What matters the most for a ip lawyer? Forum

[jrwhitedog]

Which of the followings matters the most for a IP lawyer, pre-law working experience, IT certifications,the major of your bachelor degree or the patent bar? Thanks.

[eriedoctrine]

patent bar, major of your bachelor degree, pre-law working experience, IT certifications

[jrwhitedog]

patent bar, major of your bachelor degree, pre-law working experience, IT certifications

I assume the sequence is from the most to the least?

[Jchance]

major of your bachelor degree > patent bar > pre-law working experience, IT certifications

[jrwhitedog]

major of your bachelor degree > patent bar > pre-law working experience, IT certifications

Thank you, does master degree help?

[NorCalLaw]

major of your bachelor degree > patent bar > pre-law working experience, IT certifications

Thank you, does master degree help?

In some areas, MS or even PhD are more or less required. Patent litigation is less sensitive on this than prosecution. Certain BS degrees like engineering or CS are just as valuable as certain MS or PhDs, like biology.

[alkaseltzer]

PhD/MS EE/CS > BS EE/CS > PhD Bio/Chem ParmD >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> patent bar ~ pre-law experience >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> all other crap

[PDX4343]

On a related note, how much do schools (within the T-14) matter for ip law? For instance, how much more likely is an ip lawyer to get a biglaw job out of say columbia versus georgetown.

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[6lehderjets]

This has me curious. I was asked by someone considering law school the usefulness of a Bio BA/BS for patent work. I heard on here it's not as helpful as EE. Any reason for this?

[bulinus]

This has me curious. I was asked by someone considering law school the usefulness of a Bio BA/BS for patent work. I heard on here it's not as helpful as EE. Any reason for this?

Supply and demand. Bio is a lot easier to do than EE, and EE majors get legit jobs out of school more often that makes it less likely that they will go to LS.

[skw]

This has me curious. I was asked by someone considering law school the usefulness of a Bio BA/BS for patent work. I heard on here it's not as helpful as EE. Any reason for this?

From my experience (BS in Biology, passed patent bar before LS, have post-bar employment in M&A), the reasons seem to be twofold. First of all, in the industry, the scientists with whom biology type patent attorneys will work almost invariably have their own PhDs. Whether or not it is warranted, the culture in bio-fields calls for patent attorneys with equal eduction to the clients'. Despite the fact that someone with a BS or Masters in biology could probably understand the science sufficiently to do patent pros in biology, the scientist clients simply want those letter credentials after their attorneys names. The second reason is the overwhelming saturation of the market with biology PhDs. There are lots of Bio PhDs who go on to get legal degrees and so firms have access to those with the credentials their clients in bio-fields wish to work with.

If you only have a bio under-grad, I would suggest either focusing on patent prosecution, or looking into alternate legal specialties. I had an opportunity to prosecute after graduation with one firm, but chose M&A instead for many reasons, one of which was that the work on which I would have been staffed for patent work was not sufficiently interesting or challenging IMO (e.g. it was not bio-related but was more run of the mill, generic type prosecution). I am very happy with my decision to pursue M&A and my firm liked that I also have the USPTO credential, as IP rights and complexities often play in M&A work.

Maybe this was just my experience, but it seemed to me that going after prosecution with a BS in Biology was an up hill battle and probably not one you want to put yourself in a position to fight in the current market.

[Anonymous User]

This has me curious. I was asked by someone considering law school the usefulness of a Bio BA/BS for patent work. I heard on here it's not as helpful as EE. Any reason for this?

Second the supply demand argument. Do you know how many jobs are out there for EE/CS people in Silicon Valley? Do you know how much they pay? A LOT. Firms will do anything to get there hands on a solid EE/CS engineering type recruit that is willing to go to law school and become a patent lawyer. The curriculum/content for EE/CS is much much harder than Bio. Trust me, I had my experiences in both.

[ITrollPatentTrolls]

Which of the followings matters the most for a IP lawyer, pre-law working experience, IT certifications,the major of your bachelor degree or the patent bar? Thanks.

To clarify, are you asking about patent prosecution, patent litigation, or soft IP (trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, etc). Needless to say, the answer depends upon whether you're asking about litigation or prosecution.

[PDX4343]

Which of the followings matters the most for a IP lawyer, pre-law working experience, IT certifications,the major of your bachelor degree or the patent bar? Thanks.

To clarify, are you asking about patent prosecution, patent litigation, or soft IP (trademarks?, copyright, trade secrets, etc). Needless to say, the answer depends upon whether you're asking about litigation or prosecution.

Mind answering for both litigation and prosecution? Not sure what I want to go into yet.

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[09042014]

Patent lit

Major > Experience >> patent bar > whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

Pros

Patent Bar ELIGIBILITY > Major > experience > patent bar >> whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

[bulinus]

Patent lit

Major > Experience >> patent bar > whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

Pros

Patent Bar ELIGIBILITY > Major > experience > patent bar >> whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinctio ... _languages

[jrwhitedog]

Which of the followings matters the most for a IP lawyer, pre-law working experience, IT certifications,the major of your bachelor degree or the patent bar? Thanks.

To clarify, are you asking about patent prosecution, patent litigation, or soft IP (trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, etc). Needless to say, the answer depends upon whether you're asking about litigation or prosecution.

Which category has the most fun if there is any ?

[glitched]

Which of the followings matters the most for a IP lawyer, pre-law working experience, IT certifications,the major of your bachelor degree or the patent bar? Thanks.

To clarify, are you asking about patent prosecution, patent litigation, or soft IP (trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, etc). Needless to say, the answer depends upon whether you're asking about litigation or prosecution.

Which category has the most fun if there is any ?

pros has more fun but lit gets all the ladies

[rpupkin]

Patent lit

Major > Experience >> patent bar > whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

Pros

Patent Bar ELIGIBILITY > Major > experience > patent bar >> whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

Agree with this. Note that, for patent lit, law school and law school grades are more important than everything the OP identified. That's less true for Pros.

[Nammertat]

Patent lit

Major > Experience >> patent bar > whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

Pros

Patent Bar ELIGIBILITY > Major > experience > patent bar >> whether you like blue or green better > IT certs

Agree with this. Note that, for patent lit, law school and law school grades are more important than everything the OP identified. That's less true for Pros.

This. If your grades are high enough from a reputable school, you can have your BA in History and do patent lit. That said, your major is a big factor outside of having top grades...

PB eligibility has been overstated thus far for purposes of patent lit, licensing, or transactions, with the caveat of me being experienced solely in the CS/EE side of things.

[Anonymous User]

For an EE, it's really a semiconductor degree specialization or semiconductor industry experience that is valued the most. Most of the other fields tend to be easier to learn or are not as patent-heavy.

[Anonymous User]

For an EE, it's really a semiconductor degree specialization or semiconductor industry experience that is valued the most. Most of the other fields tend to be easier to learn or are not as patent-heavy.

I've been in patent law for almost 10 years now, and I see more and more algorithm type software patent battles. Think CS algorithms, like machine learning and telecommunications algorithms. These bring big bucks to the companies now.

[Anonymous User]

For an EE, it's really a semiconductor degree specialization or semiconductor industry experience that is valued the most. Most of the other fields tend to be easier to learn or are not as patent-heavy.

I've been in patent law for almost 10 years now, and I see more and more algorithm type software patent battles. Think CS algorithms, like machine learning and telecommunications algorithms. These bring big bucks to the companies now.

Agreed, but those are in the "easier to learn" camp. The work is much less technical and it's easier to get without any reference to technical expertise.

[jrwhitedog]

Which of the followings matters the most for a IP lawyer, pre-law working experience, IT certifications,the major of your bachelor degree or the patent bar? Thanks.

To clarify, are you asking about patent prosecution, patent litigation, or soft IP (trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, etc). Needless to say, the answer depends upon whether you're asking about litigation or prosecution.

Which category has the most fun if there is any ?

pros has more fun but lit gets all the ladies

Would you elaborate on the second part?