Anyone taking the patent bar this summer? Forum

[dreman510]

Specifically any rising 2L's trying to get it in before OCI?

[BigFatPanda]

a nice way to blow $600, if you take it with prometric.

[dreman510]

a nice way to blow $600, if you take it with prometric.

Are there any other options of how to take it? The paper version is more expensive...

[UFMatt]

I'm starting my first year this fall, but would like to take it this summer. It depends on how much time I'll have to study for it. It'd be nice to have as a 1L for the summer job/internship hunt.

[Big Shrimpin]

.

[wiseowl]

I'm starting my first year this fall, but would like to take it this summer. It depends on how much time I'll have to study for it. It'd be nice to have as a 1L for the summer job/internship hunt.

i had this thought last summer and kicked myself for not getting it done. i'd heard it was pretty much described as the golden ticket for a 1L job, but from what i have seen and heard from others, it doesn't make much of a difference ITE in the job hunt unless you have actual experience to back it up.

people with the patent bar and experience as an agent or a patent paralegal get jobs easily. people with the patent bar and no experience are better than people with neither but not significantly.

[dreman510]

I'm starting my first year this fall, but would like to take it this summer. It depends on how much time I'll have to study for it. It'd be nice to have as a 1L for the summer job/internship hunt.

i had this thought last summer and kicked myself for not getting it done. i'd heard it was pretty much described as the golden ticket for a 1L job, but from what i have seen and heard from others, it doesn't make much of a difference ITE in the job hunt unless you have actual experience to back it up.

people with the patent bar and experience as an agent or a patent paralegal get jobs easily. people with the patent bar and no experience are better than people with neither but not significantly.

Is this a hunch, or youve spoken to attorneys? Is it worth taking now (after 1L) to get a leg up in OCI, or just wait and hopefully have a firm pay for it?

[dreman510]

I'm starting my first year this fall, but would like to take it this summer. It depends on how much time I'll have to study for it. It'd be nice to have as a 1L for the summer job/internship hunt.

Thats what I did last spring. Started studying in April and took it mid-summer. Take TONS of practice exams and know answers to the practice questions reflexively because ~30% of your exam could be potential repeats. No joke. But watch out for changed answer choices and re-worded old questions.

I didn't do 1L OCI because I already had a great job lined up with a judge, but we'll see how I fare at PLIP and Loyola and OCI at my school this summer.

Did you take a course?

[wiseowl]

I'm starting my first year this fall, but would like to take it this summer. It depends on how much time I'll have to study for it. It'd be nice to have as a 1L for the summer job/internship hunt.

i had this thought last summer and kicked myself for not getting it done. i'd heard it was pretty much described as the golden ticket for a 1L job, but from what i have seen and heard from others, it doesn't make much of a difference ITE in the job hunt unless you have actual experience to back it up.

people with the patent bar and experience as an agent or a patent paralegal get jobs easily. people with the patent bar and no experience are better than people with neither but not significantly.

Is this a hunch, or youve spoken to attorneys? Is it worth taking now (after 1L) to get a leg up in OCI, or just wait and hopefully have a firm pay for it?

i've heard it both ways. i've asked attorneys if it matters and many said "hell no, waste of time, just being eligible is enough for OCI" and then i've heard people who do have it at least get it noticed, positively, by interviewers.

again, you may never have this kind of time and money again so if it fits in your schedule i'd say go for it, but don't rearrange your life.

[dreman510]

I'm starting my first year this fall, but would like to take it this summer. It depends on how much time I'll have to study for it. It'd be nice to have as a 1L for the summer job/internship hunt.

i had this thought last summer and kicked myself for not getting it done. i'd heard it was pretty much described as the golden ticket for a 1L job, but from what i have seen and heard from others, it doesn't make much of a difference ITE in the job hunt unless you have actual experience to back it up.

people with the patent bar and experience as an agent or a patent paralegal get jobs easily. people with the patent bar and no experience are better than people with neither but not significantly.

Is this a hunch, or youve spoken to attorneys? Is it worth taking now (after 1L) to get a leg up in OCI, or just wait and hopefully have a firm pay for it?

i've heard it both ways. i've asked attorneys if it matters and many said "hell no, waste of time, just being eligible is enough for OCI" and then i've heard people who do have it at least get it noticed, positively, by interviewers.

again, you may never have this kind of time and money again so if it fits in your schedule i'd say go for it, but don't rearrange your life.

So best bet, its marginally helpful if you have no experience...
How long before OCI do you need to take it to have your results?

[jnorsky]

should you only do this if you have a science or engineering background and want to do IP law? Or can anyone going to law school from any background take it and have it sort of stand out?

[dreman510]

should you only do this if you have a science or engineering background and want to do IP law? Or can anyone going to law school from any background take it and have it sort of stand out?

Need to meet the requirements...usually a science background...
http://www.top-law-schools.com/patent-bar-prep.html

[engineer]

I'm considering taking it without much preparation. Do they care how many times you take it? Would it be *really* bad if I failed it my first time? I should put in the effort to study, but I'm lazy and want to go to egypt this summer.

EDIT: I'm going to put in the time and effort it deserves.

[Ken]

Somewhat related, the following article has good advice for taking and passing the patent bar:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/patent-bar-prep.html

[nashvillestar]

Since this thread is related to patent bar and several of you have already taken the test, I wanted to know if anyone is selling their study material. If so, please PM me. Thanks!

[ld2008]

Since this thread is related to patent bar and several of you have already taken the test, I wanted to know if anyone is selling their study material. If so, please PM me. Thanks!

I don't have them for sale, but I used the Bullseye Patent Bar Exam materials and they only cost me $30. They also have some helpful advice for studying: http://www.patentbarexamprep.com/frequentquestions.html

[BigFatPanda]

Since this thread is related to patent bar and several of you have already taken the test, I wanted to know if anyone is selling their study material. If so, please PM me. Thanks!

http://www.uspto.gov/ip/boards/oed/exam ... esults.jsp

I just use all the old exams i can get my hands on. I also have a load of exams from 04/2002 through 08/1997 (not posted on the above site) as well as some supplemental questions from USPTO test bank in PDF. If anyone wants it, PM me with your email and i'll send u a zip file.

[BigFatPanda]

I'm considering taking it without much preparation. Do they care how many times you take it? Would it be *really* bad if I failed it my first time? I should put in the effort to study, but I'm lazy and want to go to egypt this summer.

EDIT: I'm going to put in the time and effort it deserves.

If u have multiple $500 to blow, i am sure they don't mind you filling their pocket with cash.

[rockstar4488]

I think I'm going to take it. I anticipate this being my least busy summer for a very very long time.

[jhett]

The past exams on the USPTO website are really outdated. Since they don't publish exams anymore once they moved to the electronic system, you should check Internet resources such as mypatentbar.com and patentbarquestions.com where more recent questions are described. As much as 50% of the test could be old questions that you've already seen if you gone over the USPTO exams and those websites.

I actually took and passed the patent bar in 3L year and got my firm to pay for everything. Although, ITE, it's probably best to get it done before OCI than after.

[engineer]

For those of you who have taken and passed the patent bar, approximately how much time did you spend studying?

[dreman510]

So what are the good cheap options to study?
Ive heard of Bullseye, any others?

[ApexChaser]

So what are the good cheap options to study?
Ive heard of Bullseye, any others?

PLI on ebay.

ARGHHHH... chasing down court records for an old speeding ticket is not fun. If you've got traffic infractions, might want to start the records search before you get around to the USPTO application as it may take a while.

[dreman510]

So what are the good cheap options to study?
Ive heard of Bullseye, any others?

PLI on ebay.

ARGHHHH... chasing down court records for an old speeding ticket is not fun. If you've got traffic infractions, might want to start the records search before you get around to the USPTO application as it may take a while.

What if I have an open ticket (just got it, court date is set)?

[ApexChaser]

So what are the good cheap options to study?
Ive heard of Bullseye, any others?

PLI on ebay.

ARGHHHH... chasing down court records for an old speeding ticket is not fun. If you've got traffic infractions, might want to start the records search before you get around to the USPTO application as it may take a while.

What if I have an open ticket (just got it, court date is set)?

Not sure, but I would try to get it settled before applying just to simplify things. It is not a huge deal though as you get a 2 month window to respond if they feel your application is incomplete.

I would mainly be concerned they would ding you for part h-compliance with sanctions and records of compliance- as the requirements include:
“(e) a complete copy of all documents and records in connection with the incident as well as documentation of your request for such records;
(f) a complete copy of all court records/file in connection with the incident and documentation of your request for such records;
(h) a complete copy of records showing the sanctions, your compliance with sanctions, and your request for such records. If you are not able to obtain copies of all relevant documents, you must nonetheless provide documentation showing your request for such documents as well as any letter received responsive to such a request for documents or records.”