Questions about Patent Law with Engineering Degree
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:57 pm
Hi everyone! I made a post on TLS awhile ago that was somewhat similar to this, but a lot has changed for me and I'm looking to get some advice from people who know more than me.
First some background info: I'm a senior in Engineering Physics with an emphasis in nano engineering at a Top 20 engineering school in the Midwest. I have a 3.98 GPA, just completed my senior thesis on a nano engineering project, and should have my name on at least one peer reviewed journal article within the next year. As far as job experience, I've been working in the same lab as a junior researcher for 2 years now, and had an internship with a semiconductor manufacturing company last summer. Also, two of my close friends and I won 3rd place ($4,000) at an engineering innovation competition at our school last semester.
So I've done pretty good in undergrad etc., but here's where I need some advice. I've decided that I want to go to law school to become a patent attorney (prosecution most likely), and have been studying for the LSAT this summer (I'm currently PTing around 170, but hope to improve this by september!). However, i'm also strongly (depending on the day haha) considering going to graduate school in electrical engineering before law school, most likely at my ungrad university. I think it's easiest if I just explain the pros and cons of grad school for me, to explain why I'm having trouble deciding:
Engineering physics is a relatively new major at my school, and I've had a lot of trouble finding internships because people simply don't know what it is. I fear that this could transfer over to my legal career, where people don't want to hire me because they're unclear about my major and what I bring to the table. Also, I've taken a lot of advanced physics classes (up to graduate level solid state physics) which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I've seen that regular physics majors are usually expected to have at least a M.S. if not PhD for patent law. I'm also afraid that my majors relationship with physics could limit me in this respect. Essentially, going to graduate school for E.E. would firmly root me in engineering, and give me a more valuable and useful education for patent law.
The main con for me is spending an extra two years going to grad school that may or may not be that important in the long run. Logistically, this could cost me two years of a patent lawyers salary, so i'm just trying to figure out if the value of grad school for me is worth it. I'm more than willing to put in the work, I'm just trying to figure out if it would have that big of an effect on my career. I'm not sure if i've made my concerns clear enough, but i'm really just looking to have a conversation with some people who have more experience with this than me. Also, i'm not sure if this is in the best sub-forum for this, if not please let me know! Thanks a lot for any help/advice you can give!
First some background info: I'm a senior in Engineering Physics with an emphasis in nano engineering at a Top 20 engineering school in the Midwest. I have a 3.98 GPA, just completed my senior thesis on a nano engineering project, and should have my name on at least one peer reviewed journal article within the next year. As far as job experience, I've been working in the same lab as a junior researcher for 2 years now, and had an internship with a semiconductor manufacturing company last summer. Also, two of my close friends and I won 3rd place ($4,000) at an engineering innovation competition at our school last semester.
So I've done pretty good in undergrad etc., but here's where I need some advice. I've decided that I want to go to law school to become a patent attorney (prosecution most likely), and have been studying for the LSAT this summer (I'm currently PTing around 170, but hope to improve this by september!). However, i'm also strongly (depending on the day haha) considering going to graduate school in electrical engineering before law school, most likely at my ungrad university. I think it's easiest if I just explain the pros and cons of grad school for me, to explain why I'm having trouble deciding:
Engineering physics is a relatively new major at my school, and I've had a lot of trouble finding internships because people simply don't know what it is. I fear that this could transfer over to my legal career, where people don't want to hire me because they're unclear about my major and what I bring to the table. Also, I've taken a lot of advanced physics classes (up to graduate level solid state physics) which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I've seen that regular physics majors are usually expected to have at least a M.S. if not PhD for patent law. I'm also afraid that my majors relationship with physics could limit me in this respect. Essentially, going to graduate school for E.E. would firmly root me in engineering, and give me a more valuable and useful education for patent law.
The main con for me is spending an extra two years going to grad school that may or may not be that important in the long run. Logistically, this could cost me two years of a patent lawyers salary, so i'm just trying to figure out if the value of grad school for me is worth it. I'm more than willing to put in the work, I'm just trying to figure out if it would have that big of an effect on my career. I'm not sure if i've made my concerns clear enough, but i'm really just looking to have a conversation with some people who have more experience with this than me. Also, i'm not sure if this is in the best sub-forum for this, if not please let me know! Thanks a lot for any help/advice you can give!