Questions about IP Law and 2nd Bachelor's Degree Forum

[thatsnotmyname]

OK just reading around these forums and talking to a few lawyers it seems like IP lawyers seem to have better employment prospects than non-IP lawyers and better quality of life. Is this true?

I've actually become interested in IP law due to the fact that they are more employable and generally seem to be happier with their jobs than other lawyers (from the limited contact I've had with lawyers). Problem is that next year I will be a senior who will be graduating with a degree in Political Science.

But let's say that after I graduate next year, I come back home and enroll in classes at my local university in order to get a second bachelor's degree in Computer Science (a subject that I've always been interested in anyways). I'm doing this rather than remaining at my current university, because it seems that it would be cheaper by going to the local university.

In this scenario a few questions emerge:

1) None of these classes would count towards my LSAC GPA because it would not be courses prior to obtaining my first bachelor's degree, right? Would law schools care at all if my GPA dropped while obtaining my second bachelors? Would I even have to submit the transcript to LSAC?

2) If I were to apply next year to law schools, do you think I could get a deferral if I explained to them that I realized late in the game that I want to do patent law and am taking a year to get a second bachelors in Computer Science?

Thanks for any help guys!

[Always Credited]

bree?!

[thatsnotmyname]

bree?!

I don't get it. Was bree a poster who proposed this idea before? Is this a bad idea? I really just want to know if what I've proposed is plausible and worth it...

[lostjake]

Billinski will limit your IP with computer science. Your best bet would be to get an EE, get the patent bar under your belt, and then get a patent agent job, and then go to law school at night.

This is a long long process. 8 years, at least. Plus patent agents jobs are very hard to get. You could get an EE and work for the USPTO for 2 years and then go to law school at night.

If you get a really really good BS (EE in communications or circuits) and go to T14 ish you could get a job in IP. Otherwise you'll need experience, either at the USPTO or as a patent agent.

[Always Credited]

bree?!

I don't get it. Was bree a poster who proposed this idea before? Is this a bad idea? I really just want to know if what I've proposed is plausible and worth it...

The spelling of the thread reads "Bachelor's Debree" - I thought you'd notice the question itself is good, but I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable in the area to answer it accurately.

[the lantern]

I think you can't get loans for undergraduate education if you already have a degree, so that is something to think about.

[thatsnotmyname]

bree?!

I don't get it. Was bree a poster who proposed this idea before? Is this a bad idea? I really just want to know if what I've proposed is plausible and worth it...

The spelling of the thread reads "Bachelor's Debree" - I thought you'd notice the question itself is good, but I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable in the area to answer it accurately.

oh haha whoops. Just fixed that.

[thatsnotmyname]

Billinski will limit your IP with computer science. Your best bet would be to get an EE, get the patent bar under your belt, and then get a patent agent job, and then go to law school at night.

This is a long long process. 8 years, at least. Plus patent agents jobs are very hard to get. You could get an EE and work for the USPTO for 2 years and then go to law school at night.

If you get a really really good BS (EE in communications or circuits) and go to T14 ish you could get a job in IP. Otherwise you'll need experience, either at the USPTO or as a patent agent.

Thanks for your response.

What is Billinski? Why would you be limited with a degree in Comp Sci as opposed to a degree in EE? Don't you take the patent bar after law school? I thought patent agents had to have gone to law school?

I'm sorry for so many questions, it's just that the thought of IP law is something that recently popped into my head and I don't know anything about the process. If you could flesh it out for me, I would really appreciate it.

[09042014]

Spending tens of thousands of dollars and two years to get a degree to go into IP because its a bit easier to get a job is a terrible idea.

[perry24]

So how is the quality of life of an IP lawyer? I always thought they were just as overworked as other lawyers.

[byunbee]

Spending tens of thousands of dollars and two years to get a degree to go into IP because its a bit easier to get a job is a terrible idea.

Thank you for your common sense.

[thatsnotmyname]

Spending tens of thousands of dollars and two years to get a degree to go into IP because its a bit easier to get a job is a terrible idea.

Well, let's say it would take me a year and a half to get the second bachelor's. That'd run me like $15K. And ultimately I don't feel that's too bad considering how much law school is going to cost me and considering that I intend to practice law for the rest of my life. If IP lawyers typically enjoy better hours, less stress, and better quality of life... it may be a move that's worth it in the long run. So if I could get opinions on the QOL for IP lawyers in relation to others in biglaw, that'd be helpful too.

Also, is it only just a big easier to get a job if you want to go into patent law? I would've imagined very few people in law school have the necessary undergrad degrees and the desire to pursue patent law. But it seems like it's not as easy for a patent lawyer to get a job as I thought.

[Leeroy Jenkins]

I would've imagined very few people in law school have the necessary undergrad degrees and the desire to pursue patent law. But it seems like it's not as easy for a patent lawyer to get a job as I thought.

Laughably false.

[merichard87]

If you truly want to pursue IP just go into copyrights or trademarks and be done. BUT if you must go into patents an EE or CompE degree would better serve you. And IP lawyers don't have a better QOL,IP is just a very booming area of law right now and IP lawyers are in demand. If an IP lawyer and a M&A lawyer work at the same firm they are prob going to be working the same hours. QOL is better as a whole at smaller firms/boutiques/in-house though.