A Patent Attorney is a person with a technical background, usually in engineering or science, who has completed a course of study in the law and practice of patents, has passed the professional examinations and has been entered on the Register of Patent Agents.
The main functions of a Patent Attorney are:

• To prepare and file patent applications on a client’s behalf;

• To deal with the different formalities of the various Patent Offices throughout the world;

• To handle any objections raised by those Offices;

• To obtain grant of patents;

• To advise on the validity of patents;

• To advise on the licensing of patents;

• To consider cases of infringement of patents and, if necessary, to advise in the course of patent litigation in the Courts.

A Patent Attorney does not become directly involved in the sale or commercial exploitation of an invention, but is available to advise on the terms and legal aspects of any licensing arrangements the inventor may be contemplating.

An inventor may be assured that their invention will be treated in the strictest confidence by any Patent Attorney who is a member of the APTMA.