Patent Agents

A Step Into the Big Leagues

Many of Finnegan’s patent agents started with the firm as Technical Specialists. Experienced patent agents also regularly join Finnegan from other law firms. As a Patent Agent, you will have the opportunity to work on fast-paced, high-profile USPTO matters, using your science or engineering background and subject specialization on behalf of the most innovative companies across the globe. And your career as a Patent Agent can continue to grow and flourish as your experience grows, taking on advanced roles in patent prosecution and portfolio management, eventually serving as Senior Portfolio Manager. You’ll take a respected place among a team that includes nearly 300 professionals with scientific degrees, and 65+ professionals with Ph.D.’s.

If you have an outstanding technical background in a hard science, engineering, or computer science, and show strong patent prosecution and writing skills and you are interested in becoming a practicing IP attorney, Patent Agents who have been with the firm for at least two years are eligible to apply for the firm’s part-time law school program.

Our Client-Service Approach

Patent Agent expertise is a core component of what Finnegan offers clients and is highly valued within Finnegan’s collegial culture and flat hierarchic structure. Yes, we are a firm with a powerful track record of defending and advocating for our clients and their innovations, but for us, IP law is more than a zero-sum game of winners and losers. Innovation and rulings have multi-dimensional implications, and clients regularly turn to us for guidance as they navigate new or shifting IP terrain. As a Patent Agent at Finnegan, you’ll be right at the center of the IP conversation and can expect regular contact with clients.

Why Finnegan?

Finnegan is about people. As a Patent Agent, you will collaborate with attorneys, peer technical experts, and professional support staff from around the world. The culture here prizes relationships, teamwork, and respect, regardless of title or function.

Our professionals are multilingual and multicultural, and they work with clients in real-time around the world. Your peers hail from locations ranging from Romania to Pennsylvania to Colombia to Taiwan. There’s a reason Vault ranked us as a top law firm for diversity in its 2023 rankings. Find out why many Finnegan professionals spend their entire career here.

We practice every major area of IP.

Finnegan serves clients through 10 major IP practice areas and many additional sub- practices. We also follow innovation, with specialist teams focused on more than 20 industries that currently generate the bulk of global IP activity. Most Finnegan Patent Agents work closely with an industry team that matches their area of specialization.

Where You Can Work

Patent Agents work in our Washington, DC headquarters, or in one of our offices situated near innovation hubs in Atlanta, Boston, Palo Alto, Reston, London, Munich, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, or Tokyo.

"In terms of regular exposure to clients, being a working agent on a case here is very similar to being a working attorney."

— Finnegan patent agent

Professional Development

At Finnegan, you will discover that continuous training and professional development are a vital part of your career, and our culture. You will receive all the resources and training you need to assist you in ultimately becoming an exceptional Patent Agent providing superior service to our clients. In addition to in-house roundtable programs, ad hoc meetings about updates to changes in IP law, and monthly practice group and section meetings, Finnegan offers formal training programs:

Finnegan’s LEAP Program

Finnegan has a robust training curriculum (L.E.A.P.: Learn, Enrich, Achieve, Progress), designed to support the continued growth and development of Patent Agents at all levels and allowing them to perfect their patent prosecution and patent portfolio development skills. Finnegan believes that training and ongoing education are essential to developing the best patent agents to service for our clients. With multiple training and education components, L.E.A.P. is designed to enhance the firm’s existing training and mentoring activities throughout the year.

The L.E.A.P. calendar includes: advanced patent prosecution, advanced legal writing, practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), advanced technical and legal research, litigation training, business development training and individualized coaching, billing and timekeeping, budget development, persuasive speaking, presentation skills, leadership, management, and delegation.

Benefits

At Finnegan, you’ll find that the health and well-being of all our professionals and their families are of the utmost importance. We offer a comprehensive, well-rounded benefits package to meet your health, financial, and educational needs and interests.

The benefits for a part-time patent agent are similar to those for full-time patent agents.

Health and welfare benefits

Affordable health and dental plans
Vision insurance
Firm-paid life insurance
Firm-paid accidental death and dismemberment insurance
Firm paid long term disability insurance
Supplemental life, accidental death and dismemberment and long-term disability insurance
Domestic partner and children benefit
Flexible Spending Accounts for dependent care, healthcare and parking expenses
Health Savings Account for eligible employees
Health advocacy program
Free resource and care support program for employees with children with developmental disabilities
Pet insurance
Supplemental Critical Illness and Accident insurance plans available
Paid legal plan available

Leave benefits and flexible work schedules

Paid jury duty
Paid bereavement leave
Personal and educational leaves of absence
Paid medical leave (short-term disability)
Paid family and parental leave
Reduced and part-time work schedule options

Retirement benefits

Participation in firm’s 401(k) and Roth feature

Childcare and eldercare

Back-up/Emergency childcare, center-based or in-home
In-home sick childcare
In-home backup elder/adult care
Preferred access spaces for full-time childcare (DC office)
Child and adult tutoring
Pet care
Free resource to assist with coordination of care needs of employee and family members

Additional benefits

Pre-tax transportation expenses
Employee assistance program
Overtime meal and taxicab rides
Direct deposit

FAQs

What are the hiring criteria for career patent agents?

You must have an outstanding technical background in a hard science, engineering, or computer science; patent agent experience; a current USPTO patent bar registration number; and demonstrated expertise in your field.

Will I be assigned to a specific department?

You are placed into a industry group based on your scientific or technical background. Each practice group has a practice group leader who monitors the workloads and professional development of the practice group members.

What type of work will I get?

Typically, a patent agent focuses on patent prosecution. Work is assigned based on skill sets, professional development goals, and client needs. Finnegan patent agents are expected to efficiently manage a number of concurrent cases.

Is there a mentoring program?

When you join the firm, you are assigned both a partner advisor and a peer advisor. Your partner advisor assists with the formal performance reviews given twice a year and counsels you in regard to your professional development. Your peer advisor will introduce you to others in the firm, answer your questions, and help smooth your transition into the firm.

What is the firm's dress code?

Our day-to-day dress is business casual in all of our offices. Occasionally, you may be required to wear a business suit or comparable formal professional attire.

Are arrangements for flexible work arrangements available?

Yes. Our Patent Agents can use a number of flexible work arrangements, established by agreement with their Industry team, including flex-time and some split home/office schedules.

What is the firm's diversity and inclusion policy?

Finnegan is one of the leading companies in any field when it comes to the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce. When you meet with us, you will quickly realize that Finnegan values diversity. For more information about our diversity and inclusion efforts, please click here.

Attending Law School While Working as a Patent Agent

Learn by Doing

Patent Agents who have been with the firm for at least two years are eligible to apply for the firm’s highly selective program that allows them to attend a part‑time evening law school program while continuing to work at the firm. If accepted, the firm covers the cost of tuition and textbooks, and the patent agent receives a reduced billable‑hour requirement. (The firm may approve enrollment in a full-time law school program (Harvard and Stanford) in limited instances.)

Those Patent Agents participate in the program will also be eligible for consideration for an Associate attorney position upon graduation from law school.

What are the billing goals?

1,500 billable hours per year for Patent Agents in an evening law school program and 1,000-1,200 hours for Patent Agents in a day law school program.

Does the firm give credit for pro bono work?

Pro bono work is an important part of Finnegan’s commitment to social responsibility. We also believe giving back is an opportunity to receive knowledge, expertise, experience, and the good feeling one gets from helping others. As a Patent Agent enrolled in law school, pro bono hours are credited toward your billable hours goal and up to 75 pro bono hours can count towards the billable hour goal.

Will I receive an associate offer when I graduate from law school?

Selection into the law school program is highly selective and we value our investment in the Patent Agents who graduate from law school as part of our program, thus we expect that most will receive offers. Over the years, more than 90 percent of our Patent Agents who participated in the law school program have joined the firm as associate lawyers.