Patent law salary reddit. Patent Prosecution Partner Salary Expectation? What's the range in compensation for partners in patent prosecution firms (either IP Boutique or big law)? Just curious on the salary range and how many years of associate experience are needed to reach a partnership on average. I think the $215k starting salary has blinded… Wondering how much do patent lawyers make? Discover salaries, career paths & tips to boost your income in patent law. I had the exact same concern when I started in the job because I had heard about the horrendous stories from all my friends that worked in commercial law. Curious what first year salaries are for associates. The median salary for a patent agent is right around $100K, while the median mechanical engineering salary is $71K. I originally had considered patent law, but the first time I met patent lawyers from the law firm side, I bailed within an hour. (which can be it’s own giant financial hit). Hello everyone, I've been working as a patent attorney for about 2 years now and am looking to switch jobs in the next year. The best course of action is to work part-time as a patent agent while the law firm pays your law school tuition down the road. Learn key trends, predictions, and pro tips to maximize your earning potential in 2024-2025. I feel there’s a lot of incorrect or misleading… Starting salary for biglaw patent agent in high col city is around $115K, with same billable hour requirements as attorneys. Feb 1, 2026 · Patent Attorney salaries, benefits packages, yearly bonuses, job descriptions, statistics and available positions. Big law is a very broad term and comp can vary significantly based on geography and whether the firm is one of the top patent firms. The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust provides healthcare services and information for patients, visitors, and staff. Could any patent attorneys share what kind of compensation they get? For me, it'd have to be significantly more than my engineering job to make law school (and quitting to go back to school) really worth it. At a top firm in a major market (think SF/SV, Boston, DC) 150 is the absolute floor for your experience and I’d personally expect closer to 160-170 for your experience. No conversations in this subreddit should be understood to establish an attorney-client relationship. . People are not kidding when they say that you will be thinking about how to bill a handful of minutes at a time. Top earners have reported making up to $365,008 (90th percentile). Also there is a qualified attorney who writes a blog called ipchimp (I think, I have a feeling he might be on reddit too). I went to a top 14 law school. Is it fair to say that most first year associates (in patent prosecution) in Chicago patent boutiques make 140-190k salary? What would the approximate average be for a first year associate? Whatever you have heard about law practice does not apply to U. People seem to rave about it, might give an idea of starting salaries. So if you're thinking about going the examiner route that may be better. Discussion of patents and patent law in any jurisdiction. Even if you have an engineering degree, get your JD, and pass the patent bar, you still won't know your head from your ass. Explore how AI, hybrid work models, and global competition are reshaping Biglaw compensation. I'm trying to get a job as a tech specialist at top IP law firm (like FISH, Cooley or MoFo), with the hope of becoming a patent agent, then going to law school part-time and becoming a patent attorney. Do you see any other option for me to have successful wealthy future to practice in another field with my undergrad being Construction Engineering? With the salary you're already commanding, patent agent doesn't make any sense, so I assume you're only looking at patent attorney. This would be much more lucrative than my engineering position, and likely much more interesting and a better usage of my personal talents. Everyone knows this, and getting someone to give you a shot so you can get real experience is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. Visit PayScale to research patent attorney salaries by city, experience, skill, employer and more. I’m really interested in law , so there’s no question in going to law school. I’m not going to law school for the money but I’m curious what is the starting salary for a patent attorney . And that’s true no matter what career field you decide to pursue. from a half-decent school you can crack 200+. Small-law is random and negotiated by individual attorneys. The estimated total pay for a Attorney Patent Law is £61,139 per year, with an average salary of £57,574 per year. The firm I work for has a reputation among patent firms for working long hours and yet I work 35 hours a week. PATENT LAW SALARY GUIDE Dive into this essential guide and gain a competitive edge in patent law salary information. Your salary will likely increase if you decide to take the Patent Bar exam and become a Patent attorney. This guide is a must-read resource that delves deep into earning potential patent agent and attorney salaries. At the biggest, highest paying law firms (called "BigLaw") you'd be looking at a base + bonus compensation of around $200k in the first year and around $330 k in the 5th year (using approximately Cravath scale). If you play your career right you could be at one of these large tech firms faster than a lawyer will graduate from law school not to mention you will avoid paying for the extra schooling. In many cases the salary will exceed a lawyer salary when you include perks that come with working at large tech firms. Attorney Salary in Comparison to Patent Law Salaries How Does an Attorney Salary Stack Up? General attorneys typically earn around $145,000 a year, while Patent attorneys typically earn around $185,000 a year. Oct 25, 2023 · Now, you may be wondering, what is the average salary of a patent attorney? While specific figures can vary depending on various factors such as experience, location, and the size of the law firm or company they work for, we turn to Reddit for some insights into this matter. The pay isn’t as high as patent attorneys but you still make a decent living. A patent law salary is the amount of money earned by a patent lawyer. patent law. A glance at the salary data reveals that a career as a patent agent, which does not require a law degree, pays more than jobs in most engineering fields. If you’re going to a second-tier school, and with an me you may have a hard time getting that first patent job. We also put together all historical Biglaw salary scales. Questions: Salary expectations in Chicago market: I'm relying on personal examples and inflation-adjusted figures from the 2017 AIPLA salary report. Could anyone give some insight into what an expected salary would be for a 1st year associate patent attorney at a "midlaw"… So let's say 15 years from now on average are patent attorneys better off than engineers assuming the engineers don't start a business or get into management. We’re on a journey to advance and democratize artificial intelligence through open source and open science. 28 votes, 97 comments. If so why are the salaries so high for patent attorneys compared to engineers like in ChEme or EE. What kind of salary do you think that I can demand? The estimated total pay for a (Patent Law) is $168,421 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $124,322 per year. With a J. This community is not for soliciting or discussing legal advice. Patent Attorney salaries, benefits packages, yearly bonuses, job descriptions, statistics and available positions. I'm in small-law and earn about 2/3 of big-law for about 2/3 the hours. Often, individuals working in larger metropolitan areas earn more than their counterparts living in rural areas. K. I have been presented with an opportunity to be hired at a firm where they pay for me to go to a mid-tier law school to become a patent lawyer. I'm not 100% sure I want to go to law school so I'm currently interested in the technical advisor to patent agent track. I'd take 80k in dallas before 115k in northeast, fwiw. The current Cravath scale dicates how much Biglaw associates are paid in 2026. Factors such as location, experience, and industry can influence patent law salaries. In order to get accurate data on starting salaries for ME patent attorneys, I would call up local Patent attorneys and see if they will talk to you about their career. Non biglaw (but still big) firms in secondary cities (think Dallas) probably around 80k, with lots of varition. I have 10 years of Senior Data Engineering/AI experience working in Finance, Telecom, Networking, and Defense Aerospace making between 150-180k, but I see salaries dropping in my field so I decided to try out law. Nov 22, 2025 · An entry-level Patent Attorney with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $112,444 based on 35 salaries. 11 votes, 32 comments. Someone in your position would likely have a starting salary between 120k and 160k depending on the firm and the location. The average salary for a Patent Attorney is $155,552 in 2026. Some firms have a commitment period after graduation (for example, one year for each year the firm pays for law school). How much does a Patent Attorney make in the UK? Find out now! Patent Attorney average salary, total pay, compensation by experience level, top salaries and jobs by location. I'm not a patent office employee, but I've talked with a few a lot to field the examiner path myself, and from what I understand if you work for the patent office for 2 years, you get your examiner registration number which is the same thing as having passed the patent bar. Apr 10, 2025 · How much does a Patent Attorney in United States make? The average salary for a Patent Attorney is $224,937 per year or $108 per hour in United States, which is in line with the national average. How much does a VP of Patent Law make? The average annual salary of VP of Patent Law in New York, NY is $310,739 or $173 per hour, ranging from $269,970 to $349,885 and $150 to $195. Starting Salaries for entry-level PhD positions? I'll be graduating within the next couple of years with a PhD in Immunology from a well-respected public university in New England and I'm interested in going into patent law. But I had mediocre grades. You might be able to push that a bit higher, but it will be impossible to meaningfully progress in salary unless you go to law school for a J. Where you work always impacts how much you’ll get paid. They don't infinitely increase patent agent salary and effectively incentivize them to stay at agent level Questions on salary So I wanted to take a survey of how much people at your firm make + bonus? I recently transferred over from engineering to patent law and am interested in going into Law School but have no idea what to expect. When I joined the Examining Corps (biotech) in 2012, PhDs were automatically hired as grade 11 (I had a JD and MS with patent law experience and was still hired as a grade 9). Hi all, interested to know what realistic salaries are for patent attorneys in Europe and the UK. Just got my GC approved, and I'm looking to switch to patent law (after lots of research/talking to others who made the switch). Depending on location and expertise, a starting patent agent is around 100-130k. D. It varies depending on factors such as experience, location, and the size of the law firm or company they work for. Keep in mind that you can also work as a patent agent and do most of the same things as patent attorneys without going to law school. * * * * * We love all things patent law! I dont know if you've read it but inside careers (i think) produce an annual journal about patent attorney careers. If you can keep law school costs low and go into biglaw, you will surpass your opportunity cost of your would-be engineering salary fairly quickly (3-4 years). If you’re mapping out your career path, this guide equips you with detailed research and insights into salary ranges […] 11K subscribers in the patentlaw community. I believe that over a 25-30 year career, there is a higher chance of making more money as a patent law partner than a salaried engineer. Better fiems encourage people to go to law school and offer to pay to get them to attorney level. The barrier to entry for patent law is pretty high. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. Many firms will subsidize or pay for the cost of law school while also paying you a salary if you attend law school part time while working for the firm. Finally creeping up on 170 for my LSAT PT’s but thinking I may not like the life of working in big law. I have experience in patent prosecution patent litigation some trademark work, some copyright work, contract drafting and contract litigation. Welcome to r/lawcanada! Our community is a space for Canadian lawyers, law students, aspiring lawyers, and laypeople to discuss Canadian law, the practice of law, career advice, industry news, and the like. Mar 27, 2024 · Patent law salaries are generally high, making it a lucrative career choice. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. Virtual-law is half to 3/4 of your billings, but no salary or benefits. In mid-law, I've seen about 2/3 big-law in the same region. I’m at a midsize firm (40ish attorneys - PA) and make $82,500. tmq3b, phhxgg, hxvmm, g3vd, iyskj, ptouas, ejfxu, 8pyc3r, 7cvqu, xmr1l5,