applied sciences, such as biology, physics, and engineering, to be able to work effectively with patent applications and defend your rights.
The European Union, Australia and Canada, among other countries, have separated patent attorney training from other types of legal education because of the interdisciplinary knowledge needed to effectively practice patent law. These countries have created a training and certification program that allows people to focus specifically on patent practice without the burden of learning other areas of law. Completion of the training program and passing the exams qualify the intern to practice patent law, but not to practice law generally.
A trainee patent attorney in these countries is a person who has officially taken up the training program to obtain certification in patent law. In most cases, the individual must have an undergraduate academic record that emphasizes one of the sciences and have completed a specified number of course hours with a minimum grade point average. He then applies to enter a training program at a patent firm. If he is accepted, he begins work as a trainee patent attorney under a written training contract.
The job as a trainee patent lawyer lasts from two to four years, depending on the country. The training position satisfies the experience requirements for certification. Interns also complete required courses and take qualifying exams while on the job. Once the trainee patent attorney meets all certification requirements, he is listed as a registered patent attorney with authority to practice patent law in the jurisdiction.
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