You can be an IP lawyer without a STEM degree. You can even be a patent attorney but only on the litigation side.These lawyers often have a background in science, technology, or engineering. Many of our IP attorneys hold advanced degrees in engineering or applied science and are licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Our Dallas patent attorneys help clients globally obtain patent protection and defend it. Speak to a licensed patent attorney today. You absolutely do not need hard sciences for anything related to copyright and trademarks, including in a law firm. As others have indicated, to practice before the U.S. Patent Office you must have a science or engineering background, not just a law license. Williams IP Law provides skillful, knowledgeable counsel to inventors in the field of biotechnology. Obtaining a patent in this area is enormously difficult.