The USPTO maintains a list (“register”) of attorneys who have been approved to represent inventors before the USPTO. Those attorneys whose names are on the list are Registered Patent Attorneys. They must be graduates of a four year accredited college, must have a college degree in a technical discipline, must be graduates of a three year accredited law school and have a Juris Doctor degree, must be admitted to practice before the highest court in their state, and must pass a rigorous exam conducted by the Patent and Trademark Office that tests the applicant on numerous technical and legal issues. Less than one per cent of attorneys are registered patent attorneys.