How easy is it for US Patent Attorneys to move to Europe?
In the last 6 months or so we’ve had numerous enquiries from American Patent Attorneys hoping to relocate internationally. In the majority of cases, I think attorneys have thought it would be easier than it actually is, or, at the very least, they have not considered quite a few of the complications. Therefore, here’s a list of points to contemplate when trying to relocate.
1) Getting a visa is absolutely not straightforward, but the continent is not a monolith, and each country will have different processes which could work (or not) in your favour. The UK is one of the more difficult jurisdictions; Ireland and some of the Scandinavian countries can be easier.
2) In more countries than you probably think, you can get by only in English. Whilst I would not recommend trying to get a position in France without speaking French, other parts of Europe where English is not the native tongue have English speaking offices and a multinational workforce where the lingua franca is English.
3) Cross-qualification as a European Patent Attorney is most definitely not straightforward. It will take at least three years (maybe longer) and you will have to sit pretty tough examinations. The alternative is potentially qualifying as a local lawyer/solicitor in a
particular European jurisdiction and the requirements for this differ greatly. However, if you want to practice as a Patent Attorney then this route is far from the best option.
4) Whilst in-house positions can make the most sense (as a particular IP qualification may be less essential, particularly for global companies) they are extremely difficult to find and many companies will nonetheless have a preference for European qualified attorneys.
5) Thinking creatively about your contact base can be very useful. Whilst you won’t be able to work as a US Patent Attorney in a European private practice, your network of contacts may be of real value in terms of delivering European work from US clients/firms to your new firm.
6) The best time to move is when you are relatively early career. Three-five years’ experience would be a peak time to move, this is because you will be in a similar age range to your European peers going through the qualification process so will more easily fit into a
hierarchy.
7) Manage your expectations on salary. Typically, the billable hours targets of European firms for Patent Attorneys are significantly less than the US (in the region of 800-1000 hours) which means there is usually a very healthy work-life balance, with hybrid working being
common. Likewise, there is free or cost-limited healthcare for much of Europe and generous vacation allowances compared with the US. Therefore, whilst the topline figures will almost certainly be higher in the US than in most of Europe the net figure, particularly when you factor in a per-hour rate are much more commensurate than you might initially realise.
8) Be very open minded on where you work. Inflexibility can make a search impossible. In general firms only consider overseas applicants when a local candidate is not available so if you are focusing on parts of Europe e.g. London where there is lots of competition it may be extremely difficult to find a role.
9) Be patient but also be ready to act quickly. Agility is key, you may have a long wait for an interview due to a lack of interest in hiring internationally but then in circumstances where firms will consider it there may be some urgency. The easier you can make it for a firm and the speed which you can move can be very helpful.
10) Don’t expect relocation costs to be covered. If a firm was specifically recruiting from the US (which is unlikely but not impossible) then they may cover expenses but if you are simply applying to a position where candidates from all over the world might apply this is much less likely. Visa expenses do tend to be fully or at least mostly covered by firms however.
11) The technical areas most in demand are electronics, engineering, software and physics. The least popular tends to be chemistry but there is fluctuation and we sometimes find that technical areas spike in demand which will increase your chances of success.
12) Candidates who have worked for private practices in a role focused on patent drafting and prosecution are more likely to be successful.
If you are a US Attorney considering a move to Europe, we can help or at the very least offer some advice. We currently have open vacancies in Sweden and Norway but have, in the past, moved US Attorneys to the UK and other parts of Europe. We also work with some firms in Asia as well as Australia and New Zealand.
You can reach us via email at [email protected] or telephone +44 20 7030 3320.