Patent agencies may take the form of either a partnership or a limited liability company. For a partnership, there should be at least three (3) partners and an investment of RMB50,000, while a minimum of five (5) shareholders and RMB100,000 in capital is required for a limited liability patent agency. Applications for establishment of patent agencies should be filed with provincial level intellectual property bureaus, which in turn forward the applications to the State Administration of Intellectual Property for approval. If a law firm is to apply for a license to engage in the business of a patent agency, it should have at least three (3) attorneys qualified as patent agents.
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