Salary Range
$25,000 to $100,000+
Patent lawyers are intellectual property lawyers who specialize in securing patents for inventors from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and prosecuting or defending suits of patent infringements. Patent law is a blending of two fields: applied science and law, and as such, patent lawyers usually have degrees both in law and a technical field, such as engineering. Patent lawyers usually earn more than lawyers in other fields. In May 2015, there were 609,930 lawyers, with a very small percentage specializing in patent law. In total, there are approximately 40,000 patent lawyers and agents registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, but many of these "agents" are not lawyers, which means they can not litigate in court or draw up contracts.
Minimum Education Level
Law DegreeCertification/License
RequiredOutlook
Faster than the AverageProblem-Solving
Realistic
Scientific

Senior Patent Lawyer

Patent Lawyer

Patent Legal Assistant
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