Career as Patent Agent

[otis_joe]

Are there any Patent agents, Patent attorneys, or lawyers who could help me with this? I am a senior in college, I will graduate in the spring with a degree in computer science. I was thinking of studying for and taking the patent bar and pursing a career in that field. Questions I have are: how complicated would this be to get into? How gratifying or rewarding is this career? How much can I look to make in my first years? Is it easy to find an agency to work for? Is there another field I should look into with a B.S in computer science where I wont be programming all day every day(im not a code junkie)!!!

I dont have to make Will Smith or Jay-Z money, but I do want to be wealthy and be able to provide my kids with everything I couldnt have as a kid!!! I will be the first child from my family to graduate from a 4 year college!!!

Please show me the money!!!

 

[166]

I have been interested in becoming a Patent agent and there appears to be number of job posting the last time i looked at AJCjobs. The only thin is, they all require experience with a law firm.

To be an agent, with a BS in CompSci, all you have to do is take and pass the Patent Bar. I don't know how much you can make as a patent agent, but with a law degree you can easily make >$120k/year starting out.

It probably would be best for you to try to go to take and pass the Patent Bar as soon as you can. Try to get into law school, and try to get some internship experience.

 

[Temujin]

I am not a patent lawyer but I am a lawyer. The patent bar is the hardest bar to take but patent lawyers are the most high paid lawyers coming out of law school. Patent lawyers in major cities can start out making 180-220k. That however is working for a law firm. Working for a company as an agent you will probably make a little less. But it is definetly a highly lucrative career if that is something you are interested in.

 

[Kim Jong Il]

My only experience in the field is taking a patent law class when i was in law school and from what i heard from my professor who was a patent attorney. He practiced in Louisiana and his base rate was $300 an hour which is decent for a southern Patent Attorney. Like Temujin said the Patent Bar is difficult and by being a patent agent and not a patent attorney you're options are more limited, you can still prepare the documents and prosecute patents before the PTO but you would not be able to litigate any patent disputes.

Its a highly technical field and although I did well in my Patent class is not a career path I would advise to anyone unless you have a genuine interest in science and technology. It seems to require an ability to take abstract ideas and articulate them in a manner that not only explains how something works but to also anticipate all the ways someone could copy the invention/process.

 

[OnSlaught]

Thanks to the Original Poster and those who've posted...this is just what I was looking for...does anyone have any idea where you can get samples or material to study for the patent bar? I'm highly interested as well. Thank you once again...