A patent agent does not need to be a licensed attorney and can file for a United States patent but cannot do many of the things an attorney can do. A patent agent cannot litigate and cannot give legal advice in such matters as the validity of a patent or if a trademark is truly being infringed.
The first step to a patent attorney career is to become a regular lawyer. You must pass the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). It is important to prepare for this exam and try to do your absolute best so you can get into the best law school you can. You should have a Bachelors Degree and the USPTO prefers you to have your degree in a particular area of concentration such as biology, physics, pharmacology, or chemistry. For a complete list of acceptable bachelors degrees go to the United States Patent and Trademark Office's website. You can apply to be a patent lawyer without one of these degrees but your application will take longer because it will be judged on a case-by-case basis. You will also need to pass your states bar exam in order to practice law.
In order to have a patent attorney job you need to be a citizen, a foreign resident in good standing, or an alien resident in good standing. If an applicant has been convicted of a felony they will need to provide some kind of proof of rehabilitation or reform. Applicants must be in good moral standing to gain access to patent attorney careers.
In order to get a patent attorney job you must be deeply committed to your goal. It is no easy feat to obtain a Bachelors Degree, attend law school and pass two difficult exams, but it can be and has been done. Good luck on your journey to becoming a patent lawyer!
