10. How do you qualify as a Patent Attorney?

10. How do you qualify as a Patent Attorney?

Most trainees in the UK aim to become qualified as both a UK patent attorney and an attorney qualified to represent clients before the European Patent Office ‘EPO’. In order to qualify, it is necessary to pass the qualifying examinations set out below.

Once a trainee has passed the UK examinations, they must apply to the Intellectual Property Regulation Board ‘IPReg’ to be entered on the register maintained by IPReg. Once on the register, the trainee is a registered patent attorney ‘RPA’.

Once a trainee has passed the European Qualifying Examination ‘EQE’, they must apply to the EPO to be entered on the list maintained by the EPO. Once on that list, the trainee is a ‘professional representative before the European Patent Office’ but is usually referred to as a European patent attorney ‘EPA’. They also automatically become a member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the EPO which is usually referred to as epi. Anyone who is an EPA can apply to become an EPA member of CIPA.

Anyone who is an RPA can apply to become a Fellow of CIPA. This usually involves applying to change their category of CIPA membership from Student to Fellow. Once they have become Fellows, RPAs can, according to CIPA’s Royal Charter of 1891, use the restricted title of Chartered Patent Attorney ‘CPA’. Most RPAs are also CPAs.

There are differences in how the UK and European qualifications are obtained and in what they allow you to do. The table below sets out the different requirements for qualification and the differences between the two jurisdictions.