Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual property law grants legal protection to any Intellectual property, that is, original creations from one’s mind. But that’s not all, it equally gives creators opportunities to benefit from their works. Creative works such as literary and artistic works, films, computer programs, designs, and marks, are intellectual properties that can be protected by the law.

Intellectual property is not usually categorized as a full-fledged course at the undergraduate level. However, lawyers can specialize in the field at the Masters level.

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

You may become a general Intellectual property lawyer, but then, there are a few areas of specialization, even within the field. These areas include working as a Patent Attorney, which involves advising individuals or companies on the potential of their inventions to succeed as patents; working as a Trademark attorney, which deals with management, registration and enforcement of trademark and design rights for companies; specializing in Copyright Law, which deals with the legal protection of original ideas or material, as well as the infringement of such legally protected rights for financial gains.

Read more about Legal Careers here and check out other areas of specilization here.

SKILLS REQUIRED

Specific areas of intellectual property may require unique skills. Nonetheless, there are some basic skills you must have in order to excel as an intellectual property lawyer. Such skills include;

• Research
• Writing
• Excellent Communication
• Good Organisation
• Critical Thinking
• Analytical reasoning and problem solving
• The ability to simplify complex ideas for clients to easily understand will be a plus for the intellectual property lawyer.

CAREER ROLES

An intellectual property lawyer will typically be required to prepare legal documents, litigate on matters regarding intellectual property, license agreements and provide legal counselling to his or clients.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

There are countless opportunities on this path, and these could include working with intellectual property firms, working as a company attorney and/or personal attorney for individuals who want to protect their original works, names, designs, inventions, and business logos.

ESTIMATED INCOME

The average annual income of an intellectual property attorney is $163,000. Although, it can be more or less. Income generally differs based on factors such as advanced skills and experience, position or job roles, quality of work done and many others.

Universities to Study Intellectual Property Law

As mentioned earlier, Intellectual Property law is commonly offered as a course at the Masters level. Below are institutions worth considering in the UK.

• University of Derby
• Brunel University London
• University of Leeds
• Swansea University
• University of Glasgow
• Cardiff University
• University of Hertfordshire

In the US, some reputable institutions are:

• Stanford University
• New York University
• University of California, Berkeley
• Santa Clara University
• University of Houston

Don’t hesitate to contact us for further clarifications and guidance on how to become a certified Intellectual Property lawyer.