Take a leave of absence to take the patent bar?
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:17 pm
I'm a 2L at T6. I think I got struck out at OCI. My grades are bad, and my interviewing skills suck. Had few callbacks but got dinged, and waiting from the last remaining one, but not expecting a good news. I've started mass-mailing but afraid that biglaw boat has already sailed away at this point.
I'm very interested in doing life-science patent litigation, but don't have a science degree. I was pre-med in college so I have some life science background, and I'm few credits short of patent bar eligibility. I've been targetting a mix of IP firms (both boutiques and big firms with IP department) and general corporate firms, but the yield hasn't been good. I did the Loyola Patent Fair but didn't get many screeners because many firms require patent bar eligibility.
Right now I am debating whether to stick out 2L year and target mid/small-sized law firms/gov/ whatever to get any job OR to take a leave of absence for a year to bolster my patent law credentials: get more patent-related legal experience, take science classes, take the patent bar, and then re-do Loyola and OCI next year as a 2L. My career service advisor thinks it might worth a shot, but other people've told me that it's not worth it because taking the patent bar won't give me much of a boost given that I don't have a science degree. I have to make a decision soon, and I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have an advice?
I'm very interested in doing life-science patent litigation, but don't have a science degree. I was pre-med in college so I have some life science background, and I'm few credits short of patent bar eligibility. I've been targetting a mix of IP firms (both boutiques and big firms with IP department) and general corporate firms, but the yield hasn't been good. I did the Loyola Patent Fair but didn't get many screeners because many firms require patent bar eligibility.
Right now I am debating whether to stick out 2L year and target mid/small-sized law firms/gov/ whatever to get any job OR to take a leave of absence for a year to bolster my patent law credentials: get more patent-related legal experience, take science classes, take the patent bar, and then re-do Loyola and OCI next year as a 2L. My career service advisor thinks it might worth a shot, but other people've told me that it's not worth it because taking the patent bar won't give me much of a boost given that I don't have a science degree. I have to make a decision soon, and I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have an advice?