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grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 9:30 pm
by Anonymous User
Do the same grade 'cut-offs' apply for IP jobs?
I am a 1L at H, just got my first semester grades - 1 H, 4 P
MS in EE from S/MIT, ~3 years engineering work experience
Can someone comment on my chances at IP departments in big firms and at boutiques?
Much thanks
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:27 am
by Wavelet
Was your BS also in EE? Do you know if you want to do patent prosecution or patent litigation? And are you talking about jobs for 1L summer or 2L summer?
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 12:46 am
by Anonymous User
Wavelet wrote:Was your BS also in EE? Do you know if you want to do patent prosecution or patent litigation? And are you talking about jobs for 1L summer or 2L summer?
my BS was in CompEng, more specifically i concentrated on computer architecture, which necessarily also covers anything from digital circuits to operating systems and compilers; so kinda like EE/CS i guess?
i'm still not entirely sure if I wanna do prosecution, litigation or tech transactions... it might ultimately depend on which one I'd be the strongest candidate for
Based on just the first semester grades, I'm curious about my chances for a 1L SA position, but it would also be helpful to know how I'd stand for 2L summer say if we just extrapolate my fall semester grades to estimate my overall first year results (ie. 2 - 3 Hs)
Thanks again!
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 3:20 am
by Bosque
I think the fact that you are coming from Harvard is going to hurt you more than those horrible grades.
Seriously though, mind translating those grades into something the masses can understand? GPA?
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:18 am
by Anonymous User
Bosque wrote:I think the fact that you are coming from Harvard is going to hurt you more than those horrible grades.
Seriously though, mind translating those grades into something the masses can understand? GPA?
H = 4, P = 3, L = 2
Factoring in credit counts, my GPA would be [(4*4 + 3*3*4 + 3*2) / 72]*4 = 3.22
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 11:35 am
by Big Shrimpin
OP, I can't really speak for 1L hiring (a casual perusal of the employment forum shows that 1L hiring tends to be highly variable), but I can speak for 2L hiring. Compared to you, I have FAR inferior credentials, and I was able to lock up a couple boutique/V50 firm offers this past fall. Thus, at least for 2L hiring--assuming you (1) don't suck at taking exams this semester and (2) aren't a horribly awkward person/interviewer--you're in a pretty decent position for a biglaw/boutique/etc... SA.
PM me for perspectives/cycle info/stats.
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:27 pm
by Anonymous User
if you can't get a job everyone else is in trouble.
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:36 am
by tinman
I think you will have no probably getting a 2L summer associate position. EE is the most desirable background for firms, as far as I know. I think you could get all passes at Harvard and still be fine. My advice: spend as much time as you can at Charlie's Kitchen, Cambridge Common, and the Kong ... and don't worry.
Oh, and I'd go to the Loyola Patent fair ... you will likely get some callback, maybe even an offer if you play your cards right, before OCI even starts. That will definitely help take the pressure off when your classmates are freaking out.
The worse times at HLS, I think: law review competition, and OCI for 2L SAs.
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:44 pm
by Anonymous User
I am a 2L at H, three years of computer engineering work experience, going to be in a V15 IP department this summer, etc. You'll almost certainly get a good job, but nobody can say for sure.
My advice: (a) work on telling cool stories about your work experience, as that goes an incredibly long way during interviews; (b) when you do OCI next fall, don't rule out litigation unless you have a good reason not to want to do it. My impression was that there are many more jobs in IP litigation than in IP transactional...
Also: study your ass off this semester.
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:50 pm
by ben bernanke
OP clearly went to Stanford, as MIT does not have a "computer engineering" major
sorry to out ya, bro
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 7:01 pm
by Anonymous User
ben bernanke wrote:OP clearly went to Stanford, as MIT does not have a "computer engineering" major
sorry to out ya, bro
OP said he was an EE? So... wtf are you talking about?
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:43 pm
by ben bernanke
Anonymous User wrote:Wavelet wrote:Was your BS also in EE? Do you know if you want to do patent prosecution or patent litigation? And are you talking about jobs for 1L summer or 2L summer?
my BS was in CompEng, more specifically i concentrated on computer architecture, which necessarily also covers anything from digital circuits to operating systems and compilers; so kinda like EE/CS i guess?
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:59 pm
by Bosque
ben bernanke wrote:Anonymous User wrote:Wavelet wrote:Was your BS also in EE? Do you know if you want to do patent prosecution or patent litigation? And are you talking about jobs for 1L summer or 2L summer?
my BS was in CompEng, more specifically i concentrated on computer architecture, which necessarily also covers anything from digital circuits to operating systems and compilers; so kinda like EE/CS i guess?
He said he went to either Stanford or MIT for his MS in EE. He didn't specify a school for his BS.
Learn to read.
Re: grades for IP jobs?
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:57 pm
by Wavelet
For 2L OCI, all firms with good patent lit departments are in play. There might be a few reaches--Irell, Cravath, Covington (mostly because Covington does much more biotech than EE) come to mind--but you have at least a shot with basically every major IP lit firm.
Unless your MSEE grades are atrocious, you are pretty much a lock for any patent prosecution position (barring quirks like need for connections).
You can probably get a firm job for 1L summer if you really try to find one, but 1L hiring is often a crapshoot.