You'll usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a technical subject, for example:

• science
• engineering
• mathematics
• computing

Once you finish your course, you can apply to work as a trainee in a patent office and study for professional exams while you work. It usually takes at least 2 years to qualify.

You may be able to take a postgraduate award in law or intellectual property law, which can count towards qualification as a patent attorney. Many patent attorney trainees are sent on one of these courses by their employers.

If you do a course that covers intellectual property or patent law, it may exempt you from part of the professional training.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

You could start your career by finding work as a technical assistant or trainee patent attorney. This may be in a firm of attorneys, or in a company's patent department. Once working, you would take further training to qualify. This route can take between 4 and 6 years.

You may be able to find work without a scientific or engineering degree if you have a very high level of technical experience gained in industry.

This may also apply if you're a qualified solicitor with experience of working in intellectual property rights. You would still be required to study for and pass professional exams.

You'll need:

• legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
• excellent verbal communication skills
• excellent written communication skills
• analytical thinking skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• maths skills
• knowledge of English language
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

As a patent attorney, you would:

• meet with inventors or manufacturers
• research existing patents to check the invention or design is original
• advise clients about the chances of being granted a patent
• write detailed legal descriptions of the invention or design - known as a patent draft
• apply for patents to the UK Intellectual Property Office or European Patent Office
• answer questions from patent examiners
• advise clients whose patent rights may have been broken
• represent clients at court during patent disputes
• advise on issues like design rights and copyright
• keep up to date with intellectual property law
• mentor new trainees

You could work in an office, at a client's business or in a court.