You can be an IP lawyer without a STEM degree. You can even be a patent attorney but only on the litigation side.In order to qualify for the Patent Exam, you will need at least a bachelor's degree in one of the specified fields of science or engineering. 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. Even in terms of patent litigation, you don't need a science background. Take, for example, Association for Molecular Pathology v. Instead, those taking the test must show scientific or technical background. Our legal team combines IP expertise with an extensive background in science, industry, and technology. Regardless as to what your background in business and science may be, there's no doubt that the process for filing a patent can be confusing and time-consuming. There are a number of areas in IP that don't require a science background.