For anyone involved in patent litigation, it is abundantly
clear that the task of drafting these infernal documents is not for the faint
hearted. For their part, those who draft
patents are acutely aware of the pitfalls which await their clients should
there be a mere slip of the pen. This
commentator is daily involved in the pre-filing review and prosecution of
patents and, alongside clients, assisting lawyers in many countries with patent
litigation. I, for one believe that the
patent drafter must surely apply art and science in at least equal
measures. To learn and maintain these
skills is quite a task indeed.

Two recent books have done patent agents and patent attorneys
and their trainees a great favour by making substantial contributions to the
body of recorded knowledge on the subject of patent drafting. Paul Cole’s ‘Fundamentals of Patent Drafting’
published by CIPA, will surely go down in history as one of those legendary
works and a ‘must-have’ for every patent agent or patent attorney’s
library. Similarly, Gwilym Roberts’
book, “A Practical Guide to Drafting Patents” published in Sweet &
Maxwell’s EIPR Practice Series, is an extremely practical guide for those
wishing to learn more about this black art.

Read the full article, available for download at Oxford University Press’ Journal of Intellectual Property & Practice.