Want to pass your EQE ... and looking for a book?

Are you thinking of becoming a patent attorney in Europe? Taking the European Qualifying Examinations? Hoping to pass? Says the IPKat, here's something for you to read, depending on your predilections, your preferences and your pocket.

ABC/D Comprehensive: a comprehensive analysis of the European Qualifying Examination for Candidates preparing for the exam, Brian Cronin (Patskills). Web page here. Available from Unibook here. 162 pages. Price $34.

"This book is a comprehensive analysis of the European Qualifying Exam for European Patent Attorney candidates preparing for the exam. The book’s title alludes to the fact that paper D lays a legal foundation for the legally-oriented practical papers A, B and C.

It is designed principally for candidates who are embarking on their EQE preparations, to enable them to lay the foundations of effective exam preparation and enhance their professional performance. It will also be useful for candidates and resitters who need to review what they have achieved so far in order to consolidate and continue successfully. ABC/D Comprehensive is more than a primer to introduce beginners to the EQE. It provides a thorough understanding of the exam so candidates can orient effectively their exam preparation in order to optimize their return on the considerable investment involved".

Brian Cronin, a British Chartered Patent Attorney and European Patent Attorney with over 40 years experience, is based in Nyon, Switzerland. Brian has been giving advice to candidates for the European Qualifying Exam since 1984 and this book condenses his vast experience into a ready-to-follow guide for trainees.


A Complete Guide to Passing the European Qualifying Exam and qualifying as a European Patent Attorney, by Simon Roberts and Andrew Rudge (5th Edition, 2010 Edition). Available from Sweet & Maxwell here. 691 pages. Price £135.

"Providing you with a comprehensive study guide for preparing for the European Qualifying Exam, the 2010 edition:

* Provides commentary on the relevant law and rules;
* Includes annotated guides to the EPC and PCT;
* Covers the relevant case law you need to know for the exam;
* Includes sample questions fit with model answers;
* Shows you how to best structure your answers so that it fulfils all the requirements examiners are looking for;
* Offers strategies for answering papers A, B, C, D1 and D2;
* Addresses Papers A and B for both the Chemistry and Electricity/Mechanical options;
Takes a topical approach, following all the phases in patent applications".

PCT Procedures and Passage into the European Phase: a practical guide for patent professionals and candidates for the European Qualifying Examination, by Peter Watchorn and Andrea Veronese. Second edition. Published by Kastner. Details from PCT Compass here. 429 pages plus some jolly useful pull-out tables. Price 59 euro.

Say the authors: "This book incorporates and explains all legal changes which came into force for the EPC and the PCT since the first edition of this book was published in 2006 (including the coming into force of EPC 2000). It also preempts changes to the EPC and PCT this year, so it will also be suitable for use in the EQE of 2011".

Merpel doesn't believe that all the guidance on passing the EQEs is published in English. She suspects that there must be something in French, German, Spanish and/or Italian, and asks readers to let her know.