A patent attorney is an attorney who has the specialized qualifications necessary for representing clients in obtaining patents and acting in all matters and procedures relating to patent law and practice, such as filing patent applications and oppositions to granted patents. The term is used differently in different countries, and thus may or may not require the same legal qualifications as a general legal practitioner. The titles patent agent and patent lawyer are also used in some jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions the terms are interchangeable, while in others the latter is used only if the person is qualified as a lawyer. Qualification regimes In Europe, requirements for practising as patent attorney before national patent offices should be distinguished from those needed for practising before the European Patent Office (EPO) or the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO). On the national level, the requirements are not harmonized, although across the 27 Member States of the European Union respective professional qualifications are mutually recognised to some degree. Australia Registration as a patent attorney in Australia and New Zealand is administered by the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board (the Board). To apply to become a Trans-Tasman patent attorney, one must: pass the nine topics set out in Schedule 5 to the Patent Regulations 1991. hold a suitable tertiary educational qualification in a field of technology that contains potentially patentable subject matter. be a resident in Australia or New Zealand have been employed in a position or positions, for at least 2 continuous years or a total of 2 years within 5 continuous years, that provide the applicant experience in the following skills: searching patent records; preparation filing and prosecution of patent applications in Australia and with other countries; drafting of patent specifications; and provision of advice on interpretation, infringement and validity. be of good fame, integrity or character, and not have been convicted within the past five years of offences against Patents, Trade Marks and Designs legislation. Until the late 1990s, topics were mainly taught and examined by members of the patent attorney profession under the oversight of the PSB, but this process has now been brought into the university system within Australia. Once registered, a Patent and Trademark Attorney may be elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia. Canada To become a registered patent agent in Canada one must complete a series of four qualifying exams over