Not EE/CS. Any point in taking patent bar? Forum

[rinkrat19]

If you didn't major in one of the fields that are most desirable for IP hiring, and aren't sure you really want to do IP (at least not all the time/forever), is there any benefit to having passed the patent bar?

0L, heading to NU. (3.56/171/white female) I majored in environmental engineering and minored in chemistry. No grad degree. I'm fairly sure my courseload meets the patent bar requirements under Category B, option 4 (obviously I'd have an expert go over my transcript to check), and I know I qualify under Category C by having passed the FE while I was still in school.

Not having the right major, I don't expect to get hired by an IP firm or even the IP department at a regular firm, but I'm wondering if I'd get any hiring boost by A)being qualified to take the patent bar if they wanted me to in the future, or B)actually taking it, perhaps during a summer or something. I'd ask about taking it before LS, but looking at a past test, I don't think there's time to master the material.

[hoos89]

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[rinkrat19]

http://www.uspto.gov/ip/boards/oed/grb.pdf

Read section III. I don't think you would be allowed to sit the bar.

Keep reading all of Section III. There are 3 categories by which you can qualify:
Category A: by major. EnvE doesn't automatically qualify, you are right.
Category B: by coursework. Pretty sure I qualify under Option 4.
*I have, roughly, 20 hours of chem including an 8-hour sequence with lab, 6 hours of physics, 39 hours of engineering, and 7 of bio/microbio. All "courses for science or engineering majors."
Category C: by FE. I passed it about 10 years ago.

[J-e-L-L-o]

Take it. I have read on here that it will be beneficial and a pocket ace for you at OCI.

If anything it could open a door for a great paying SA gig. That alone is worth it to pass the bar before attending law school. You never know, the environmental knowledge would be a great asset to a firm that represents the energy industry.

Another reason to take it now is that it will be much easier. There is pending legislation for patent law that will make the patent bar much harder than it is now.

http://www.pli.edu/Patentbarreview/default.aspx

[rinkrat19]

Take it. I have read on here that it will be beneficial and a pocket ace for you at OCI.

If anything it could open a door for a great paying SA gig. That alone is worth it to pass the bar before attending law school. You never know, the environmental knowledge would be a great asset to a firm that represents the energy industry.

Another reason to take it now is that it will be much easier. There is pending legislation for patent law that will make the patent bar much harder than it is now.

http://www.pli.edu/Patentbarreview/default.aspx

Unfortunately I work full-time and looking at one of the old exams, the material is completely foreign. I don't think I could effectively study for it in the six months before school starts, on top of working, clearing out my condo to rent and preparing to move cross-country.

I am curious about the possibility of taking it during 1L summer, assuming my 1L gig isn't too demanding.

[fatduck]

Take it. I have read on here that it will be beneficial and a pocket ace for you at OCI.

If anything it could open a door for a great paying SA gig. That alone is worth it to pass the bar before attending law school. You never know, the environmental knowledge would be a great asset to a firm that represents the energy industry.

Another reason to take it now is that it will be much easier. There is pending legislation for patent law that will make the patent bar much harder than it is now.

http://www.pli.edu/Patentbarreview/default.aspx

Unfortunately I work full-time and looking at one of the old exams, the material is completely foreign. I don't think I could effectively study for it in the six months before school starts, on top of working, clearing out my condo to rent and preparing to move cross-country.

I am curious about the possibility of taking it during 1L summer, assuming my 1L gig isn't too demanding.

first of all, every six months PLI posts about UNPRECEDENTED, GROUNDBREAKING CHANGES to the patent bar exam. they're just trying to sell their prep program. take it whenever you feel like it.

that being said, the exam is not very difficult. it's largely a test of your Ctrl+F skills and your ability to memorize past exam questions (many of which will be repeated verbatim on your exam). i didn't use any of the expensive prep programs, and i only studied for a couple months, while working full-time.

here's the materials i used: http://db.tt/2a81Fjv
and some stuff i posted about the exam: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5#p4634572

[rinkrat19]

Take it. I have read on here that it will be beneficial and a pocket ace for you at OCI.

If anything it could open a door for a great paying SA gig. That alone is worth it to pass the bar before attending law school. You never know, the environmental knowledge would be a great asset to a firm that represents the energy industry.

Another reason to take it now is that it will be much easier. There is pending legislation for patent law that will make the patent bar much harder than it is now.

http://www.pli.edu/Patentbarreview/default.aspx

Unfortunately I work full-time and looking at one of the old exams, the material is completely foreign. I don't think I could effectively study for it in the six months before school starts, on top of working, clearing out my condo to rent and preparing to move cross-country.

I am curious about the possibility of taking it during 1L summer, assuming my 1L gig isn't too demanding.

first of all, every six months PLI posts about UNPRECEDENTED, GROUNDBREAKING CHANGES to the patent bar exam. they're just trying to sell their prep program. take it whenever you feel like it.

that being said, the exam is not very difficult. it's largely a test of your Ctrl+F skills and your ability to memorize past exam questions (many of which will be repeated verbatim on your exam). i didn't use any of the expensive prep programs, and i only studied for a couple months, while working full-time.

here's the materials i used: http://db.tt/2a81Fjv
and some stuff i posted about the exam: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5#p4634572

Hey thanks, fatduck!

[J-e-L-L-o]

great links fat duck!

granted, but the patent bar exam WILL cover more material as the legislation comes down the pipe. That is just not a quote from the website, the patent process in America will be reformed from how it is currently.

http://www.jsonline.com/business/124466713.html

I was just pointing out that it would behoove you to take it now instead of going through law school, thinking about it, then taking it at a later time. The test will be harder and you will have to memorize both old and new rules. I was not plugging for commercial test prep at all.

Not only that, but you can include it on your resume and will have a much easier time looking for 1L summer employment.

[fatduck]

granted, but the patent bar exam WILL cover more material as the legislation comes down the pipe. That is just not a quote from the website, the patent process in America will be reformed from how it is currently.

http://www.jsonline.com/business/124466713.html

I was just pointing out that it would behoove you to take it now instead of going through law school, thinking about it, then taking it at a later time. The test will be harder and you will have to memorize both old and new rules. I was not plugging for commercial test prep at all.

i recognize that they update the patent bar exam with new material, but it's just not that significant a change, and it takes a while. when i took the exam, they had just updated the test with Bilski and KSR. i had about 5/100 questions on the new material, and they were straightforward and easily searchable.

[J-e-L-L-o]

I would rather take an exam before an ACT OF CONGRESS fully becomes law than after.

more reading material here:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/12/06/pt ... /id=20829/

But I'm not the OP nor am I qualified (yet) to sit before the exam. If it was me, I would just take the damn thing now if I was qualified to sit as opposed to later. Either way you will have to learn the new rules eventually. That's if you wan to go into IP law.

[rinkrat19]

I would rather take an exam before an ACT OF CONGRESS fully becomes law than after.

more reading material here:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/12/06/pt ... /id=20829/

But I'm not the OP nor am I qualified (yet) to sit before the exam. If it was me, I would just take the damn thing now if I was qualified to sit as opposed to later. Either way you will have to learn the new rules eventually. That's if you wan to go into IP law.

Well, I'm definitely considering taking it before August. Fatduck's posts make me think it might actually be do-able. I don't know how much of the new stuff will be on the test by then. I know I can't get it done in the next month or two (for one thing, it takes a month just to apply).

[fatduck]

I would rather take an exam before an ACT OF CONGRESS fully becomes law than after.

more reading material here:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/12/06/pt ... /id=20829/

But I'm not the OP nor am I qualified (yet) to sit before the exam. If it was me, I would just take the damn thing now if I was qualified to sit as opposed to later. Either way you will have to learn the new rules eventually. That's if you wan to go into IP law.

well, you don't really have to learn any of the rules to pass the patent bar exam. you just have to learn where shit is in the MPEP and supplemental materials.

still, it's not exactly the most fun thing to study for. i'd definitely get it out of the way now. plus, you'll want it on your resume for your 1L job search.

[rinkrat19]

I would rather take an exam before an ACT OF CONGRESS fully becomes law than after.

more reading material here:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/12/06/pt ... /id=20829/

But I'm not the OP nor am I qualified (yet) to sit before the exam. If it was me, I would just take the damn thing now if I was qualified to sit as opposed to later. Either way you will have to learn the new rules eventually. That's if you wan to go into IP law.

well, you don't really have to learn any of the rules to pass the patent bar exam. you just have to learn where shit is in the MPEP and supplemental materials.

still, it's not exactly the most fun thing to study for. i'd definitely get it out of the way now. plus, you'll want it on your resume for your 1L job search.

So overall you think it would be a good thing to have, despite not having one of the "preferred" IP majors, and despite not really being fixated on an IP career?

[fatduck]

still, it's not exactly the most fun thing to study for. i'd definitely get it out of the way now. plus, you'll want it on your resume for your 1L job search.

So overall you think it would be a good thing to have, despite not having one of the "preferred" IP majors, and despite not really being fixated on an IP career?

i don't see why not. it's come up in all my interviews with full-service firms, and i really doubt they're thinking "we could really use an EE" as much as "oh good we could put him on patent stuff." your undergrad degree might shut you out of some IP-only firms that have really specific needs but that's not what you're looking for anyway.

[rinkrat19]

still, it's not exactly the most fun thing to study for. i'd definitely get it out of the way now. plus, you'll want it on your resume for your 1L job search.

So overall you think it would be a good thing to have, despite not having one of the "preferred" IP majors, and despite not really being fixated on an IP career?

i don't see why not. it's come up in all my interviews with full-service firms, and i really doubt they're thinking "we could really use an EE" as much as "oh good we could put him on patent stuff." your undergrad degree might shut you out of some IP-only firms that have really specific needs but that's not what you're looking for anyway.

Thanks for all of this, fatduck. The Bullseye stuff too. Looking that over now... it's a lot of words! (Guess I need to get used to that for law school)