A patent secretary is a type of legal assistant who assists lawyers and patent agents in dealing with patent lawsuits and other legal issues. A patent is essentially a legal guarantee of ownership of an idea, concept, or invention for a specific period of time, granted to the person or entity credited with its creation or invention. As an assistant to a patent lawyer or other patent professional, a patent secretary may work in a law office, filing or otherwise organizing various patents and addressing lawsuits, legal claims, or disputes.
The patent secretary’s job is mostly clerical in most cases. The patent secretary is responsible for organizing, filing, submitting paperwork, drawing up documents, and addressing other needs related to patent law. For this job, training is available, and many secretaries who start at lower levels can participate in on-the-job training or post-secondary education to gain the skills they need to succeed. A good patent secretary will have a basic understanding of patent law and legal processes as they relate to patent issues, and will be able to pick up new skills in both a clerical and patent law setting.
Communication and proofreading skills, as well as organizational skills, are essential for a patent secretary’s job. He or she will work with complicated documents, and the secretary will be in charge of filing and maintaining files and paperwork. The secretary can also help lawyers and paralegals with proofreading, dictation, typing, and data entry. The secretary will frequently be required to make phone calls, meet with clients or other law firms in person, and interact with a variety of other professionals throughout the legal system.
A candidate for this mid-level position should have several years of experience as a secretary, preferably in a patent law firm. A high school diploma is required, and some post-secondary education will almost certainly be required as well. Although an associate’s degree is not required, it is frequently preferred, as is relevant work experience. Employers frequently require or prefer training in a variety of computer programs, word processing, and communication skills. Although no formal law training is required, a secretary can enroll in basic civics or other relevant courses to prepare for a career in the field.