BA for IP? Forum

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muddup

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BA for IP?

Post by muddup » Sat Jun 16, 2012 1:05 pm

Can I do IP law with BA? I'm wondering because I can't see how science/eng would be required for trademark work, which is what I'm contemplating. If anyone has or knows someone doing IP without science/eng please share here! Thanks.

2012JayDee

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Re: BA for IP?

Post by 2012JayDee » Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:46 pm

Trademark work does not require any particular undergrad.
However, you are probably not going to find any employment strictly limiting yourself to just trademark (or copyright) work. It is possible for you to be in the intellectual property practice group of a firm or corporation, and not have a hard science or engineering degree. Most firms that are recruiting law students for IP work are looking for patent folks (those who can take and pass the patent bar).

Most trademark work in a firm goes to the litigation group not necessarily the IP group. Very few firms only do IP litigation as a part of their IP or their litigation practice. So what you're considering is just a very narrow area of work. It's certainly fine to have an interest in trademark law but you're not likely to find a permanent home in this field outside of being a TM attorney for the USPTO which is a very difficult job to get because there are not nearly as many positons available as there are for Patent Agents.

Some in-house jobs may also have a TM or licensing group where only experience doing this work is required. But these are not the types of jobs that will be available to a brand new law grad. It will more than likely require 3-5 years or more of law firm or similar experience doing TM work.

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