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EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 9:16 pm
by integralx2
I just graduated from school with a degree in Electrical Engineering & minor in chemistry. I am really considering patent field. I talked to a few patent attorneys, and each one said its a great field, and great compensation. So I did some more digging, and I really liked what I read ! Now, they told me it really doesn't matter which law school you attend, because if you plan to do patent law, and you have an engineering undergrad there just isnt that many of you out their. Can anyone shed some light how true this is? Cause my gpa at community college is 3.3 , but i transfered after 3 semesters to a university, and maintained a 3.73 gpa at that university (graduated Summa Cum Laude). Realistically if I was able to score a 160, on LSAT what do you guys think my chances would be at top 30 law schools ? Cause I feel like my GPA might be a little to low when combining ( i took way more credits at university, so I cant just assume its gonna be average of 3.3 and 3.73) both colleges to get an overall gpa. I will have a little over 1 year experience if I apply for next fall working as an EE. Anyways I would love to know what you guys think!!!
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 9:26 pm
by 09042014
It does matter where you go to law school. You'll have more leeway than most law students, but most firms still care.
Gun the shit out of the LSAT. There is no reason 160 should be your target. That's a shit score.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:22 pm
by knicks2011
Same situation, just graduated last week with an EE degree and about a 3.5 GPA. I am taking the LSAT in October, however, I have no EE work experience. I heard conflicting opinions that engineering degrees are worth more to law schools than liberal arts GPA's since there are not a lot of IP lawyer out there.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:23 pm
by 09042014
knicks2011 wrote:Same situation, just graduated last week with an EE degree and about a 3.5 GPA. I am taking the LSAT in October, however, I have no EE work experience. I heard conflicting opinions that engineering degrees are worth more to law schools than liberal arts GPA's since there are not a lot of IP lawyer out there.
The boost is in hiring, not really in admissions.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:26 pm
by knicks2011
Ah okay, browsing through TLS, I noticed that people mention about the US News GPA ranking is the only thing that matters. I just thought that not many come from a background such as engineering where anything over a 3.0 GPA is considered good.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:29 pm
by integralx2
See I was told by patent attorneys in the field, that with an EE you should be seeing offers in the 120-150k range (assuming you did some clerkship). This is what there telling me, and they been in the industry for more then 10yrs I would say.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:35 pm
by knicks2011
Did you get any recommendations on when to take the patent bar?
I will have some time between January to September 2012, where I don't see a reason to work for an EE company for only a few months. Seems like a perfect time to take the patent bar unless it is better to take after law school
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:45 pm
by integralx2
knicks2011 wrote:Did you get any recommendations on when to take the patent bar?
I will have some time between January to September 2012, where I don't see a reason to work for an EE company for only a few months. Seems like a perfect time to take the patent bar unless it is better to take after law school
Its good to take they said after LSAT. So get that out of your way. THen study for patent exam. So when you do clerkship you can do patent related work. Looks really good!
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 2:51 am
by Longhorn84
If you have an EE and are interested in patent law, I highly recommend looking in to working as a patent agent before law school(passing the patent bar prior to law school and finding a job as an agent). As a patent agent, you have the opportunity to work in the job that you want to do
after law school(except for opinion letters) without going to school for 3 years. Patent law is not for everyone, so why not see if you would actually like it before going to law school. Especially since patent law is considered one of the more boring areas of the law, I would see if you like it before taking on the massive debt/time commitment of law school.
And the introductory salary of 120k, you need some luck finding that with no experience. Just about all the postings I see are for people with 2+ years of experience. This is just another great reason to get 1-2 years experience as a patent agent before heading in to law school. At my school(Tier 2), most patent firms were requiring around top 1/3-1/4 of class. I've known of people with lesser grades, but the ones I know had connections or had done some work prior to law school. I'm sure there are people lower who get by though.
Most of the students I have met pursuing patent law worked as patent agents before law school. The one exception may have passed the patent bar, but he avoids patent work like the plague(says its just boring) and tries to do other IP stuff.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:45 am
by bhan87
Longhorn84 wrote:If you have an EE and are interested in patent law, I highly recommend looking in to working as a patent agent before law school(passing the patent bar prior to law school and finding a job as an agent). As a patent agent, you have the opportunity to work in the job that you want to do after law school(except for opinion letters) without going to school for 3 years. Patent law is not for everyone, so why not see if you would actually like it before going to law school. Especially since patent law is considered one of the more boring areas of the law, I would see if you like it before taking on the massive debt/time commitment of law school.
And the introductory salary of 120k, you need some luck finding that with no experience. Just about all the postings I see are for people with 2+ years of experience. This is just another great reason to get 1-2 years experience as a patent agent before heading in to law school. At my school(Tier 2), most patent firms were requiring around top 1/3-1/4 of class. I've known of people with lesser grades, but the ones I know had connections or had done some work prior to law school. I'm sure there are people lower who get by though.
Most of the students I have met pursuing patent law worked as patent agents before law school. The one exception may have passed the patent bar, but he avoids patent work like the plague(says its just boring) and tries to do other IP stuff.
This sounds like sound advice. Also, if you find the IP is your passion and you want to become an attorney, the WE as a patent agent will help your chances at Northwestern. On top of that, you can save up some $$ to minimize your law school debt.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:05 am
by DC_Patent_Law
I took the patent bar in 2006 and have been prosecuting patents at a patent boutique for the last 7 years. Now, law school does matter, in some cases. Most of the partners at my firm did not go to top law schools so it doesn't matter as much over here. Also, even small boutique firms will pay upwards of $140 to a first year grad (DC firms at least).
So, do your grades or where you go to school matter? Yes, when the economy is down, like 2008, and law firms are losing business, you are more likely to get picked up if you went to a better law school. Mostly common sense, why choose a patent lawyer from a lower ranked school for the same pay. Also, big name/blue blooded firms will mostly take T-20 candidates. Partnership is another issue. If you go T-14 you are more likely to make partner. I'm currently studying for Oct. I plan to go to T-20 or bust, even with 7 years of experience in the field.
HTH
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:20 am
by beaniew
Doesn't matter at all. Take out 120K for Franklin Pierce or Cooley, maybe even Touro, and then PROFIT. Models and bottles, baby. Doesn't even matter if you're an awkward scientist. You'll have more wives than a Mormon stud. Five years from now you'll be sleeping on hundies because you bank account will have exceeded the FDIC insured limit. Go Touro or go home.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:15 pm
by DC_Patent_Law
beaniew wrote:Doesn't matter at all. Take out 120K for Franklin Pierce or Cooley, maybe even Touro, and then PROFIT. Models and bottles, baby. Doesn't even matter if you're an awkward scientist. You'll have more wives than a Mormon stud. Five years from now you'll be sleeping on hundies because you bank account will have exceeded the FDIC insured limit. Go Touro or go home.
LOL. If you've worked in a patent law firm you'd know most of us are tied to the desk. No one has a hot wife/gf. Its like engineering school all over again. You do get paid a lot though. Kinda pointless when you can't get vacation or have time to go out. Welcome to patent law.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:16 pm
by fatduck
DC_Patent_Law wrote:beaniew wrote:Doesn't matter at all. Take out 120K for Franklin Pierce or Cooley, maybe even Touro, and then PROFIT. Models and bottles, baby. Doesn't even matter if you're an awkward scientist. You'll have more wives than a Mormon stud. Five years from now you'll be sleeping on hundies because you bank account will have exceeded the FDIC insured limit. Go Touro or go home.
LOL. If you've worked in a patent law firm you'd know most of us are tied to the desk. No one has a hot wife/gf. Its like engineering school all over again. You do get paid a lot though. Kinda pointless when you can't get vacation or have time to go out. Welcome to patent law.
you really showed him
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:52 pm
by Paraflam
3.73 is summa cum laude at your school? What the fuck
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:58 pm
by 09042014
Paraflam wrote:3.73 is summa cum laude at your school? What the fuck
3.73 is over summa, it could be, and probably is a lot lower.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:04 pm
by Paraflam
Desert Fox wrote:Paraflam wrote:3.73 is summa cum laude at your school? What the fuck
3.73 is over summa, it could be, and probably is a lot lower.
Holy balls. That's barely cum laude at my school, and summa is 3.9+
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:07 pm
by 09042014
Paraflam wrote:Desert Fox wrote:Paraflam wrote:3.73 is summa cum laude at your school? What the fuck
3.73 is over summa, it could be, and probably is a lot lower.
Holy balls. That's barely cum laude at my school, and summa is 3.9+
It's all about how grades are distributed. All A's are born equal.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:07 pm
by fatduck
i'm fairly sure my school doesn't even do latin honors
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:08 pm
by 09042014
fatduck wrote:i'm fairly sure my school doesn't even do latin honors
My UG didn't.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:14 pm
by glitched
Desert Fox wrote:knicks2011 wrote:Same situation, just graduated last week with an EE degree and about a 3.5 GPA. I am taking the LSAT in October, however, I have no EE work experience. I heard conflicting opinions that engineering degrees are worth more to law schools than liberal arts GPA's since there are not a lot of IP lawyer out there.
The boost is in hiring, not really in admissions.
does this apply for non-engineering science degrees too or just engineering?
basically, im a bio major and want to know if ill get a boost.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:15 pm
by czelede
.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:16 pm
by 09042014
glitched wrote:Desert Fox wrote:knicks2011 wrote:Same situation, just graduated last week with an EE degree and about a 3.5 GPA. I am taking the LSAT in October, however, I have no EE work experience. I heard conflicting opinions that engineering degrees are worth more to law schools than liberal arts GPA's since there are not a lot of IP lawyer out there.
The boost is in hiring, not really in admissions.
does this apply for non-engineering science degrees too or just engineering?
basically, im a bio major and want to know if ill get a boost.
Bio major don't seem to be in demand in patent law, unless they have grad degrees.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:17 pm
by czelede
re: the boost. There isn't really one. But if your school or major is notorious for grade deflation, some adcomms will take that in mind when viewing your GPA. It's not so much a boost as it is an occasional forgiveness if the rest of your application package is up to their standards and they can fit you into their numeric class profile.
Re: EE major and considering patent law. Some advice would help!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:26 pm
by glitched
Desert Fox wrote:glitched wrote:Desert Fox wrote:knicks2011 wrote:Same situation, just graduated last week with an EE degree and about a 3.5 GPA. I am taking the LSAT in October, however, I have no EE work experience. I heard conflicting opinions that engineering degrees are worth more to law schools than liberal arts GPA's since there are not a lot of IP lawyer out there.
The boost is in hiring, not really in admissions.
does this apply for non-engineering science degrees too or just engineering?
basically, im a bio major and want to know if ill get a boost.
Bio major don't seem to be in demand in patent law, unless they have grad degrees.
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