Writing Sample for IP Firms at Loyola etc. Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am currently working a 1L SA doing both prosecution and litigation in a big firm. Is there any particular thing that I should try to get from here as far as a writing sample goes? I have about 3 weeks left.

It seems like it would be advantageous to have a writing sample from my 1L firm job when applying for other firms at Loyola etc, but I'm not sure if anything I've done would even make a good sample.

I haven't done any formal memos so far, mostly just bullet points summarizing research. Occasionally a brief memo, but again focused on cases, not so much applying law to fact. I am also in the process of writing an office action in response to a Final rejection. Would this be a good writing sample, or no? It is somewhat technical. I have also written patent claims (but not a full patent with specification).

Advice? Should I just use my 1L first semester Legal Writing memo?

If it matters, I am more interested in litigation, but am interviewing with firms that focus on prosecution as well. Would a prosecution firm want to see an office action more than a litigation firm, so use the office action for only prosecution firms?

Finally, without getting on too much of a tangent, would it be a bad idea to use these same samples for the non-IP firms I am interviewing with (i.e. large general practice NY firms)?

Thanks!!!

[Anonymous User]

I am interested in this as well. Bump.

[Anonymous User]

bump? I know there's some practicing IP attys here.. any guidance would be appreciated!

[anonymuos]

Eh. Don't stress about it. Find any sample that shows you're not an idiot. In all likelihood it will only serve to disqualify you. If you have a great writing sample, no one knows if you wrote it or if it was heavily edited. If you have a bad sample, everyone knows that either you can't write, or you can't tell the difference between good and bad writing. I doubt there's ever been an instance where someone read a writing sample and said "We must hire this guy!" So maybe grab a prosecution one and a litigation one (legal writing memo is fine), and just vary based on the interview position? But most of all, don't stress about it.

[Nammertat]

Eh. Don't stress about it. Find any sample that shows you're not an idiot. In all likelihood it will only serve to disqualify you. If you have a great writing sample, no one knows if you wrote it or if it was heavily edited. If you have a bad sample, everyone knows that either you can't write, or you can't tell the difference between good and bad writing. I doubt there's ever been an instance where someone read a writing sample and said "We must hire this guy!" So maybe grab a prosecution one and a litigation one (legal writing memo is fine), and just vary based on the interview position? But most of all, don't stress about it.

This. I used a 1L memo I wrote and had no problems (although, a JR associate at McDermott did call me out on a bluebooking error...).

[Anonymous User]

Eh. Don't stress about it. Find any sample that shows you're not an idiot. In all likelihood it will only serve to disqualify you. If you have a great writing sample, no one knows if you wrote it or if it was heavily edited. If you have a bad sample, everyone knows that either you can't write, or you can't tell the difference between good and bad writing. I doubt there's ever been an instance where someone read a writing sample and said "We must hire this guy!" So maybe grab a prosecution one and a litigation one (legal writing memo is fine), and just vary based on the interview position? But most of all, don't stress about it.

This. I used a 1L memo I wrote and had no problems (although, a JR associate at McDermott did call me out on a bluebooking error...).

Is a 1L memo better than a real life office action for IP firms?

I mean the 1L memo definitely gave you the easiest to analyze most ambiguous issue ever, with plenty of facts to dive into.. but at the same time I'm sure your interviews know it was complete BS...

Even if it *probably* doesn't matter either way, is an assignment that is much less interesting but more in line with what you will be doing at your firm better? I mean if someone wrote an office action written like a 1L memo.............................

[faintbeam]

Eh. Don't stress about it. Find any sample that shows you're not an idiot. In all likelihood it will only serve to disqualify you. If you have a great writing sample, no one knows if you wrote it or if it was heavily edited. If you have a bad sample, everyone knows that either you can't write, or you can't tell the difference between good and bad writing. I doubt there's ever been an instance where someone read a writing sample and said "We must hire this guy!" So maybe grab a prosecution one and a litigation one (legal writing memo is fine), and just vary based on the interview position? But most of all, don't stress about it.

This. I used a 1L memo I wrote and had no problems (although, a JR associate at McDermott did call me out on a bluebooking error...).

Is a 1L memo better than a real life office action for IP firms?

I mean the 1L memo definitely gave you the easiest to analyze most ambiguous issue ever, with plenty of facts to dive into.. but at the same time I'm sure your interviews know it was complete BS...



Even if it *probably* doesn't matter either way, is an assignment that is much less interesting but more in line with what you will be doing at your firm better? I mean if someone wrote an office action written like a 1L memo.............................

I used a 1L assignment for my writing sample, and I was interviewing for IP positions in patent prosecution/litigation. I think it was a moot court brief. No one even mentioned it, so I really wouldn't sweat it (difficult, I know). I interviewed at both general practice firms and IP firms but used the same sample for all. It needs to be well written and if possible, an interesting subject. I also gave all the firms a scientific writing sample, a published paper. I think that was more important than providing them with an office action/prosecution memo because it showed that I can (hopefully) writing intelligently about science. If you have something like that, you could include it.

[Anonymous User]

Eh. Don't stress about it. Find any sample that shows you're not an idiot. In all likelihood it will only serve to disqualify you. If you have a great writing sample, no one knows if you wrote it or if it was heavily edited. If you have a bad sample, everyone knows that either you can't write, or you can't tell the difference between good and bad writing. I doubt there's ever been an instance where someone read a writing sample and said "We must hire this guy!" So maybe grab a prosecution one and a litigation one (legal writing memo is fine), and just vary based on the interview position? But most of all, don't stress about it.

This. I used a 1L memo I wrote and had no problems (although, a JR associate at McDermott did call me out on a bluebooking error...).

Is a 1L memo better than a real life office action for IP firms?

I mean the 1L memo definitely gave you the easiest to analyze most ambiguous issue ever, with plenty of facts to dive into.. but at the same time I'm sure your interviews know it was complete BS...



Even if it *probably* doesn't matter either way, is an assignment that is much less interesting but more in line with what you will be doing at your firm better? I mean if someone wrote an office action written like a 1L memo.............................

I used a 1L assignment for my writing sample, and I was interviewing for IP positions in patent prosecution/litigation. I think it was a moot court brief. No one even mentioned it, so I really wouldn't sweat it (difficult, I know). I interviewed at both general practice firms and IP firms but used the same sample for all. It needs to be well written and if possible, an interesting subject. I also gave all the firms a scientific writing sample, a published paper. I think that was more important than providing them with an office action/prosecution memo because it showed that I can (hopefully) writing intelligently about science. If you have something like that, you could include it.

Unfortunately I did not have my research published outside of the Uni, but still very helpful. Thank you!