2017 Report of the Economic Survey

AIPLA Report of the Economic Survey 2017

CORPORATE IP DEPARTMENT, PATENT AGENT

 Only 19 patent agents who worked in a corporate IP department participated in the 2017 survey. Almost seven in 10 (68.4%) held a doctorate and were 49.5 years old, on average.  Median gross income for 2016 was $170,000, compared to $162,000 for 2014 based on 15 participants, and $132,500 for 2012 based on 30 participants.  Median year-end cash bonus was $16,986, and the average year-end bonus was $20,016.  Expected median total cash income for 2017 was $179,200.  Almost half (47.4%) of the corporate patent agent time was devoted to IP prosecution work, 12.9% of time was spent on opinions or counseling prior to litigation or formal ADR, and 10.5% of time was spent managing outside counsel for IP prosecution work. Three-quarters of corporate patent agents’ IP time was spent on patents.  The average number of IP lawyers and patent agents employed by the respondent’s firm at all locations was 40.1.  An average of 25.9 new priority US and PCT patent applications were prepared and filed in 2016 by corporate IP department, patent agents.

2016 GROSS INCOME (P. I-77, Q10) PATENT AGENT, CORPORATE IP DEPARTMENT By Number of Attorneys

1-2

26-50

Total All Number of Attorneys

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

1st Quartile/3rd Quartile Median Mean

2016 Income

29