Intellectual Property Lawyers provide legal advice, prepare and draft legal documents, and conducts negotiations on behalf of clients on matters associated with protecting intellectual capital, utilising patent law, copyright law and licensing.

Skill Level

1

Specialisations

• Patent Attorney
• Trade Mark Attorney

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Intellectual Property Lawyer is Vocational & Education Training Assessment (VETASSESS). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• Qualification assessed at Australian Bachelor degree or higher in a highly relevant field of study AND at least one year of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years
• Applicants must meet both the qualification and employment requirements to obtain a positive skills assessment

Hear legal and other matters in courts and tribunals; interpret, analyse, administer and provide advice on the law; and draft legislation.

Tasks

• Researching statutes and previous court decisions relevant to cases
• Conducting trials and hearings
• Calling and questioning witnesses
• Hearing and evaluating arguments and evidence in civil and criminal summary matters
• Deciding penalties and sentences within statutory limits, such as fines, bonds and detention, awarding damages in civil matters, and issuing court orders
• Exercising arbitral powers if resolution is not achieved or seems improbable through conciliation
• Preparing settlement memoranda and obtaining signatures of parties
• Advising government of legal, constitutional and parliamentary matters and drafting bills and attending committee meetings during consideration of bills
• Preparing advice on matters associated with intellectual property rights
• Advising clients and agents on legal and technical matters

Skill Level

In Australia and New Zealand:

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification and at least five years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). This occupation requires registration or licensing.

Occupations in this Group

• 271211 Judge
• 271212 Magistrate
• 271213 Tribunal Member
• 271214 Intellectual Property Lawyer
• 271299 Judicial and Other Legal Professionals nec