The Japanese Patent Attorney Law has been revised to enable patent attorneys (benrichi) to carry out a number of tasks that previously could be carried out only by attorneys at law (bengoshi). Among these are the conduct of negotiations in a number of contract matters relating to intellectual property matters, representation of clients in mediation and arbitration proceedings and a possibly increased role in intellectual property litigation. A further broadening of the role of patent attorneys in litigation, which might result in patent attorneys being authorized to handle infringement matters by themselves, without the use of an attorney at law, is still under consideration.