A Career in Patent Law in India

Law is one of the most popular careers in India. Law is a suitable career choice for students who have an inquisitive intellect and wish to develop skills in critical and abstract thinking. Many students are pursuing law as the field provides students with a deeper understanding of the evolution of the human race to civilization governed by the government and interpretation statutes. Patent law is an emerging field in law and is pursued widely. And if you wish to pursue a career in patent law in India, continue to read this blog. 

Duration	3 years degree Or5 years integrated course
Specialisation under	Intellectual Property Law
Examination Required	CLAT
Skills	Leadership skills, Communication skills, Analytical skills, An eye for detail
Avg. Salary	7.2 Lakh per annum

Also Read: Law Subjects

What is Patent Law?

Patent law is a sub-part of intellectual property law that deals with new inventions. Initially, traditional patents were used to protect tangible scientific inventions including car engines, circuits, zippers, heating coils etc. However, with the passage of time, it has evolved and now covers a wide variety of inventions including business practices, coding algorithms and genetically modified organisms.

One can cover the following inventions:

• Not a natural process or object 
• Useful 
• New; and 
• Not obvious

Why Should I Pursue Patent Law?

The following are the reasons:

• Many traditional law firms are looking to hire patent lawyers to diversify their business 
• Many new start-ups are investing in hiring patent lawyers to manage their technical advancements 
• This field offers a wide variety of employment areas for lawyers including start-ups, businesses, pharmacy, entertainment, media, fashion, sports and technology

Roles and Responsibilities of a Patent Lawyer 

The followings are the roles and responsibilities of a patent lawyer:

• Patent lawyers represent their clients during the application process
• They provide legal advice to clients regarding intellectual property issues and other inventions
• They assist their clients with trademarks, patents and copyright issue 
• Patent lawyers are responsible for drafting, filing and prosecuting clients’ applications

Also Read: LLM Intellectual Property

Course to Become a Patent Lawyer in India

Any individual who is a member of state bar council can become a patent lawyer. The integral condition to becoming a patent lawyer is to have a law degree. A candidate can choose to pursue either of the following:

A three-year LLB 

To pursue a three-year law degree, the candidate must have completed either graduation or postgraduate in any field. The duration India can take up to six-eight years before you can start practicing law. 

Five-year LLB 

This is a shortcut option to the three-year LLB program. This program allows you to take an integrated course. You will receive a BA LLB, BSc LLB or BCom LLB degree at the end of your fifth year. It is advised to pursue a BSc LLB degree if you wish to become a patent lawyer.

Syllabus

The following are the topics included in the syllabus. However, these topics can vary depending on the university or college:

• Introduction to Intellectual Property Law
• Patent Prosecution 
• Fundamentals of Patent 
• Patent Law in India
• Human Rights and International Law
• Law of Trademark and Drafting 
• Open Electives
• Law of Copyrights Spec. & Claims
• Law of Evidence 
• Competition Law 
• Trade Secret and Technology Transfer 

Skills Required to Pursue Patent Law in India 

The following are the skills required to pursue patent law in India:

• Leadership skills 
• Communication skills 
• Analytical skills 
• An eye for detail 
• Time management skills
• Problem-solving skills 
• Research skills

Top Universities to Pursue Patent Law in India

The following are the top universities to pursue a career in India:

Universities	Location
Indian Law Institute	New Delhi
The W.B. National University of Juridicial Sciences	Calcutta
National Law University	Jodhpur
University of Mumbai	Mumbai
Amity University	Noida
NALSAR University of Law	Hyderabad
Symbiosis Law School	Pune
The Government Law College	Mumbai
Tamil Nadu National Law University	Tiruchirappalli
Alliance University	Karnataka

Eligibility Criteria 

The candidate must meet the following criteria to pursue a career in patent law:

• The candidate must have completed their 10+2 level of education in any stream from a recognised institution
• To pursue a specialization in property law, the candidate must have pursued a five-year integrate law course or have an LLB degree or equivalent 
• The candidate may be required to take an entrance examination like CLAT for UG or PG level education 

Cost of Studying 

The average cost of studying a Law or LLB degree in India ranges between INR 1 Lakh to INR 2 Lakh. However, this could vary depending on the university or institution you choose for your studies.

Also Read: IPR Courses

Future Scope 

The demand for patent law experts will continue to be higher due to advancements in the field of science, technology, agriculture and culture. All creative innovations and contributions would require to be protected under IPR for their commercialization. As India is one of the leading countries in startups and innovations, the need for a balance between national interest and IPR protections has become essential. The government can provide the right balance between innovation and interest which will open a wider area of growth in many professional industries. 

FAQs

Well, we hope that we have provided you with the relevant information on a career in patent law in India. And if you wish to study abroad, contact Leverage Edu for full assistance. You can also call us at 1800572000 and book a free session today!