All states require that a person who represents you in court or in any other legal matter be trained in the law and pass a bar admission examination.  The United States Patent and Trademark Office is no exception.

     The United States Patent and Trademark Office has a bar of persons with technical degrees or equivalent, who can represent inventors in an application for patent registration before the Patent Office. 

     These representatives are called "Patent Agents" because they have technical skills and have passed the bar examination of the Patent Office.

     If an attorney is licensed in his/her home state, has a technical degree or equivalent, and passes the bar examination of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, then that person is registered with the Patent Office as a Registered "Patent Attorney" and can represent inventors before the Patent Office.

     Since the Patent Bar Examination is focused on the federal laws and rules governing preparing an application for patent registration and prosecution of that application before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, passing this examination only qualifies the person to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

     The Patent Agent cannot give legal advice outside of patent registration unless the person is also a licensed state attorney.