2015 Federal Circuit Bar Association Scholarships Forum

[Skool]

Thought I would start a thread so that we can all know when decisions start going out. It sounds like you're only notified if you win. Might be a comfort if winners can share info here when notified.

Decisions are made by May 31, 2015.

Any other applicants?

http://www.fedcirbar.org/olc/pub/LVFC/c ... cholar.jsp

[Skool]

Going to bump this. I can't be the only one trying.

[Kip]

I also applied, but haven't heard anything yet.

[Kip]

Does anyone know when the winners were notified last year? Was it on the 31st?

[Phil Brooks]

I won!

Kidding. Haven't heard anything. Don't know about last year. Good luck to us all.

[Skool]

Jeez, Phil. My fucking heart skipped a beat there.

Are folks interested in sharing areas of interest? I've some experience with civil rights stuff. Tried writing about whistleblowing in federal prisons.

[Kip]

I wrote about the intersection of patent and antitrust law.

[Skool]

Well, today is the last business day of the month. If I don't receive notice in the next twenty minutes, I'm moving on mentally and assuming this was a no.

[Kip]

Same. Too bad.

[Phil Brooks]

Me too. Oh well. It was an interesting type of essay to write. At least good writing practice.

[Skool]

So I lied.

I got in touch with a knowledgeable person who let me know that winners will be notified by the end of this week.

They will publicly announced at the Bench and Bar conference at the end of this month.

Winners' names will be published on the website on the week following the conference.

[Kip]

Damn. Well now I guess I am officially out, since I didn't hear last week.

[Skool]

FYI, they're still "behind in their decision making" . As discussed above, winners will be posted by July 1.

[Kip]

I read your comment above as saying that winners would be personally notified by the end of last week -- no?

[Skool]

Yeah I spoke with someone last week and they said by the end of last week for personal notification.

Spoke to them again this week and they said decisions havent been made, but site will be updated with winners by July 1. I presume personal notification before then.

[Kip]

Got it, thanks.

[Kip]

Any updates? Know whether they've informed recipients yet?

[Skool]

Nothing. At least one of the awards is supposed to be announced next week at the Bench and Bar conference, so I am still hoping for something by the end of this week.

[Phil Brooks]

Applicants were emailed today and made aware of the fact that the decisions are posted on the Federal Circuit Bar Association's website. Congratulations to all the winners (alas, I was not one of them). Onward.

[Skool]

Also didn't get it.

The folks who won seem pretty legit and they come from a wide variety of schools, which is definitely to the FCBA's credit. Based on the linkedin profiles I stalked looked over, many of them had top notch IP/Patent experience. It kind of makes me think that if you're interested in some of the more marginal Fed. Cir. stuff like whistleblower protection rulings by the MSPB, it's an uphill battle.

Congrats to the winners!

[Phil Brooks]

I also looked at the LinkedIn profiles, but didn't notice the IP interest. I wrote about my international trade and public interest work.

I had a friend last year who worked for the Court of International Trade but still didn't win the scholarship. I think you are right about the scholarship's IP focus/bias (and I don't use that term begrudgingly at all. As I said, the winners deserved it).