In August, Nicholas Strogen, a 2015 graduate of Bridgeport High School, passed the Patent Bar on his first attempt. 

 

The Patent Bar is administered through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). By passing this exam, professionals can represent inventors in front of the United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO).

 

In addition to passing the Patent Bar, individuals must meet the requirements of 37 CFR § 11.7, including the legal, scientific, and technical qualifications, as well as be of good moral character and reputation. In 2019, only 45 percent of tested individuals passed the notoriously difficult Patent Bar, nationwide.

Strogen, a 2019 WVU engineering grad, is currently in his second year of law school at Michigan State University College of Law in East Lansing, Mich., where his focus is Intellectual Property Law. He also is a member of the Michigan State Law Review, the flagship law journal that publishes issues dedicated to innovative legal analysis. 

 

Strogen is the son of Greg and Twyla Strogen of Bridgeport.

 

Patent attorneys are able to practice at the USPTO, preparing, filing, and executing applications for patents on behalf of individuals or clients. Additionally, they are able to practice in court for trials involving US patents. 

 

There are currently 39 patent attorneys in the state of West Virginia.

 

Editor's Note: Submitted photo of Nicholas Strogen