Frequently Asked Questions – Trainee Programme
What does a patent attorney do?
To whom is the trainee programme directed?
How is the trainee programme structured?
What happens after the trainee programme?
What does a patent attorney do?
Patent attorneys at AWA have the same passion for in-depth analysis as they do for managing existing and acquiring new clients, locally and worldwide.
As patent attorney you will have an endless variation of assignments. Since AWA is working with technical inventions, each assignment per definition relates to new technology, which means that we have new ideas and never-before-seen innovations on our tables every day.
A patent application is basically a text describing new technology. Working as patents attorney therefore also means that you have to master the art of writing – creating clear, concise descriptions while giving your clients the best possible protection for their inventions. Another vital part of the patent attorney’s role is communicating and reporting back to clients in a concrete and lucid way, as well as arguing with various patent authorities around the world regarding the inventiveness of the invention.
As a patent attorney you must always act in the best interests of your clients, whilst also having to consider laws and regulations in the world of intellectual property.
If you like to work in the borderland between technology, business and law, this is definitely an exciting challenge.
To whom is the trainee programme directed?
The Trainee Programme is directed towards candidates with a Master of Science – first and foremost within the fields of electrical engineering, computer technology, biotechnology, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, technical physics and industrial economics.
How is the trainee programme structured?
During your time in the Trainee Programme, you will work both on your own and in a group, alternating theory with practice. Right from the start, you’ll be stationed in your future home office: Malmö, Lund, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Växjö, Linköping, Jönköping, Uppsala or Östersund (all in Sweden), or Copenhagen in Denmark. The need for new patent attorneys at the various offices varies from year to year.
The theoretical part of the programme includes long, continuous study periods. The education part takes place mainly in Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Copenhagen. This provides an introduction to the basic principles of intellectual property rights, with more in-depth instruction in IP law. You will also be given training in how to write patent applications and translate patent documentation.
In addition to providing the strategic and tactical knowledge required for success as a patent attorney, the programme also includes training in the consultant’s role and instruction in business economics and management.
In-house tutors carry out most of the instruction, and the aim is to enable our new patent attorneys to get to know as many people as possible from the various AWA offices.
What happens after the trainee programme?
After successfully completing the Trainee Programme, you will have a full-time position as a patent attorney in one of our offices in Sweden or Denmark.
During your first years, you will be given the opportunity to develop your skills in all aspects of IP, i.e. patents, trademarks, registered designs and copyright. The long-term aim is for you to qualify as a European Patent Attorney, entitling you to represent AWA’s clients before the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich.
As one of our patent attorneys you will work with a broad spectrum of large and small successful companies, inventors, researchers and entrepreneurs from many disciplines. Gradually you will gain detailed insight into a number of different areas of business and technology, developing unique skills in the field of IP.