Irell? Forum

[pale1619]

Trying to figure out if I should use a bid on this firm. I've read a lot of posts saying Irell is almost exclusively an IP lit shop nowadays. I have no background in IP, and no clue whether it's something that would interest me long-term. I am, however, very interested in the kind of substantive opportunities junior associates at Irell appear to get early on in their careers. Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's worth a bid for someone who's dead set on litigation, but unsure about IP?

[Anonymous User]

Trying to figure out if I should use a bid on this firm. I've read a lot of posts saying Irell is almost exclusively an IP lit shop nowadays. I have no background in IP, and no clue whether it's something that would interest me long-term. I am, however, very interested in the kind of substantive opportunities junior associates at Irell appear to get early on in their careers. Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's worth a bid for someone who's dead set on litigation, but unsure about IP?

A lot of Irell folks have no IP/technical background, and the firm generally does not require/prefer such backgrounds. In fact, some of the best IP lawyers have no technical background (see, e.g., Morgan Chu, Neel Chatterjee). Irell seeks litigators and will give quality opportunity early on. That said, they are largely a patent firm now, so you will be an IP litigator.

[Anonymous User]

A lot of Irell folks have no IP/technical background, and the firm generally does not require/prefer such backgrounds. In fact, some of the best IP lawyers have no technical background (see, e.g., Morgan Chu, Neel Chatterjee). Irell seeks litigators and will give quality opportunity early on. That said, they are largely a patent firm now, so you will be an IP litigator.

Fixed that for you. Looks like Neel is trolling on TLS.

[wwwcol]

what happens if you go there and realize on day 1 that you hate IP?

^this is a long way of saying no, obviously it doesn’t make any sense unless you’re dead set on IP

[SamuelDanforth]

At least as of several years ago you could do a split summer with Irell. If another firm will let you split with Irell then it might be worth considering.

[Anonymous User]

Irell is not the only place that could offer what you are looking for. For instance, a group of former Irell IP litigators went to Milbank LA to start the IP lit group there. They do the same IP lit work as they were at Irell (representing plaintiffs in patent lit), but there are alternative options if a summer/junior associate ends up not liking IP lit.

[jotarokujo]

if you make the move within like 2 years, it seems quite easy to go from IP lit to other types of lit, especially general lit

[Untitleddestiny]

Trying to figure out if I should use a bid on this firm. I've read a lot of posts saying Irell is almost exclusively an IP lit shop nowadays. I have no background in IP, and no clue whether it's something that would interest me long-term. I am, however, very interested in the kind of substantive opportunities junior associates at Irell appear to get early on in their careers. Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's worth a bid for someone who's dead set on litigation, but unsure about IP?

A lot of Irell folks have no IP/technical background, and the firm generally does not require/prefer such backgrounds. In fact, some of the best IP lawyers have no technical background (see, e.g., Morgan Chu, Neel Chatterjee). Irell seeks litigators and will give quality opportunity early on. That said, they are largely a patent firm now, so you will be an IP litigator.

lol.... this is also untrue... you are much more likely to be hired with something like an EE degree than you are with no STEM background (the grade floor is completely different) though it is true you don't absolutely 100% need a STEM degree. Despite Morgan Chu's success, many clients still care about them. Most of their non STEM people also typically at least had demonstrated IP interest while in law school (coursework + tech journals, etc). Hiring seems to be increasingly more favorable for the patent bar eligible nowadays too given the prominence of PTAB litigation. Lol.... definitely also seems like you are pushing some agenda by pushing Neel Chatterjee instead of someone like Charles Verhoeven, Jaunita Brooks, Robert Van Nest, or Daryln Durie (though lets be honest Chu was always in a league of his own).

From what I see too, pushing the ideology of the non-STEM patent litigator is nice and all, but it is a bit misleading. The people that get famous are just the ones that go to trial and end up doing well in front of the jury. In the background are the actual STEM specialized people that do things like write Invalidity Contentions (that the non-STEM folks typically avoid) and explaining technology to these more famous litigators that they wouldn't easily understand without them.

[jotarokujo]

Trying to figure out if I should use a bid on this firm. I've read a lot of posts saying Irell is almost exclusively an IP lit shop nowadays. I have no background in IP, and no clue whether it's something that would interest me long-term. I am, however, very interested in the kind of substantive opportunities junior associates at Irell appear to get early on in their careers. Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's worth a bid for someone who's dead set on litigation, but unsure about IP?

A lot of Irell folks have no IP/technical background, and the firm generally does not require/prefer such backgrounds. In fact, some of the best IP lawyers have no technical background (see, e.g., Morgan Chu, Neel Chatterjee). Irell seeks litigators and will give quality opportunity early on. That said, they are largely a patent firm now, so you will be an IP litigator.

lol.... this is also untrue... you are much more likely to be hired with something like an EE degree than you are with no STEM background (the grade floor is completely different) though it is true you don't absolutely 100% need a STEM degree. Despite Morgan Chu's success, many clients still care about them. Most of their non STEM people also typically at least had demonstrated IP interest while in law school (coursework + tech journals, etc). Hiring seems to be increasingly more favorable for the patent bar eligible nowadays too given the prominence of PTAB litigation. Lol.... definitely also seems like you are pushing some agenda by pushing Neel Chatterjee instead of someone like Charles Verhoeven, Jaunita Brooks, Robert Van Nest, or Daryln Durie (though lets be honest Chu was always in a league of his own).

From what I see too, pushing the ideology of the non-STEM patent litigator is nice and all, but it is a bit misleading. The people that get famous are just the ones that go to trial and end up doing well in front of the jury. In the background are the actual STEM specialized people that do things like write Invalidity Contentions (that the non-STEM folks typically avoid) and explaining technology to these more famous litigators that they wouldn't easily understand without them.

what are grade requirements for people without STEM? is it like appellate-lit level?