A patent attorney is the central point of contact for legally protecting industrial property rights.

Patent attorneys advise clients on inventions, designs, trademarks, know-how, software product protection, and plant varieties. They represent clients before the Australian Patent Office, other national patent offices and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). They support application and examination processes before the relevant authorities. With their worldwide contacts, patent attorneys coordinate application and examination processes abroad.

Main Activities of a Patent Attorney

A patent attorney's key tasks include:

• Filing applications for protecting all types of industrial property rights, domestically and internationally

• Drafting expert opinions, oppositions, nullity claims, cancellation suits, objections, and third-party submissions

• Administering industrial property rights (monitoring deadlines, paying fees, etc.)

• Prosecuting infringements and defending against attacks on industrial property rights (in collaboration with legal specialists)

• Evaluating third-party industrial property rights and potential collision risks

• Researching prior art

• Handling official registration of transfers of industrial property rights

• Advising on contract-related matters, specifically licensing agreements