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Becoming a trade mark attorney
What qualifications do I need to become a trade mark attorney?
If you are new to the profession and are just starting out to qualify as a trade mark attorney you will need to follow a new
qualification route. This new route encompasses a requirement to learn the detail of the law along with the practical application of that law to real life scenarios. In addition to undertaking the
qualification courses, a student will be required to complete a training diary.
Further information on the new qualification route and the training diary is outlined in the document below:
ITMA New qualification system October 2010
Training Diary Spreadsheet
There are certain people who may already have begun qualification
under the old system and wish to transfer to the new qualification route or already have significant experience in Intellectual Property matters (e.g. a solicitor or barrister) and therefore will
not need to take all elements of the new qualification route. The following flow chart will hopefully simplify the route to qualification depending upon your circumstances.
Any queries regarding the new qualification route should be emailed to the secretary of the Education & Training
Committee, Gillian Rogers (email address gillian@itma.org.uk) and she can forward your email to the Education & Training (E&T) Committee for them to respond. You may also like to refer to
the FAQ section below.
When will the new courses run?
The Law Course run by Queen Mary
(QM) is currently underway. The next full course will begin in September 2011.
The full Practice course run by Nottingham Law School (NLS) will commence in September
2011.
NLS will be running an Intensive course commencing December 2010 for those students who are part way through the existing
qualification system, allowing them to benefit from some of the features of the new qualification system without starting from scratch.
The entry requirements for the NLS intensive course are found below:
Eligible candidates will need to have passed or have been exempted from T1, T2, T5* and Basic English Law foundation papers under
the existing qualification system and to have passed at least one of the final papers T3 or T6. (Passing T4 is not required to sit the course). It is not a requirement to have passed D&C
although that will be needed in order to qualify as a Registered Trade Mark Attorney.
T5* - If T5 has not been passed then a candidate may be able to take this course, subject to demonstrating that he/she has the requisite experience in non UK and non OHIM practice.
Candidates must also be Student or Affiliate Members of ITMA.
T5* - If T5 has not been passed then a candidate may be able to take this course, subject to demonstrating that he/she has the requisite experience in non UK and non OHIM practice.
Candidates must also be Student or Affiliate Members of ITMA.
When do the examinations under the old system finish?
The last opportunity to sit, for the first time, the Advanced Level papers will take place in November 2011.
For anyone needing to re-sit the Advanced Level papers after 2011, there will be one final opportunity to pass these papers in
2012. These will be re-sit exams only and limited to two exams only.
For further information, please visit the Joint Examination Board (JEB) website.
How can I find a position within the profession?
There is no central recruitment; applications have to be made to individual firms either by sending a CV and covering letter to
selected firms registered with ITMA or in response to adverts, some of which appear on the website or in national or local newspapers. In addition to work in
private practice, many of the large firms now have their own Intellectual Property Departments with trade mark specialists. They tend to advertise mostly in the national press or on their own
websites.
Are there work placements or summer internship opportunities?
There are no centrally organised arrangements but some firms offer work placements. Please contact individual firms for
details.
What do trade mark attorneys earn?
There are no set remuneration packages. On entry you might expect anything upwards of £20,000. The salary generally increases after
passing some of the exams on route to qualification, such as the Foundation Level Examinations. Once a qualified Registered Trade Mark Attorney you could expect to be earning
upwards of £40,000. The opportunities and prospects are good.