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What is an intellectual property lawyer and how to become one
An intellectual property lawyer is in charge of legal issues associated with ownership of trademarks, patents, and copyrights. You will act as both a legal advocate and an advisor on behalf of your client. You have to represent your client in courts and draft out legal documents when the need arises.
Also, you will give legal counsel about your client's rights and obligations as it relates to their intellectual property. Intellectual property lawyers work for companies to represent them and protect their trade secrets and brand image. It is your responsibility to review proposals for the necessary intellectual property provisions.
You need to have a law degree to qualify for this role. In addition, you must have passed the law bar examination and be registered as a patent lawyer. Work experience in a related field is also required. Comprehensive knowledge about the technical and legal parts of intellectual property is compulsory. You should also be able to think analytically, make sound judgments under pressure, and be detail-oriented. An intellectual property lawyer earns an average salary of $155,238 per year.
Avg. Salary $82,730
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 10%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 6.33%
Black or African American 5.50%
Hispanic or Latino 7.72%
Unknown 4.37%
White 75.76%
Genderfemale 33.46%
male 66.54%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Intellectual property lawyer career paths
Key steps to become an intellectual property lawyer
Explore intellectual property lawyer education requirements
Start to develop specific intellectual property lawyer skills
Skills Percentages Litigation 13.93% Legal Advice 8.75% Due Diligence 8.50% Legal Issues 8.37% Law Firm 7.71% Complete relevant intellectual property lawyer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New intellectual property lawyers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an intellectual property lawyer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real intellectual property lawyer resumes.Research intellectual property lawyer duties and responsibilities
- Develop and implement an agency-wide client privacy policy and manage agency response to all matters involving subpoenas and warrants.
- Prepare, file and prosecute trademark applications with the USPTO.
- Prepare, file, and prosecute patent and trademark applications before the USPTO and foreign patent offices.
- Reduce expenses and identify litigation targets through review and pruning of existing patent portfolio.
Prepare your intellectual property lawyer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your intellectual property lawyer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an intellectual property lawyer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable intellectual property lawyer resume templates
Build a professional intellectual property lawyer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your intellectual property lawyer resume.
Apply for intellectual property lawyer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an intellectual property lawyer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first intellectual property lawyer job
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Average intellectual property lawyer salary
The average intellectual property lawyer salary in the United States is $82,730 per year or $40 per hour. Intellectual property lawyer salaries range between $40,000 and $168,000 per year.
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Updated January 8, 2025
