Bottom of Class at CN w/ IP Degree Forum

[Anonymous User]

First, I know the obviously thing to say is to just work on raising my GPA after second semester. I have a 3.1 at CLS/NYU (what rank is that? Median is 3.3ish) and let's assume I end up around there come June. I have a B.S. in computer science at a top undergrad school, but K-JD. How screwed am I for EIP? I definitely plan on going to Loyola PLIP since I'm interested in patent prosecution/litigation.

[jingosaur]

First, I know the obviously thing to say is to just work on raising my GPA after second semester. I have a 3.1 at CLS/NYU (what rank is that?) and let's assume I end up around there come June. I have a B.S. in computer science at a top undergrad school, but K-JD. How screwed am I for EIP? I definitely plan on going to Loyola PLIP since I'm interested in patent prosecution/litigation.

Depending on your interviewing skills, you still have a good shot at landing a firm job, just not at a selective firm or in a grade selective market.

[h2go]

CS is still desirable in IP right now. You have a decent shot to land a firm job. I know people with similar grades at lower ranked schools who have gotten biglaw jobs.

[ballouttacontrol]

You'll be fine assuming you want to do patent law

Many firms won't give two shits about your grades

[wiz]

Bottom third at CLS can generally get biglaw even without patent law. You're seriously fine with that combo of school and CS degree, but obviously do whatever you can to improve performance next semester so you can maximize your options.

[yost]

I was in a pretty similar position last year. 3.2 from a lower T14 (with a 3.3 median) and EE from a top undergrad. Only one year of work experience. I had multiple 1L SA offers in a competitive market and obviously did even better during 2L recruitment. You'll be fine.

[84651846190]

Law school prestige obviously won't be a problem for you.

Undergrad prestige and undergrad grades matter a lot (even more than law school grades?) for patent prosecution jobs, so you should be fine.

[Abbie Doobie]

Undergrad prestige and undergrad grades matter a lot (even more than law school grades?) for patent prosecution jobs, so you should be fine.

prob depends on the firm. ime, it's the small pros shops that are prone to ask for ug grades; gp firms (and even larger ip firms) don't seem to ask.

[h2go]

About half the biglaw firms I've encountered ask for undergrad transcripts for IP positions. It's more likely to come up for prosecution than litigation. Undergrad GPA isn't a huge issue if you are EE/CS. If you are above ~3.2 or something from a top school, it is fine.

[Anonymous User]

I'm trying to think what firms would be interested in OP. Probably Fitzpatrick Cella, Finnegan, Fish & Richardson, McDermott, Cooley (slightly higher grades would help), Orrick, Kenyon & Kenyon, Kaye Scholer, Perkins Coie, and of course all the market-paying patent boutiques (think Knobbe Martens and Desmarais).

Maybe if you get your grades a bit higher and interview well, Skadden (LA/NY) and Jones Day? Could be wrong, but they took some serious below medians (non-IP) from my CCNP. Higher grades an also probably get you Weil, but you should at least be hitting median for that one.

Of course, if you're going to apply to any of these firms, make sure the office you're applying to has an actual IP group

[Anonymous User]

Poster from above. This is a little more random, but if you're from anywhere near Florida I would recommend Holland & Knight (Miami) and if you're from anywhere near Texas I would recommend mckool smith. If you're from anywhere Philadelphia, Baker & Hosteler Philly also in play. All these firms are always looking for IP folks.

As a fellow below medianer from CCNP, I can tell you you're going to be fine. Just try not to get any more B-'s, mass-mail A LOT over the summer, and score as many interviews as possible during EIW. You really should be interviewing until your teeth fall out and your eyes are bleeding. A strong cover letter and mass-mailing all firms in primary markets (NY/LA/Chi/Boston/Houston) and you're home state/neighboring states...you'll be fine trust me.

[Anonymous User]

Poster from above. This is a little more random, but if you're from anywhere near Florida I would recommend Holland & Knight (Miami) and if you're from anywhere near Texas I would recommend McKool Smith. If you're from anywhere Philadelphia, Baker & Hosteler Philly also in play. All these firms are always looking for IP folks.

As a fellow below medianer from CCNP, I can tell you you're going to be fine. Just try not to get any more B-'s, mass-mail A LOT over the summer, and score as many interviews as possible during EIW. You really should be interviewing until your teeth fall out and your eyes are bleeding. A strong cover letter and mass-mailing all firms in primary markets (NY/LA/Chi/Boston/Houston) and you're home state/neighboring states...you'll be fine trust me.

OP here. Your posts are very reassuring. I grew up in Massachusetts and so will absolutely gun hard for NY and Boston and I guess CA for all the techy firms.

[Anonymous User]

Poster from above. This is a little more random, but if you're from anywhere near Florida I would recommend Holland & Knight (Miami) and if you're from anywhere near Texas I would recommend McKool Smith. If you're from anywhere Philadelphia, Baker & Hosteler Philly also in play. All these firms are always looking for IP folks.

As a fellow below medianer from CCNP, I can tell you you're going to be fine. Just try not to get any more B-'s, mass-mail A LOT over the summer, and score as many interviews as possible during EIW. You really should be interviewing until your teeth fall out and your eyes are bleeding. A strong cover letter and mass-mailing all firms in primary markets (NY/LA/Chi/Boston/Houston) and you're home state/neighboring states...you'll be fine trust me.

OP here. Your posts are very reassuring. I grew up in Massachusetts and so will absolutely gun hard for NY and Boston and I guess CA for all the techy firms.

Well then you'll probably be fine as long as you mass-mail Boston early. Try to additionally target the BigLaw firms in Boston that do the same work as the big boys, but aren't as well known in the T14. I'm talking Choate Hall, foley hoag, Mintz Levin. They'll basically do the same work as Goodwin and Ropes & Gray, but on a somewhat smaller scale. For whatever reason, they aren't as well known in schools outside of Boston

Also, follow the TLS guides on networking

[ballouttacontrol]

I'm trying to think what firms would be interested in OP. Probably Fitzpatrick Cella, Finnegan, Fish & Richardson, McDermott, Cooley (slightly higher grades would help), Orrick, Kenyon & Kenyon, Kaye Scholer, Perkins Coie, and of course all the market-paying patent boutiques (think Knobbe Martens and Desmarais).

Maybe if you get your grades a bit higher and interview well, Skadden (LA/NY) and Jones Day? Could be wrong, but they took some serious below medians (non-IP) from my CCNP. Higher grades an also probably get you Weil, but you should at least be hitting median for that one.

Of course, if you're going to apply to any of these firms, make sure the office you're applying to has an actual IP group

This is a very random and strange list of firms that may or may not do different sorts of IP work

[Anonymous User]

I'm trying to think what firms would be interested in OP. Probably Fitzpatrick Cella, Finnegan, Fish & Richardson, McDermott, Cooley (slightly higher grades would help), Orrick, Kenyon & Kenyon, Kaye Scholer, Perkins Coie, and of course all the market-paying patent boutiques (think Knobbe Martens and Desmarais).

Maybe if you get your grades a bit higher and interview well, Skadden (LA/NY) and Jones Day? Could be wrong, but they took some serious below medians (non-IP) from my CCNP. Higher grades an also probably get you Weil, but you should at least be hitting median for that one.

Of course, if you're going to apply to any of these firms, make sure the office you're applying to has an actual IP group

Do you have any idea of what you are talking about?

[JCougar]

Seems plausible to me. IP eligibility is a huge boost, and you only really need a small one for bottom of the class at a T6.

IP is the one area of law where there isn't an ocean of labor supply sitting around flapping its waves up against the sand. It's almost as if you're about to enter a normal, healthy labor market. Unlike the rest of us schmucks.

[Anonymous User]

About half the biglaw firms I've encountered ask for undergrad transcripts for IP positions. It's more likely to come up for prosecution than litigation. Undergrad GPA isn't a huge issue if you are EE/CS. If you are above ~3.2 or something from a top school, it is fine.

This might be true if your UG is prestigious, but it wasn't true in my case. I had decent grades in Computer Engineering from a mediocre engineering school (top 75 overall USNWR national rank) and great law school grades from a T10. I also had 2 years of work experience at a F500 tech company AND had passed the patent bar. Top Vault firms were all over me for IP lit jobs, but patent prosecution firms were not very interested for some reason. Granted, this was back during the Great Recession, so perhaps things have changed for the better?

[ballouttacontrol]

About half the biglaw firms I've encountered ask for undergrad transcripts for IP positions. It's more likely to come up for prosecution than litigation. Undergrad GPA isn't a huge issue if you are EE/CS. If you are above ~3.2 or something from a top school, it is fine.

This might be true if your UG is prestigious, but it wasn't true in my case. I had decent grades in Computer Engineering from a mediocre engineering school (top 75 overall USNWR national rank) and great law school grades from a T10. I also had 2 years of work experience at a F500 tech company AND had passed the patent bar. Top Vault firms were all over me for IP lit jobs, but patent prosecution firms were not very interested for some reason. Granted, this was back during the Great Recession, so perhaps things have changed for the better?

I think for majors like computer engineering pros firms really want at least a little time in the industry. EE definitely rightly or wrongly gets a little extra boost in recruiting versus pretty much everything else (recently anyways), IME.

[totesTheGoat]

I think for majors like computer engineering pros firms really want at least a little time in the industry. EE definitely rightly or wrongly gets a little extra boost in recruiting versus pretty much everything else (recently anyways), IME.

According a hiring partner I talked to, 3-4 years of WE is about perfect.