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- wannabegenius
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 2:11 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
Posting here because I have the same question. The thought of doing nothing for a whole summer before law school scares me. I'm a self-proclaimed busybody.
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- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2017 6:25 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
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Last edited by pulp_1343 on Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- totesTheGoat
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 1:32 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
Assuming you want to do patent prosecution, take and pass the patent bar ASAP. Many firms will let you work part time as a patent agent while going to school. You're going to be infinitely more marketable with a USPTO reg. number than without.pulp_1343 wrote:I have a STEM background so I was hoping to work in the IP divisions. Should I email partners/associates (not sure which?) with my cover letter and resume?
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Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
Also, I had an opportunity with an IP firm as a "patent engineer," which is what some unofficially call the position below patent agent. It's a patent lawyer's assistant and research heavy.totesTheGoat wrote:Assuming you want to do patent prosecution, take and pass the patent bar ASAP. Many firms will let you work part time as a patent agent while going to school. You're going to be infinitely more marketable with a USPTO reg. number than without.pulp_1343 wrote:I have a STEM background so I was hoping to work in the IP divisions. Should I email partners/associates (not sure which?) with my cover letter and resume?
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- totesTheGoat
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 1:32 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
There are 2 roles that you may be describing. Every firm has its own nomenclature for those positions. I did one of them (it involved drafting applications and responding to office actions, all officially signed by my mentor attorney) for almost 3 years during law school. The only difference between me and a patent agent was the salary. Getting your reg. number is worth the 6 weeks (if that) of studying. If I were you, I'd do it now while you're not dealing with law school. It's not super intense to study for because it's open book, and the study tools are great.pricon wrote: I had an opportunity with an IP firm as a "patent engineer,"
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- Posts: 162
- Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 4:05 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
That's a great gig. Mine was behind the scenes research, article drafting, and media management, helping build professional content and subject-matter authority for an experienced IP atty. who had just decided to hang out her shingle.totesTheGoat wrote:There are 2 roles that you may be describing. Every firm has its own nomenclature for those positions. I did one of them (it involved drafting applications and responding to office actions, all officially signed by my mentor attorney) for almost 3 years during law school. The only difference between me and a patent agent was the salary. Getting your reg. number is worth the 6 weeks (if that) of studying. If I were you, I'd do it now while you're not dealing with law school. It's not super intense to study for because it's open book, and the study tools are great.pricon wrote: I had an opportunity with an IP firm as a "patent engineer,"
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- Posts: 9
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2017 6:25 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
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Last edited by pulp_1343 on Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- totesTheGoat
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 1:32 pm
Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
The highlighted portion tells me that you're probably looking at an MBA option as well as the JD. The biggest thing I keep trying to drill into 0Ls heads whenever I meet them is to slow down, plan things out, and make sure you're making the right decision before pulling the trigger. So many people leap without looking into a $150k degree and end up stuck in a job they hate with debt up to their eyeballs.pulp_1343 wrote:I will plan to study and take the USPTO exam asap. I am worried about isolating myself too heavily in IP stuff because I've heard it's really monotonous and I haven't even explored any other areas of the law. My end goal would be management at a pharma/chemical company. The pure law culture and grind is intimidating so I also don't want to close off possible IP work either. Not sure what I am going to do yet.
It sounds like you've got a grasp of what your options are, and now you just need to gather info. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about IP work, the difference between working in a firm and working in-house, etc.
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Re: Hourly Legal Assistant job?
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Last edited by pulp_1343 on Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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