IP/Patent law

[lblelalr]

I just had a couple general questions about doing IP. I know that if you're doing patent lit instead of prosecution, you don't need the patent bar. Does that mean people without a hard science/engineering background can go into patent lit or do firms require a technical background when hiring associates for these positions? And how important is your UG major? Do firms want a good distribution of backgrounds since they're going to deal with all types of tech companies or do they snatch candidates up according to the TLS hierarchy of EE>>>>other engineering>>science?

[r6_philly]

You don't need it for lit, but they prefer it. As for distribution, I think that depends on the office and the clients. They will mostly hire based on their office needs. Your success will depend on your background (degree + WE), and fellow candidates. If there are more than enough people that will fit their needs precisely then you probably won't have a good shot.