I have written before about how important it is for patent agents to take and pass the Patent Bar exam. This is necessary for one to become a Registered Patent Agent (RPA) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It is also vital for a job search as a patent agent. Many firms require (or at least prefer) that a candidate be a RPA before they will interview them. The question we examine today is whether taking and passing the Patent Bar exam is also important for IP prosecution associates. Again, the answer is an emphatic “yes,” and for many of the same reasons it is so important for patent agents. To be a successful patent prosecutor – whether as an IP associate or as a patent agent – it is not enough to just understand the science or technology underlying the patents. You must also understand the legal aspects of patent prosecution as well. Passing the Patent Bar exam demonstrates that you have this knowledge. It also demonstrates that you are seriously committed to a career of prosecuting patents, whether as an IP associate or patent agent.
