GULC (sticker) + Mechanical Eng Degree + work experience Forum

[MEipLAW]

Been lurking for a while...

The obvious consensus is that GULC at sticker is a terrible idea.

Is it still terrible in my situation?
I have an engineering degree (ME.....not EE/CS) and a few years of technical work experience. I will take the patent before law school.

I want biglaw or market paying IP boutique...preferably in DC.

I have about 30K of savings to put down.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[woeisme]

So for whatever reason your choice is GULC or bust right now?

[top30man]

So for whatever reason your choice is GULC or bust right now?

Also wondering this. There have been a few threads lately on whether IP secure is still a thing ITE like this one. http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... e#p5074343
I would use the search function.

[MEipLAW]

So for whatever reason your choice is GULC or bust right now?

Pretty much. It's the only T14 I have been accepted to. I have been accepted to some lower ranked schools (20-30) but have not received any money from any of them (low GPA).

[woeisme]

Pretty much. It's the only T14 I have been accepted to. I have been accepted to some lower ranked schools (20-30) but have not received any money from any of them (low GPA).

IP secure, I guess. I'd prolly do it.

[rayiner]

IPSECURE is definitely a thing, but mostly for engineers with good undergraduate GPA's. IP boutiques were very skeptical of my low undergraduate GPA in aerospace engineering.

[buckilaw]

Were you admitted FT or PT? If you could do PT and continue working to defray costs that might be good. But I imagine it would be truly brutal trying to do that.

[bbalcrzy23]

IPSECURE is definitely a thing, but mostly for engineers with good undergraduate GPA's. IP boutiques were very skeptical of my low undergraduate GPA in aerospace engineering.

What do you think is considered low?

[rayiner]

IPSECURE is definitely a thing, but mostly for engineers with good undergraduate GPA's. IP boutiques were very skeptical of my low undergraduate GPA in aerospace engineering.

What do you think is considered low?

Sub-3.0.

[MEipLAW]

Would anyone that voted "no" care to elaborate?

[MEipLAW]

No IPer's around?

[rayiner]

No IPer's around?

As I said, it depends on your determination of whether GULC at sticker is a good idea, without considering IP. If your UGPA is sub-3.0 I think you'll not get a second look from IP boutiques, especially if your LS grades are also low. If your LS grades are high, you still might not get a look from IP boutiques, but you'll get attention from general practice firms.

[MEipLAW]

No IPer's around?

As I said, it depends on your determination of whether GULC at sticker is a good idea, without considering IP. If your UGPA is sub-3.0 I think you'll not get a second look from IP boutiques, especially if your LS grades are also low. If your LS grades are high, you still might not get a look from IP boutiques, but you'll get attention from general practice firms.

3.35 undergrad....not great, not terrible

[rayiner]

No IPer's around?

As I said, it depends on your determination of whether GULC at sticker is a good idea, without considering IP. If your UGPA is sub-3.0 I think you'll not get a second look from IP boutiques, especially if your LS grades are also low. If your LS grades are high, you still might not get a look from IP boutiques, but you'll get attention from general practice firms.

3.35 undergrad....not great, not terrible

Oh, that's a different ball-game. There is a big difference between sub-3.0 and > 3.3. That's a respectable GPA in ME. You should definitely get some attention from boutiques, though ME isn't quite as in-demand as say CS or EE.

That said, if you've got a 3.35, I'd retake. What's your LSAT? I think 173/3.35 might get you into NU with a little bit of money.

[MEipLAW]

No IPer's around?

As I said, it depends on your determination of whether GULC at sticker is a good idea, without considering IP. If your UGPA is sub-3.0 I think you'll not get a second look from IP boutiques, especially if your LS grades are also low. If your LS grades are high, you still might not get a look from IP boutiques, but you'll get attention from general practice firms.

3.35 undergrad....not great, not terrible

Oh, that's a different ball-game. There is a big difference between sub-3.0 and > 3.3. That's a respectable GPA in ME. You should definitely get some attention from boutiques, though ME isn't quite as in-demand as say CS or EE.

That said, if you've got a 3.35, I'd retake. What's your LSAT? I think 173/3.35 might get you into NU with a little bit of money.

171. I'm not really in a good situation to retake, I already quit my job. I was ED held from NU....very surprised I was not accepted RD. If I want to work in DC, I wonder how much of an advantage NU would give me.

I know that ME is not as in-demand as CS/EE, this is one of my biggest worries, especially if I want to do prosecution. If I was CS/EE I really would not be worried at all going to GULC at sticker.

Georgetown's BigLaw placement is difficult to fully understand.

Law firms 101+ = 43% (can you assume 101+ pays market?)
Clerkships = 9.5%
Government = 16.4%
Public Interest = 13.8%
Academia = 3.1%

What percentage of the clerkships, gov't, public interest, academia could have acquired a BigLaw job? I have no idea. Half? Way less?

Thanks for your advice by the way.

[rayiner]

As I said, it depends on your determination of whether GULC at sticker is a good idea, without considering IP. If your UGPA is sub-3.0 I think you'll not get a second look from IP boutiques, especially if your LS grades are also low. If your LS grades are high, you still might not get a look from IP boutiques, but you'll get attention from general practice firms.

3.35 undergrad....not great, not terrible

Oh, that's a different ball-game. There is a big difference between sub-3.0 and > 3.3. That's a respectable GPA in ME. You should definitely get some attention from boutiques, though ME isn't quite as in-demand as say CS or EE.

That said, if you've got a 3.35, I'd retake. What's your LSAT? I think 173/3.35 might get you into NU with a little bit of money.

171. I'm not really in a good situation to retake, I already quit my job. I was ED held from NU....very surprised I was not accepted RD. If I want to work in DC, I wonder how much of an advantage NU would give me.

I know that ME is not as in-demand as CS/EE, this is one of my biggest worries, especially if I want to do prosecution. If I was CS/EE I really would not be worried at all going to GULC at sticker.

Georgetown's BigLaw placement is difficult to fully understand.

Law firms 101+ = 43% (can you assume 101+ pays market?)
Clerkships = 9.5%
Government = 16.4%
Public Interest = 13.8%
Academia = 3.1%

What percentage of the clerkships, gov't, public interest, academia could have acquired a BigLaw job? I have no idea. Half? Way less?

Thanks for your advice by the way.

It's not that I think NU would give you game-changingly better prospects, it's just that I heard them giving out money to people with 173/3.35 numbers this cycle... Kind of surprised you didn't even get a wait list. Are you wait listed at any other schools?

The thing that worries me about GULC is the C/O 2011 NLJ250 data--30%. Add in clerkships and people who could have had big law, and I'd estimate that about half the class could have gotten big law. Compare that to maybe 70% of the class at NU or close to 80% of the class at Penn/Chicago/Columbia. I think needing to finish in the top 2/3 is about as much risk as I'd be willing to stomach, and I'm unsure about exactly how big a safety net you'll have with IP given that you're ME not EE/CS.

That said, you'd be C/O 2015 and IP is big in DC, so you'd probably be fine.

[MEipLAW]

It's not that I think NU would give you game-changingly better prospects, it's just that I heard them giving out money to people with 173/3.35 numbers this cycle... Kind of surprised you didn't even get a wait list. Are you wait listed at any other schools?

The thing that worries me about GULC is the C/O 2011 NLJ250 data--30%. Add in clerkships and people who could have had big law, and I'd estimate that about half the class could have gotten big law. Compare that to maybe 70% of the class at NU or close to 80% of the class at Penn/Chicago/Columbia. I think needing to finish in the top 2/3 is about as much risk as I'd be willing to stomach, and I'm unsure about exactly how big a safety net you'll have with IP given that you're ME not EE/CS.

That said, you'd be C/O 2015 and IP is big in DC, so you'd probably be fine.

I am still held. I don't think they wait listed anyone yet. They don't wait list until they have reviewed all of the applications. I'm pretty much in the RD held category right now.

I am also having trouble "stomaching" it.

Additional question: if I strike out at BigLaw/market paying, are there any jobs at the USPTO that qualify for LRAP? I assume an examiner does not count because it does not require or prefer a JD...plus that would really suck to get a JD from Gtown and then become an examiner.

[rayiner]

It's not that I think NU would give you game-changingly better prospects, it's just that I heard them giving out money to people with 173/3.35 numbers this cycle... Kind of surprised you didn't even get a wait list. Are you wait listed at any other schools?

The thing that worries me about GULC is the C/O 2011 NLJ250 data--30%. Add in clerkships and people who could have had big law, and I'd estimate that about half the class could have gotten big law. Compare that to maybe 70% of the class at NU or close to 80% of the class at Penn/Chicago/Columbia. I think needing to finish in the top 2/3 is about as much risk as I'd be willing to stomach, and I'm unsure about exactly how big a safety net you'll have with IP given that you're ME not EE/CS.

That said, you'd be C/O 2015 and IP is big in DC, so you'd probably be fine.

I am still held. I don't think they wait listed anyone yet. They don't wait list until they have reviewed all of the applications. I'm pretty much in the RD held category right now.

I am also having trouble "stomaching" it.

Additional question: if I strike out at BigLaw/market paying, are there any jobs at the USPTO that qualify for LRAP? I assume an examiner does not count because it does not require or prefer a JD...plus that would really suck to get a JD from Gtown and then become an examiner.

If you're held then don't worry. You'll almost certainly get in off the wait list. The same thing happened to me--I got in sometime around late May. NU isn't a huge school and tends to use its hold-list and wait-list judiciously to manage yield.

[09042014]

I wouldn't wait around for Northwestern if you want DC. No DC firm is going to want you more because you went to NU (other than Wiley Rein). You'll be fine. Wait to see if you get any scholarships but you probably won't get more from NU than you would from Gtown.

[MEipLAW]

I wouldn't wait around for Northwestern if you want DC. No DC firm is going to want you more because you went to NU (other than Wiley Rein). You'll be fine. Wait to see if you get any scholarships but you probably won't get more from NU than you would from Gtown.

Hope your right. I don't think I'm getting any money. I sent a request for money to Gtown this week, we'll see what happens.

[climb]

Go to Georgetown part-time. You should be able to get a job as a patent agent paying you a good salary and your tuition. It is hard to do work and school, but when you factor in law school cost and opportunity cost, it will save you 300-500k. And if you find out law wasn't what you were expecting, you can grind through it and do something else when you're finished with no debt worries.

[MEipLAW]

Go to Georgetown part-time. You should be able to get a job as a patent agent paying you a good salary and your tuition. It is hard to do work and school, but when you factor in law school cost and opportunity cost, it will save you 300-500k. And if you find out law wasn't what you were expecting, you can grind through it and do something else when you're finished with no debt worries.

That is a great idea, one that I've been trying to take advantage of. However, I've had no luck with any of the firms (mainly large IP firms) I've applied to. It seems like they want either a Phd, EE/CS, or patent examining experience. Any advice? I'm also not a patent agent yet. I'm currently studying for the exam with plans to sit for it in the next month or 2.

[NavyLaw]

Go to Georgetown part-time. You should be able to get a job as a patent agent paying you a good salary and your tuition. It is hard to do work and school, but when you factor in law school cost and opportunity cost, it will save you 300-500k. And if you find out law wasn't what you were expecting, you can grind through it and do something else when you're finished with no debt worries.

That is a great idea, one that I've been trying to take advantage of. However, I've had no luck with any of the firms (mainly large IP firms) I've applied to. It seems like they want either a Phd, EE/CS, or patent examining experience. Any advice? I'm also not a patent agent yet. I'm currently studying for the exam with plans to sit for it in the next month or 2.

I'm in the same boat....going to GULC part time and studying for the patent bar. I have a non-patent agent job planned for my time in law school, but in my mind the part time option, with a decent full time salary, is a no brainer.

[climb]

Go to Georgetown part-time. You should be able to get a job as a patent agent paying you a good salary and your tuition. It is hard to do work and school, but when you factor in law school cost and opportunity cost, it will save you 300-500k. And if you find out law wasn't what you were expecting, you can grind through it and do something else when you're finished with no debt worries.

That is a great idea, one that I've been trying to take advantage of. However, I've had no luck with any of the firms (mainly large IP firms) I've applied to. It seems like they want either a Phd, EE/CS, or patent examining experience. Any advice? I'm also not a patent agent yet. I'm currently studying for the exam with plans to sit for it in the next month or 2.

You might need to start with a smaller firm to get experience. If you can't find a job with a smaller firm, apply to be an examiner at the PTO. That experience will be highly valued. Passing the patent bar will help a lot as well.

[MEipLAW]

Go to Georgetown part-time. You should be able to get a job as a patent agent paying you a good salary and your tuition. It is hard to do work and school, but when you factor in law school cost and opportunity cost, it will save you 300-500k. And if you find out law wasn't what you were expecting, you can grind through it and do something else when you're finished with no debt worries.

That is a great idea, one that I've been trying to take advantage of. However, I've had no luck with any of the firms (mainly large IP firms) I've applied to. It seems like they want either a Phd, EE/CS, or patent examining experience. Any advice? I'm also not a patent agent yet. I'm currently studying for the exam with plans to sit for it in the next month or 2.

You might need to start with a smaller firm to get experience. If you can't find a job with a smaller firm, apply to be an examiner at the PTO. That experience will be highly valued. Passing the patent bar will help a lot as well.

Yea I might give the PTO a shot. Thanks