Patent attorneys have educational backgrounds in both the law and in the sciences. An undergraduate degree in engineering (either biomedical, civil, mechanical, chemical or electrical) coupled with a Juris Doctorate is often the preferred educational background for a patent attorney. In addition to passing the bar examination in any U.S. jurisdiction, patent attorneys must also pass the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office's Patent Bar Exam. Patent attorneys assist clients with securing patents for their inventions and also litigate disputes between patent holders and patent infringers.
Attorneys who have an educational background in medical science or philosophy at the undergraduate level may want to consider pursuing employment as a bio-ethics attorney. Bio-ethics attorneys advise clients on legal issues involving the intersection of medical invention and/or treatment and the law. Bio-ethics attorneys are employed in a variety of settings, including but not limited to, private practice, in-house general counsel for healthcare-related companies, government entities and in hospitals.
Forensic scientists have a background in science and the law. Often responsible for analyzing evidence obtained from a crime scene, forensic scientists can specialize in a number of areas ranging from criminal forensics such as body identification, fingerprint analysis and DNA profiling to white crime forensics such as computer, database and network analysis. Forensic scientists spend a significant amount of time either on the scene of a crime or in a laboratory analyzing evidence. They may also be asked to testify at trial regarding the securing of evidence and the results of laboratory tests performed.
Environmental analysts have a strong educational background in conservation science combined with advocacy skills typically taught as part of a legal education. Whether specializing in climate change issues, marine ecosystems or toxic waste/hazardous substances, environmental analysts evaluate proposed environmental policies, their effects on the environment and lobby for the adoption of policies favorable to their employer. Environmental analysts must be adept at reading and understanding federal and state environmental statutes as well as international treaties. A political science undergraduate degree can be especially helpful for an environmental analyst as it helps to have knowledge of the context in which such laws are enacted.