am4184, hi

Okay, let's see... I used to be a trade mark attorney and worked in an IP practice. I would say that if you aim to work in a general firm, your MSc would suffice and getting a PhD in Alzheimers won't really help you. Given that it takes 3-4 years of part-time study to qualify as a Patent Attorney (if your really good at it)... I would suggest you get into practice as soon as poss if that's what you really want. A PhD in Alzheimers might help you if you wanted to work in a biotech company as a Patent agent but only in specialist niches like that rather than general IP. In general IP you would need to develop a wide understanding of scientific protection if that's the field you wanted to go into and it would be better to learn that on the job, I think.

Olivia

Patent attorneys (and trade mark attorneys) are qualified to practice law in this country, but only IP law. They are specialists in this area. They do not tend to practice in courts, though, and will usually brief general lawyers in litigation cases. Mostly they work on protecting intellectual property around the world (brand names, copyright and inventions). They take professional exams on the job in the same way that Accountants do and are admitted to a professional institute upon qualification. Usually it takes around 4 years of part-time study whilst working full-time. It's an interesting job, actually and as someone suggested... a nice niche job if you can get it. I liked the international dimensions of it myself.