Specialization and post-law-school education
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:41 pm
I'm posting here to elicit others' thoughts on what I think may be a somewhat unique scenario for someone interested in pursuing a career in patent law.
A little background info...I'm currently a 1L at a tier 1. I earned a BS at the United States Military Academy, and majored in Russian language. For those unfamiliar with West Point, all students graduate with a BS due to the core curriculum requirements, and are given the choice to either pursue a math/science/engineering major, or simply complete the core engineering curriculum, and pursue a liberal arts major. At the time (I graduated 6 years ago), I chose to study language because it was my first academic love. As I aspired to a career in the military and entertained an interest in becoming a foreign area officer, the decision to study language also seemed practical. In short, I chose to leave the military, and after taking a few years to re-evaluate my professional goals while earning a modest living working for a small consumer products manufacturer, I entered law school. I should note that some of the reasons I chose to pursue a JD include the challenge of devising creative solutions to practical problems and disputes, the interpretive nature of the law (given my affinity for linguistics), the intellectual challenge generally, and the myriad opportunities to which a JD grants access. Of course, earning potential was also a factor, but personal career fulfillment has always and will always take precedence for me. I don't need an exorbitant salary (nice as that would be), but I do need to love what I do. I did not enter law school with any preconceptions regarding the area(s) in which I wish to eventually practice, though I am quite certain that I do want to practice law, as opposed to taking an alternative career path in another industry.
As to my current quandary, I have spent the past month or two corresponding with attorneys and other professionals from various backgrounds and conducting a broad investigation into areas of legal practice in order to obtain a more in-depth understanding of what each entails, from career opportunities to daily life and practice. To date, patent law is the area I find most interesting, and in which I can easily envision a career of the sort that would be personally fulfilling. Though I did not pursue an M/S/E major in undergrad, I performed very well in West Point's core engineering curriculum, and also possess an affinity for EE/CS. Of course, with a Russian language degree, I know I will have to complete some more schooling before being eligible to sit for the patent bar. I suspect that with my undergrad record and a forthcoming JD, I will have little difficulty getting into an MS program, though uncertainty in this regard is my first cause for hesitation. If I were utterly certain of my ability to go right into an MS/PhD program following graduation and the bar, I would choose such a path. Conversely, if I were fairly certain that I would not be able to obtain entry into at least an MS program, I would rule out patent law and choose another focus area.
I recognize that there is some debate over whether one ought to be concerned with specialization early on. From what I have gathered, the general consensus is that one ought not be unduly concerned with specialization early on unless he/she desires to enter certain fields (patent, I'm told, being one such field). As someone transitioning from one profession to another, I feel strongly inclined to map out a career path early on, though I am open to opinion regarding the utility or efficacy of doing so.
I don't have a particular question for this forum, but would like some general input as to the feasibility of this route (i.e. going back for an MS/PhD following law school). Any advice from those with special experience or knowledge in the IP/patent field, or suggestions as to related alternatives I may not have explored is also appreciated, as are any recommendations regarding books, publications, articles, or other resources that may be helpful in assisting one to learn more about areas of legal practice. If there aspects of this dilemma I haven't considered, and I suspect there are more than a few, please feel free to raise those issues.
Also, if I can be of any assistance to anyone here, I am happy to do so. I am a former Army JMO with an infantry background and some close friends in both the Army and Navy, including a few JAG types. If anyone is considering going that route out of law school, I'd be happy to discuss aspects of military/gov't life if you're interested.
I appreciate any and all responses! Thank you for taking the time to read this far, and for anything you may be able to add to this discussion.
A little background info...I'm currently a 1L at a tier 1. I earned a BS at the United States Military Academy, and majored in Russian language. For those unfamiliar with West Point, all students graduate with a BS due to the core curriculum requirements, and are given the choice to either pursue a math/science/engineering major, or simply complete the core engineering curriculum, and pursue a liberal arts major. At the time (I graduated 6 years ago), I chose to study language because it was my first academic love. As I aspired to a career in the military and entertained an interest in becoming a foreign area officer, the decision to study language also seemed practical. In short, I chose to leave the military, and after taking a few years to re-evaluate my professional goals while earning a modest living working for a small consumer products manufacturer, I entered law school. I should note that some of the reasons I chose to pursue a JD include the challenge of devising creative solutions to practical problems and disputes, the interpretive nature of the law (given my affinity for linguistics), the intellectual challenge generally, and the myriad opportunities to which a JD grants access. Of course, earning potential was also a factor, but personal career fulfillment has always and will always take precedence for me. I don't need an exorbitant salary (nice as that would be), but I do need to love what I do. I did not enter law school with any preconceptions regarding the area(s) in which I wish to eventually practice, though I am quite certain that I do want to practice law, as opposed to taking an alternative career path in another industry.
As to my current quandary, I have spent the past month or two corresponding with attorneys and other professionals from various backgrounds and conducting a broad investigation into areas of legal practice in order to obtain a more in-depth understanding of what each entails, from career opportunities to daily life and practice. To date, patent law is the area I find most interesting, and in which I can easily envision a career of the sort that would be personally fulfilling. Though I did not pursue an M/S/E major in undergrad, I performed very well in West Point's core engineering curriculum, and also possess an affinity for EE/CS. Of course, with a Russian language degree, I know I will have to complete some more schooling before being eligible to sit for the patent bar. I suspect that with my undergrad record and a forthcoming JD, I will have little difficulty getting into an MS program, though uncertainty in this regard is my first cause for hesitation. If I were utterly certain of my ability to go right into an MS/PhD program following graduation and the bar, I would choose such a path. Conversely, if I were fairly certain that I would not be able to obtain entry into at least an MS program, I would rule out patent law and choose another focus area.
I recognize that there is some debate over whether one ought to be concerned with specialization early on. From what I have gathered, the general consensus is that one ought not be unduly concerned with specialization early on unless he/she desires to enter certain fields (patent, I'm told, being one such field). As someone transitioning from one profession to another, I feel strongly inclined to map out a career path early on, though I am open to opinion regarding the utility or efficacy of doing so.
I don't have a particular question for this forum, but would like some general input as to the feasibility of this route (i.e. going back for an MS/PhD following law school). Any advice from those with special experience or knowledge in the IP/patent field, or suggestions as to related alternatives I may not have explored is also appreciated, as are any recommendations regarding books, publications, articles, or other resources that may be helpful in assisting one to learn more about areas of legal practice. If there aspects of this dilemma I haven't considered, and I suspect there are more than a few, please feel free to raise those issues.
Also, if I can be of any assistance to anyone here, I am happy to do so. I am a former Army JMO with an infantry background and some close friends in both the Army and Navy, including a few JAG types. If anyone is considering going that route out of law school, I'd be happy to discuss aspects of military/gov't life if you're interested.
I appreciate any and all responses! Thank you for taking the time to read this far, and for anything you may be able to add to this discussion.
