Finance & Business
Research & Development
Degree
Patent Attorney
Help inventors and companies protect new technologies by drafting and prosecuting patent applications.
A day in the life
Review invention disclosures, draft patent claims, respond to patent office queries, and advise clients on IP strategy.
Entry routes
- A-level Physics + Maths
- STEM degree (Physics, Engineering or Chemistry)
- Trainee contract with a patent firm and professional exams
Typical salary
- Starter
- £28,500-£37,000
- Experienced
- £65,000-£85,000
- Senior
- £100,000+
Dual-qualified and partner-level attorneys can earn significantly more.
Salary range checked against Prospects.ac.uk: Patent Attorney.
UK employers
- Marks & Clerk
- Withers & Rogers
- Kilburn & Strode
- Reddie & Grose
Worldwide employers
- WIPO
- USPTO
- European Patent Office
- Fish & Richardson
Useful route links
These links are good starting points for courses, apprenticeships, graduate routes and professional training. They open the official or specialist sites rather than another summary page.
UCAS course search: physics
Compare degree prospectuses, entry requirements, open days and course structures.
ucas.com
Prospects: finance job profiles
Browse finance and business roles suited to numerate graduates.
prospects.ac.uk
UKRI studentships and research funding
Explore UK research councils and postgraduate research funding routes.
ukri.org
UCAS Physics and astronomy courses
Search UK undergraduate physics, astrophysics and related degree options.
ucas.com
Prospects: what can I do with a physics degree?
Independent overview of careers that physics graduates enter.
prospects.ac.uk
Find an apprenticeship on GOV.UK
Search current apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship vacancies in England.
gov.uk
Key skills
Explore related careers
Sources and further reading
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