Patent attorneys are required to pass a rigorous bar exam separate from the one they take to obtain their law license in order to practice before the US Patent Office. The practice of patent law is the only legal specialty requiring a separate licensing exam to be able to practice their specialty. The exam requires the understanding of literally hundreds of pages of laws and regulations covering the practice of patents as well as knowledge of the procedural rules published in the manual of patent examining procedure (MPEP) used by the Patent Office to examine, review, and accept or reject your patent application. In addition, they must be familiar with the particular language used to word patents since over time certain words have come to have specific legal definitions different than their everyday meanings. Most attorneys spend their first year or more of practicing patent law reviewing issued patents and answering Patent Office actions before being allowed to write their first patent application. Even then, their first few years are completed under the tutelage of a senior patent attorney who reviews their work.

The Patent Office keeps a list of all patent professionals licensed to practice before the Patent Office who are in good standing. You should make sure that you dealing directly with a patent attorney and your application is being prepared by a licensed professional who has sufficient experience and skill and is willing to provide you with references. You should have a direct discussion with your patent attorney prior to commencing work to make sure the individual and yourself can work together and that the attorney understands your invention.