The PaTech Program connects students and potential employers in the fields of patent licensing and technical advising. PaTech candidates are not required to have J.D.s.

Becoming a Patent Agent or Technical Adviser

Patent agents and technical advisors tend to have a focus on science, engineering, or technology, as well as creative and analytical ideas for innovations and familiarity with intellectual property (patents, trademarks, copyrights trade secrets, etc.).

• A patent agent is someone who has passed the Patent Bar Exam. Patent agents are legally licensed to represent inventors in patenting their inventions, typically including electronically preparing, filing and advocating for inventors in front of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• A technical adviser is a person hired by a law firm or corporation to provide technical assistance, typically in the patent field, by assisting a patent attorney or patent agent in the process of securing patent rights for inventors. A technical advisers are often law students or training to become patent agents.

Qualifications for the PaTech Program

To be considered for jobs in the PaTech Program, students must have or be in the process of obtaining an undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the following disciplines:

• Aeronautics • Agricultural Engineering • Biochemistry • Biology • Biomedical Engineering • Botany • Ceramic Engineering • Chemical Engineering • Civil Engineering • Computer Engineering • Computer Science

• Electrical Engineering • Electrochemical Engineering • Electronics • Engineering • Food Technology • General Chemistry • General Engineering • Geological Engineering • Industrial Engineering • Marine Technology • Mechanical Engineering

• Metallurgical Engineering • Microbiology • Mining Engineering • Molecular Biology • Nuclear Engineering • Organic Chemistry • Petroleum Engineering • Pharmacology • Physics • Technology • Textiles

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