Resume

Patent Attorney Resume Example & Writing Guide

Use this Patent Attorney resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.

If you’re a detail-oriented problem solver with a knack for breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-understand components, you might be a great fit for a career as a patent attorney.

As a patent attorney, you’ll research existing patents and laws to help companies establish ownership of their intellectual property. You’ll draft detailed descriptions of new inventions and create drawings that illustrate how they work. And you’ll craft arguments that support your client’s claims of ownership over their creations.

Because this is such a specialized field, you’ll need a resume that highlights your experience in this area of law. Follow these tips and example to write a compelling patent attorney resume that hiring managers will love.

David Moore
Phoenix, AZ | (123) 456-7891 | [email protected]
Summary

Seasoned patent attorney with a record of success in obtaining intellectual property protection for clients in a broad range of industries. Proven ability to identify and assess patentable inventions, develop and prosecute patent applications, and provide strategic counseling on all aspects of intellectual property law.

Education
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Jun '10
J.D.
University of Arizona Jun '06
B.S. in Biochemistry
Experience
Company A, Patent Attorney Jan '17 – Current
  • Drafted patent applications in a variety of technical fields, including mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, chemical engineering, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food processing technology, and other areas as appropriate to the task at hand.
  • Conducted extensive legal research into prior art related to assigned projects and prepared detailed memoranda analyzing relevant case law and statutory provisions.
  • Assisted with drafting responses to office actions on pending patent applications and conducted searches for clients in preparation for filing trademark applications.
  • Prepared documents such as opinions regarding the validity of issued patents or pending claims under applicable statutes and regulations and assisted attorneys with preparing non-patent legal documents such as licensing agreements or corporate formation documents when necessary.
  • Performed document review pertaining to litigation support matters that may include due diligence investigations of potential acquisition targets or defense against competitor challenges to company IP rights.
Company B, Patent Attorney Jan '12 – Dec '16
  • Drafted patent applications for computer software, mechanical devices and medical instruments in accordance with USPTO guidelines
  • Conducted thorough prior art searches to ensure that client’s inventions were not already patented or published as a trade secret
  • Prepared non-provisional utility patent applications from application documents using PatentPro Systems’ eDAS system
  • Reviewed issued patents to identify any potential infringement of the claims by competitors’ products
  • Communicated regularly with clients (inventors, entrepreneurs and small business owners) about their pending patent applications
Company C, Patent Agent Jan '09 – Dec '11
  • Conducted prior art searches and prepared reports to support patentability opinions.
  • Drafted and prosecuted patent applications.
  • Conducted client interviews to obtain an in-depth understanding of the invention.
Certifications
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Registration
  • Registered Patent Attorney
  • Licensed to Practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Skills

Industry Knowledge: Patent Law, Patent Search, Patent Drafting, Patent Prosecution, Patent Infringement
Technical Skills: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Analytics, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook
Soft Skills: Communication, Leadership, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Organization

How to Write a Patent Attorney Resume

Here’s how to write a patent attorney resume of your own.

Write Compelling Bullet Points

Bullet points are your chance to show off your experience and qualifications. But they can be tricky to write because you have to be both descriptive and concise. And that can be a tall order!

The best way to do this is to focus on the results of your work. So rather than saying you “wrote patent applications,” you could say you “wrote patent applications for medical devices that received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.”

The second bullet point is more specific and provides more detail about the nature of the work. And it also provides a quantifiable result—a FDA approval! That’s a great thing to include in any bullet point because it shows that you were able to successfully complete a project.

Identify and Include Relevant Keywords

When you apply for a patent attorney role, your resume is likely to go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This software looks for certain keywords related to the position in order to determine whether you have the necessary skills and experience. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, the ATS might not rank it highly enough to be seen by a human.

One way to make sure your resume makes it past the ATS is to include relevant keywords throughout all sections of your application. Here are some of the most commonly used patent attorney keywords:

  • Patent Prosecution
  • Patent Law
  • Patentability
  • Licensing
  • Intellectual Property
  • Trademarks
  • Patent Litigation
  • Legal Writing
  • Legal Research
  • Legal Advice
  • Prosecution
  • Corporate Law
  • Trade Secrets
  • Software Patents
  • Copyright Law
  • Non-disclosure Agreements
  • Corporate Governance
  • Contract Law
  • Legal Opinions
  • Trademark Prosecution
  • Legal Document Preparation
  • Appeals
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Privacy Law
  • Trials
  • Litigation
  • Patent Drafting
  • Patent Applications

Showcase Your Technical Skills

As a patent attorney, you are responsible for helping businesses protect their intellectual property. In order to do this, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems that are used in the patent process. Some of the most commonly used programs are patent research databases, patent drafting software, and patent prosecution software. Additionally, patent attorneys need to be familiar with the USPTO rules and regulations.

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