You will only be admitted as a patent attorney if you

• have obtained the qualification for this profession in accordance with the Patent Attorney Act or
• as a national of a member state
  • of the European Union (EU),
  • of the European Economic Area (EEA) or
  • Switzerland can submit a certificate from the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) stating that
    • your professional qualifications acquired abroad include the knowledge required for practicing the profession of patent attorney in Germany or
    • you have passed the aptitude test for admission to the patent attorney profession.

You have obtained the qualification for the profession of patent attorney in accordance with the Patent Attorney Act if the following points apply:

• You have acquired the technical qualification. This means that you have
  • successfully completed a scientific or technical university degree, also possible abroad, provided that the degree was recognized in the Federal Republic of Germany or its equivalence was established by the DPMA and the competent supreme state authority,
  • have spent at least one year in practical technical work or have acquired the required practical technical experience in some other way.
• You have completed training in the field of industrial property protection: for at least 34 months in Germany, of which at least 26 months with a patent attorney or a patent assessor; the DPMA may credit up to 12 months of training in the field of industrial property protection completed abroad; alternatively, you may have worked as a patent clerk for at least 10 years;
• You have completed a degree in general law at a university.
• You have passed the examination on the required legal knowledge.
• If you were not trained by a patent attorney, you must have worked for a patent attorney for at least 6 months after the examination.

You will not be admitted to the patent bar in the following cases:

• You have forfeited a fundamental right according to the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court.
• You are not qualified to hold public office as a result of a criminal conviction.
• You have been excluded from the patent attorney profession by a final judgment handed down no more than 8 years ago.
• A final decision has been taken against you in proceedings for dismissal by a judge or in disciplinary proceedings for removal from office in the administration of justice or at the DPMA.
• You are guilty of conduct which makes you appear unworthy of the profession of patent attorney.
• You have committed a criminal offense against the free democratic basic order.
• For health reasons, you are not only temporarily incapable of properly practicing the profession of patent attorney.
• You are engaged in an activity that is incompatible with the profession of patent attorney, in particular with your position as an independent organ of the administration of justice, or that may jeopardize confidence in your independence.
• You are in financial difficulties. For example, insolvency proceedings must not have been opened against you.
• You are
  • a judge,
  • a civil servant,
  • professional soldier or temporary soldier,

unless you are working in an honorary capacity or your rights and duties are suspended.