Outlets
Intellectual property offers many careers in the private and public sectors.
The private sector
- Intellectual property services
As a rule, it is the large companies which have integrated in-house intellectual property services. Experts and lawyers working there are responsible for ensuring the protection of their company's trademarks and industrial designs. They participate in negotiations with their company's partners, and combat infringement. - Careers as industrial property attorneys
These attorneys are independent, i..e; professionally organised on a self-employed basis. This profession offers its services to inventors and innovating companies, assisting them in all fields of industrial property. The principal clients of attorneys are small and medium businesses. Large companies also avail of their services on a complementary basis. This is a regulated profession, access to which requires inter alia passing a French or European qualifying examination.
The public sector
The public authorities are concerned in the granting of intellectual property rights. The international organisations participate in the harmonisation of law as well as in the establishment of actual international and community instruments. For these reasons, the public sector offers many outlets for intellectual property specialists, for example:
- In France
The National Industrial Property Institute (INPI)
- Abroad
The European Patent Office (EPO)
European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)