This distinguishes her from transwomen, shorthand for  transsexual women--women who were initially assigned a male gender, but have a female identity. If you identify as a woman but are not a transsexual woman, you're a ciswoman. Cissexual and transsexual identity are grounded in gender roles.
Patent Attorney Law & Legal Definition. A patent attorney refers to a lawyer who is licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
According to a 2009 report by the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), patent attorneys earned annual median wages ranging from $110,000 to $121,800 in 2008. This information is based on a survey of AIPLA members. The AIPLA found that, in 2008, private law firms paid, on average, $166,000 a year to patent attorneys, with partners in private patent law firms earning an average of $415,000 that year. The USPTO employs people to examine patent applications and decide whether the invention is unique enough to qualify for a patent.