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The USPTO just announced that they will start hiring clerks for the PTAB judges. Do you think this is something firms will find impressive? Put another way, do you think this type of clerkship is in anyway comparable to a traditional judicial clerkship? Or do you think this is just an interesting way to start off a career with the USPTO?

I don't think it would be as "impressive" as an Art III clerkship, and I doubt it would give you a huge hiring bump. Nevertheless, it would be a good way to establish yourself in that niche, and I'm sure the experience would be very useful for when you start practicing in patent or trademark.

Anonymous User wrote:The USPTO just announced that they will start hiring clerks for the PTAB judges. Do you think this is something firms will find impressive? Put another way, do you think this type of clerkship is in anyway comparable to a traditional judicial clerkship? Or do you think this is just an interesting way to start off a career with the USPTO?

Obviously, only do it if you're interested in specializing in patent work, because the experience won't really be transferable to other areas.

It might be seen as valuable to patent-focused firms (e.g., Finnegan, Fish, Sterne Kessler, etc.), and might make you a more attractive candidate if you otherwise wouldn't be competitive for those firms. I certainly wouldn't expect a clerkship bonus.

It would probably be an interesting way to start off a career at the PTO, yes.