结论

  1. 专利代理师本质上是代理，不要求有律师执照。专利律师得先是律师，需要持有律师执照。
  2. Patent Agent 和 Patent Attorney 的共同点是都要求具有理工科的学术背景。
  3. Patent Agent 通过相关专利资质考核即可，不要求有律师执照。
  4. Patent Attorney 是通过专利资质考试的执业律师，本质上还是律师（Attorney），需要持有律师执照。
  5. 在美国，专利代理师应当译为 Patent Agent。在欧洲，专利代理师目前使用的术语为 Patent Attorney。

中文语境

根据《美国专利改革法案生效引发美国专利律师需求大增》一文的介绍，

据了解，美国目前有4万专利律师和专利代理人在美国专利商标局登记在册。专利代理人均须通过专利律师考试，但无须通过州的律师考试。专利代理人负责撰写专利申请，向美国专利商标局提交和处理专利申请案，但不能在专利诉讼中出庭和拟定合同。

根据《美国注册专利代理人考试制度》一文的介绍，

在美国，代理客户处理与美国专利商标局（United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO）相关的专利事务需要取得政府颁发的执业许可。美国专利代理的执业人员分为专利代理人（Patent Agent）和专利律师（Patent Attorney）。专利代理人是通过在美国专利商标局申请并符合注册条件，从事专利代理事务的个人。专利律师是满足专利代理人的条件且已经在美国任何联邦法院或任何州的最高法院从业的律师。

专利代理师执业需要单独取得专利代理师资格证，和律师执业资格证不同。

2018《专利代理条例》第10条和第11条分别规定，

具有高等院校理工科专业专科以上学历的中国公民可以参加全国专利代理师资格考试；考试合格的，由国务院专利行政部门颁发专利代理师资格证。专利代理师资格考试办法由国务院专利行政部门制定。

专利代理师执业应当取得专利代理师资格证，在专利代理机构实习满1年，并在一家专利代理机构从业。

2019《专利代理管理办法》第26条规定，专利代理师执业应当符合下列5个条件：

  1. 具有完全民事行为能力；
  2. 取得专利代理师资格证；
  3. 在专利代理机构实习满一年，但具有律师执业经历或者三年以上专利审查经历的人员除外；
  4. 在专利代理机构担任合伙人、股东，或者与专利代理机构签订劳动合同；
  5. 能专职从事专利代理业务。

英文语境

根据 Inventors 101: Patent Attorney vs Patent Agent 这篇文章的介绍，在美国，二者最大的区别是 Patent Attorney 是律师，可以出庭并向客户提供法律意见。但 Patent Agent 不能出庭或提供法律意见。

The difference between patent attorneys and patent agents is that patent attorneys (who are also patent agents) are licensed lawyers and can practice in court and give advice in all business related legal matters, while patent agents have only passed the Patent Bar Exam and are registered to practice by the USPTO. Both must have a technical degree: BS, MS, or PHD in a technical field.

In fact every patent attorney is a patent agent, there are just specific limitations on what a patent agent can really do for you.

Patent agents are only allowed to practice “patent law” through or with the USPTO, but they are NOT lawyers and cannot provide legal counsel, especially if it relates to licenses or infringements on patents that are already licensed, nor can they represent you in court.

Patent Agents are usually more affordable and often charge approximately 20-40% less than Attorneys for their services depending on experience and background.

Patent Attorneys vs Patent Agents Explained for Inventors
https://patentlawyer.io/patent-attorney-vs-patent-agent/

根据 Patent Agent vs. Patent Attorney: What’s the Difference? 这篇文章的介绍，Patent attorney 首先要是执业律师（attorney）。不同的司法管辖区还有不同要求。通常是要求具有理工科的学术背景，并且通过政府官方组织的资质考核。

At the most basic level, an attorney is a person who has obtained a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and has passed the bar exam for the state or states in which they practice law. Having these qualifications allows the attorney to represent clients in front of the courts for which they are admitted.

Patent attorneys take this qualification and credential a step further.

In order to be able to represent clients in front of the IP examining bodies of specific countries, attorneys must pass a registration exam for each of those countries. For example, in the US, you must pass the USPTO Registration Examination to become a registered patent practitioner in order to practice before the USPTO. One requirement of eligibility for the USPTO exam is to have a scientific or technical degree, so the assumption is that the registered patent practitioner is able to understand highly complex technologies that become the basis of new inventions.

根据 Patent Agent vs. Patent Attorney: What’s the Difference? 这篇文章的介绍，在美国，Patent agent 要具有理工科的学术背景，且通过美国专利及商标局（USPTO）资质考核。但是，因为其不是律师，没有资格在法庭代表客户。但是在欧洲，通过类似考核的人却被称为 patent attorney，无论其是否具有法学教育背景。

In the U.S., a patent agent is someone with a technical background who has passed the USPTO Registration Examination. A registered U.S. patent agent can represent clients before the USPTO, like a patent/trademark attorney. However, unlike an attorney, a patent agent cannot represent clients before the court system.

The nomenclature can be a bit confusing in countries outside of the U.S. For example, a person who has passed the European Qualifying Examination is called a European patent attorney, regardless of whether the person has a law degree from an accredited university.

其他

中华全国专利代理师协会的官方英文翻译是 All-China Patent Attorneys Association。

根据以上分析，这个翻译对于欧洲客户来说是正确的。但对于美国客户来说具有误导性。

参考资料

  1. 美国注册专利代理人考试制度
  2. 专利代理人证和律师证的双证专利律师在从业选择路口的抉择：向左走or向右走？
  3. 专利代理人转向专利律师的过程吐槽

关于作者

  1. 张诗尧（Joey Zhang），译者/法学学士，持有中国法律职业资格，长期从事法律翻译、法律检索、商业翻译
  2. 个人简历可点击此处查阅
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