Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO Forum

[Anonymous User]

They contacted our references Monday, still no response back on next steps. Looks like they are really going to make us wait through an entire weekend to boot. Stay strong, folks!!

[Anonymous User]

Quick question for all the March-classers out there:

Congrats, first of all. Have you already started transitioning (i.e. giving notice to work, looking for housing, etc.) even if they haven't sent out the soft-offers and HR packets yet? Job starts in less than 4 weeks and I'm getting kind of nervous about the timing. Last cycle, this thread mentioned background check forms that still have to be run in addition to the references.

[Anonymous User]

So is it safe to assume if you haven't heard anything yet you're not going to?

[Anonymous User]

I posted the 5 points above on January 27 (the 10:36pm post) and was then asked by two applicants about work-life balance for parents. Personally, as a parent myself, I can’t recommend this agency for working parents. Being a working parent is stressful enough—but actually having to frequently work unpaid overtime just adds an additional layer of unnecessary stress. It’s not conducive to raising children. I also told the applicants to take a look at the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which was circulated this week at the agency, and speaks volumes about the low morale of Trademarks.

[Anonymous User]

I posted the 5 points above on January 27 (the 10:36pm post) and was then asked by two applicants about work-life balance for parents. Personally, as a parent myself, I can’t recommend this agency for working parents. Being a working parent is stressful enough—but actually having to frequently work unpaid overtime just adds an additional layer of unnecessary stress. It’s not conducive to raising children. I also told the applicants to take a look at the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which was circulated this week at the agency, and speaks volumes about the low morale of Trademarks.

This is not, in any way, an attempt to be snarky, but don't all of us lawyers work 40+ hours (usually with unpaid overtime), no matter where, and whether or not we have kids? And this makes me curious to know, does the sick leave and PTO offered by the USPTO not help at all? Or do you get punished for using it? As a lawyer parent myself, everywhere I have worked I have been in the same hamster wheel, and it has always been 40+ hour weeks, but with the added strain of crappy health insurance offerings by firms or non-existent sick leave. Early in my IP career, many friends in the federal government would recommend applying to the USPTO because of the health benefits and ultimate flexibility in telework. Sounds like these benefits still aren't enough to keep many employees at the USPTO satisfied (as evident by posts in this forum). Does this just mean being a lawyer and a parent equals being screwed no matter what? I mean if the USPTO isn't the place "to be", then where is?

[Anonymous User]

The above poster read my mind, I hope you also get this job and we can be friends. Hands down, considering the benefits, nothing in private ip practice can be better than this job. Period. I just verbally accepted and I’m thankful as Hell. I had the same crisis a few months ago where I felt that I had to stop being an attorney in order to be there for my future children. The best solution to me still being an attorney, and still doing IP, is this job.

[Anonymous User]

The above poster read my mind, I hope you also get this job and we can be friends. Hands down, considering the benefits, nothing in private ip practice can be better than this job. Period. I just verbally accepted and I’m thankful as Hell. I had the same crisis a few months ago where I felt that I had to stop being an attorney in order to be there for my future children. The best solution to me still being an attorney, and still doing IP, is this job.

Congrats! Finally some signs of life Did you accept for March or May?

[Anonymous User]

I was called by Anthony Henderson yesterday and verbally accepted for start date of May 11. Then he sent me the package with the formal tentative offer letter and forms to fill out and return immediately.

[Anonymous User]

I was called by Anthony Henderson yesterday and verbally accepted for start date of May 11. Then he sent me the package with the formal tentative offer letter and forms to fill out and return immediately.

Woot! May Buddies!! May class is the best class. See you all then!

[Anonymous User]

Congrats to everyone who received an offer. Unfortunately I don't think I will be joining any of you because I still haven't received a call yet...so I need to move on. For people who have accepted offers and are coming from an IP related job, could you share how you landed that IP job? I really want to work with trademark law, but since I have no experience, it's almost impossible to find an entry level trademark job or any IP job.

[Anonymous User]

I also got the tentative offer call for the May class on Monday. My call for references was Tuesday last week so that should give a bit of a timeline. Looking forward to meeting the other May class folks.

[Anonymous User]

Congrats to everyone who received an offer. Unfortunately I don't think I will be joining any of you because I still haven't received a call yet...so I need to move on. For people who have accepted offers and are coming from an IP related job, could you share how you landed that IP job? I really want to work with trademark law, but since I have no experience, it's almost impossible to find an entry level trademark job or any IP job.

Believe me, I have been in your situation. Is there a way we could message each other privately or share contact info without raising any eyes/ears? I could give you some info, maybe even recommend you for the TM position I’ll soon be leaving before joining USPTO.

[Anonymous User]

Congrats to everyone who received an offer. Unfortunately I don't think I will be joining any of you because I still haven't received a call yet...so I need to move on. For people who have accepted offers and are coming from an IP related job, could you share how you landed that IP job? I really want to work with trademark law, but since I have no experience, it's almost impossible to find an entry level trademark job or any IP job.

Believe me, I have been in your situation. Is there a way we could message each other privately or share contact info without raising any eyes/ears? I could give you some info, maybe even recommend you for the TM position I’ll soon be leaving before joining USPTO.

Thanks so much!! You can just click on the private messages near the top of this page and just click on "New PM" and add my username "bardc123" as a recipient. Thank you again so much, and congrats on your PTO offer!

[Anonymous User]

Congrats to everyone who received an offer. Unfortunately I don't think I will be joining any of you because I still haven't received a call yet...so I need to move on. For people who have accepted offers and are coming from an IP related job, could you share how you landed that IP job? I really want to work with trademark law, but since I have no experience, it's almost impossible to find an entry level trademark job or any IP job.

Believe me, I have been in your situation. Is there a way we could message each other privately or share contact info without raising any eyes/ears? I could give you some info, maybe even recommend you for the TM position I’ll soon be leaving before joining USPTO.

Thanks so much!! You can just click on the private messages near the top of this page and just click on "New PM" and add my username "bardc123" as a recipient. Thank you again so much, and congrats on your PTO offer!

Oh also please make sure you get a message that says "message successfully sent" once you submit. If you don't see the message, then click on submit again.

[Amarachi]

Congrats to everyone who received an offer. Unfortunately I don't think I will be joining any of you because I still haven't received a call yet...so I need to move on. For people who have accepted offers and are coming from an IP related job, could you share how you landed that IP job? I really want to work with trademark law, but since I have no experience, it's almost impossible to find an entry level trademark job or any IP job.

This is my exact situation as well. I have no idea what to do at this point. I can't get the job that I want without prior experience. But there seems to be no way to get the experience without the job.

[cand349761]

Quick question for all the March-classers out there:

Congrats, first of all. Have you already started transitioning (i.e. giving notice to work, looking for housing, etc.) even if they haven't sent out the soft-offers and HR packets yet? Job starts in less than 4 weeks and I'm getting kind of nervous about the timing. Last cycle, this thread mentioned background check forms that still have to be run in addition to the references.

I'm equally concerned about it. I was told to not give notice at current job until I receive a firm offer but I called today to check on the status and there was some confusion about when I would receive a firm offer. I was supposed to receive an email regarding my status, but I never received it. I'm getting equally getting anxious and concerned. If anyone has advice, I could surely use it. I have to give notice, find housing and still move.

[Anonymous User]

I am the above poster of the 5 points on the 10:36 PM post of January 27. No snark taken at all! Believe me, I get it! 
 
The purpose of my posts is to provide transparency about this job. 
 
TLDR: This job was always challenging historically. Like all attorney jobs, we (of course!) worked beyond 40 hours to meet production goals and because we want to do our best. The problem with the new PAP is that the job has become unsustainable.  In the short term, it is of course possible to meet the requirements by working seven days a week or working late hours unpaid.  The reason it’s concerning though, is that in the long term, this kind of unpaid overtime is simply not sustainable.  We might as well be in big law if that’s the case, since most people who decide to take a government job are signing up with the promise of a more sustainable and balanced lifestyle.  That is the reason why most of my colleagues are looking for employment elsewhere now: when you consider the long term effects, the PAP is simply not sustainable.  We are all used to long hours as attorneys but add in a production-based job with unattainable production and quality goals, and people start to look elsewhere.  Most of us love the work we do, so it is unfortunate hearing from so many unhappy colleagues due to the new PAP.  Unfortunately, the PAP is what has made the job a poor fit for parents (and nonparents!). 
 
Like I advised two other applicants, TLS is a good start to research, but it’s anecdotal. I would google “Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey” and “USPTO” to see the data about this low morale.  The only reason I even provide anecdotal advice is because I am beyond the probationary period, which is two years at the USPTO for trademark examiners.  Like at any workplace, word travels fast here, but I’ve talked to a lot of people in different offices, and people across the board want to leave.

[Anonymous User]

I posted the 5 points above on January 27 (the 10:36pm post) and was then asked by two applicants about work-life balance for parents. Personally, as a parent myself, I can’t recommend this agency for working parents. Being a working parent is stressful enough—but actually having to frequently work unpaid overtime just adds an additional layer of unnecessary stress. It’s not conducive to raising children. I also told the applicants to take a look at the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which was circulated this week at the agency, and speaks volumes about the low morale of Trademarks.

This is not, in any way, an attempt to be snarky, but don't all of us lawyers work 40+ hours (usually with unpaid overtime), no matter where, and whether or not we have kids? And this makes me curious to know, does the sick leave and PTO offered by the USPTO not help at all? Or do you get punished for using it? As a lawyer parent myself, everywhere I have worked I have been in the same hamster wheel, and it has always been 40+ hour weeks, but with the added strain of crappy health insurance offerings by firms or non-existent sick leave. Early in my IP career, many friends in the federal government would recommend applying to the USPTO because of the health benefits and ultimate flexibility in telework. Sounds like these benefits still aren't enough to keep many employees at the USPTO satisfied (as evident by posts in this forum). Does this just mean being a lawyer and a parent equals being screwed no matter what? I mean if the USPTO isn't the place "to be", then where is?

I am not trying to discredit the experiences of others, but in reading some of the comments regarding the work-life balance at the USPTO-Trademarks, I have to say that work-life balance is the main reason I stayed with this job for over 10 years. And I have reached the Outstanding level every year I have been an examiner without doing much, if any, unpaid OT. And I've never been what they call a "super producer" either. I realize other people might have a different experience, but I would hate for folks to make a decision whether to take this job based on the negative perspective only, particularly when my experience has been so positive on the work-life balance issue. Basically, my spouse and I are the poster children for the "sandwich generation." We have a toddler in preschool, my father has a long list of illnesses, and my MIL is currently undergoing chemo. We are the closest to the our respective parents both geographically and emotionally. If I worked for a firm, I probably would've been fired or had to quit by now. With this job, after the initial training and probationary periods are complete, you can work 80 hours per two week pay period (biweek) on a very flexible schedule that can change pay period from pay period, with only a few limitations. So some biweeks I work a pretty standard M-F, 9-5, but other weeks I work 10 hours one day, six the next, get up early and work, take a break mid-day for an appointment and then work at night--you get the idea. Other times, I just use my sick or annual leave and don't worry about flexing. In the past two years, I've had to drop everything 2 or 3 times because a parent has been rushed to the hospital in the middle of the day. All my managers have ever said was take your time, hope everyone is okay, and keep us posted. I was never given a hard time about it. Talking to friends at firms and other agencies, I just don't see how any attorney has it any better than that. I can't imagine that telling a big law firm partner that the kiddo is sick again, asking a judge to move a court deadline so that I can drive a sick parent to a doctor's appointment, or rearranging an important client meeting for a family emergency is easier than what I do when I have family that needs looking after--email my managers, tell them what is going on, when I expect to be back to work, and whether I will flex or use leave to deal with it. And the flexible schedule comes in handy for the fun stuff, too. For example, my child's school holiday parties, I've never missed one. I just leave work for an hour, party at preschool, come home, and then hop back online at some point during the biweek to make up that hour. Again, I can't think of another legal job that would allow me to do that so easily. I get to pick my child up from preschool at 11:45 every single day. I doubt may people at firms or other agencies do that. Full disclose--you won't get to do that in the first few months because of the training program and work schedule requirements for probationary employees. But once you are past that, you have so much flexibility. Is the job perfect? No. It is a production based job, so it does get repetitive. You pull a few cases that are just time sucks and you get that "in the weeds" feeling. And our aging IT infrastructure is a daily source of frustration. This year, we do have a new performance appraisal plan (PAP) that is a lot tougher than our old one. We all pretty much hate it, myself included, and that is definitely reflected in the most recent employee viewpoint survey. For the first time, I am questioning whether I can reach the Outstanding level (highest level on the PAP) and I absolutely hate that. I do take pride in my work and I guess like most of us attorneys, I'm a bit Type A. I want to be Outstanding just because it is the best. So I'll do my best and let the chips fall where they may. If I get one of the lower levels (Fully Successful or Commendable), I still keep my job and even get some type of smallish bonus, too. I don't think that happens in other legal jobs. If you don't make billables at a firm, for example, I doubt you get any type of bonus and you probably will be worried about keeping your job. Other pluses--I love the field of Trademarks and I've made lifelong friends among my colleagues, both of which are pretty big perks in my book. And the expansion of the work from home program to pretty much anywhere in the US (I think even AK and HI are possible now, but I'm 100% sure of that) is also great. I've moved twice, once for family reasons and once because I just wanted to move, and I have been able to keep my job. Most lawyers, when they move states, have to sit for the bar again, and then search for a job. Being able to move to any jurisdiction and not have to sit for another bar again is pretty cool. I guess this is all the very long way of saying although the job isn't perfect (but what job is?), every time I've thought of leaving, the pluses keep me here. And the work-life balance is the biggest plus. Raising kids and helping aging parents is no joke. This job has made it possible for me to practice law, earn six figures, and be a hands-on parent to my child and caregiver to my parents. I am sorry to hear that others aren't having a similar experience--it really does sadden me to think that what makes my life a little easier is apparently doing the opposite for others. But for those potential new examiners out there, I hope this gives you some food for thought. If people are looking for a legal job with work-life balance, I would hate for them to pass this one by without hearing a different perspective than from what has been posted previously. Honestly, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this if I didn't feel so strongly about how positively the flexibility of this job has impacted my work-life balance.

[Anonymous User]

Congrats to everyone who received an offer. Unfortunately I don't think I will be joining any of you because I still haven't received a call yet...so I need to move on. For people who have accepted offers and are coming from an IP related job, could you share how you landed that IP job? I really want to work with trademark law, but since I have no experience, it's almost impossible to find an entry level trademark job or any IP job.

This is my exact situation as well. I have no idea what to do at this point. I can't get the job that I want without prior experience. But there seems to be no way to get the experience without the job.

I’m also in this boat. By all measures, a TM examiner seems like a great entry level job that is a perfect first step into the IP practice. Yet the questions I received in my interview were almost entirely directed at my attorney experience (or lack there of). Trademark is an incredible niche field and it’s frustrating that this position isn’t friendlier to young lawyers. I don’t want to take a job doing personal injury work (the only jobs around me) just to return to the PTO or other IP employers and told that such PI work is worthless.

[Anonymous User]

Quick question for all the March-classers out there:

Congrats, first of all. Have you already started transitioning (i.e. giving notice to work, looking for housing, etc.) even if they haven't sent out the soft-offers and HR packets yet? Job starts in less than 4 weeks and I'm getting kind of nervous about the timing. Last cycle, this thread mentioned background check forms that still have to be run in addition to the references.

I'm equally concerned about it. I was told to not give notice at current job until I receive a firm offer but I called today to check on the status and there was some confusion about when I would receive a firm offer. I was supposed to receive an email regarding my status, but I never received it. I'm getting equally getting anxious and concerned. If anyone has advice, I could surely use it. I have to give notice, find housing and still move.

Here's a breakdown of the timing.

1) Have they called you about checking with your references?
a) Yes, goto 2
b) No. They may be possibly still selecting people or they are done and have moved to processing those that received offers. You will receive an email late February-Early March from USAJobs when they finally update the status of ALL applicants at once. (Note: they don't do this in stages after being 'referred to selecting official' back in Fall 2019. From Written Statement onward, your USAJobs status should always say referred until they make the final selections, even if you weren't interviewed or selected)

2) Have they called you a second time to offer a tentative offer?
a) Yes, goto 3
b) No. They are still going through or waiting for the references calls or, worse case scenario, something came up during the reference calls which gave them pause.

3) Have they emailed you a packet which includes a letter with the tentative offer and initial background check docs?
a) Yes, follow the instructions in the letter. There will be a more extensive background check after this and before a Final Offer is issued, usually right before start date or after you've already started. Goto 4.
b) No. This email is usually sent ~ 30 minutes after your phone call in Question 2... If you haven't received the email after this call, something might be wrong with your email address or spam firewall.

4) During the background check, did they find out about your alias from 20 years ago when you were running hooch and counterfeit maple syrup in Montana across the Canadian border where you buried those bodies?
a) Yes, your offer will likely be rescinded.
b) No, your secret is safe. For now....

[Anonymous User]

I posted the 5 points above on January 27 (the 10:36pm post) and was then asked by two applicants about work-life balance for parents. Personally, as a parent myself, I can’t recommend this agency for working parents. Being a working parent is stressful enough—but actually having to frequently work unpaid overtime just adds an additional layer of unnecessary stress. It’s not conducive to raising children. I also told the applicants to take a look at the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, which was circulated this week at the agency, and speaks volumes about the low morale of Trademarks.

This is not, in any way, an attempt to be snarky, but don't all of us lawyers work 40+ hours (usually with unpaid overtime), no matter where, and whether or not we have kids? And this makes me curious to know, does the sick leave and PTO offered by the USPTO not help at all? Or do you get punished for using it? As a lawyer parent myself, everywhere I have worked I have been in the same hamster wheel, and it has always been 40+ hour weeks, but with the added strain of crappy health insurance offerings by firms or non-existent sick leave. Early in my IP career, many friends in the federal government would recommend applying to the USPTO because of the health benefits and ultimate flexibility in telework. Sounds like these benefits still aren't enough to keep many employees at the USPTO satisfied (as evident by posts in this forum). Does this just mean being a lawyer and a parent equals being screwed no matter what? I mean if the USPTO isn't the place "to be", then where is?

I am not trying to discredit the experiences of others, but in reading some of the comments regarding the work-life balance at the USPTO-Trademarks, I have to say that work-life balance is the main reason I stayed with this job for over 10 years. And I have reached the Outstanding level every year I have been an examiner without doing much, if any, unpaid OT. And I've never been what they call a "super producer" either. I realize other people might have a different experience, but I would hate for folks to make a decision whether to take this job based on the negative perspective only, particularly when my experience has been so positive on the work-life balance issue. Basically, my spouse and I are the poster children for the "sandwich generation." We have a toddler in preschool, my father has a long list of illnesses, and my MIL is currently undergoing chemo. We are the closest to the our respective parents both geographically and emotionally. If I worked for a firm, I probably would've been fired or had to quit by now. With this job, after the initial training and probationary periods are complete, you can work 80 hours per two week pay period (biweek) on a very flexible schedule that can change pay period from pay period, with only a few limitations. So some biweeks I work a pretty standard M-F, 9-5, but other weeks I work 10 hours one day, six the next, get up early and work, take a break mid-day for an appointment and then work at night--you get the idea. Other times, I just use my sick or annual leave and don't worry about flexing. In the past two years, I've had to drop everything 2 or 3 times because a parent has been rushed to the hospital in the middle of the day. All my managers have ever said was take your time, hope everyone is okay, and keep us posted. I was never given a hard time about it. Talking to friends at firms and other agencies, I just don't see how any attorney has it any better than that. I can't imagine that telling a big law firm partner that the kiddo is sick again, asking a judge to move a court deadline so that I can drive a sick parent to a doctor's appointment, or rearranging an important client meeting for a family emergency is easier than what I do when I have family that needs looking after--email my managers, tell them what is going on, when I expect to be back to work, and whether I will flex or use leave to deal with it. And the flexible schedule comes in handy for the fun stuff, too. For example, my child's school holiday parties, I've never missed one. I just leave work for an hour, party at preschool, come home, and then hop back online at some point during the biweek to make up that hour. Again, I can't think of another legal job that would allow me to do that so easily. I get to pick my child up from preschool at 11:45 every single day. I doubt may people at firms or other agencies do that. Full disclose--you won't get to do that in the first few months because of the training program and work schedule requirements for probationary employees. But once you are past that, you have so much flexibility. Is the job perfect? No. It is a production based job, so it does get repetitive. You pull a few cases that are just time sucks and you get that "in the weeds" feeling. And our aging IT infrastructure is a daily source of frustration. This year, we do have a new performance appraisal plan (PAP) that is a lot tougher than our old one. We all pretty much hate it, myself included, and that is definitely reflected in the most recent employee viewpoint survey. For the first time, I am questioning whether I can reach the Outstanding level (highest level on the PAP) and I absolutely hate that. I do take pride in my work and I guess like most of us attorneys, I'm a bit Type A. I want to be Outstanding just because it is the best. So I'll do my best and let the chips fall where they may. If I get one of the lower levels (Fully Successful or Commendable), I still keep my job and even get some type of smallish bonus, too. I don't think that happens in other legal jobs. If you don't make billables at a firm, for example, I doubt you get any type of bonus and you probably will be worried about keeping your job. Other pluses--I love the field of Trademarks and I've made lifelong friends among my colleagues, both of which are pretty big perks in my book. And the expansion of the work from home program to pretty much anywhere in the US (I think even AK and HI are possible now, but I'm 100% sure of that) is also great. I've moved twice, once for family reasons and once because I just wanted to move, and I have been able to keep my job. Most lawyers, when they move states, have to sit for the bar again, and then search for a job. Being able to move to any jurisdiction and not have to sit for another bar again is pretty cool. I guess this is all the very long way of saying although the job isn't perfect (but what job is?), every time I've thought of leaving, the pluses keep me here. And the work-life balance is the biggest plus. Raising kids and helping aging parents is no joke. This job has made it possible for me to practice law, earn six figures, and be a hands-on parent to my child and caregiver to my parents. I am sorry to hear that others aren't having a similar experience--it really does sadden me to think that what makes my life a little easier is apparently doing the opposite for others. But for those potential new examiners out there, I hope this gives you some food for thought. If people are looking for a legal job with work-life balance, I would hate for them to pass this one by without hearing a different perspective than from what has been posted previously. Honestly, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this if I didn't feel so strongly about how positively the flexibility of this job has impacted my work-life balance.

Hello fellow, colleague I agree 1000%. I've examined at the Office for around five years. Consistently rated outstanding in all areas (when on full time production and not details/work projects.) Yes, morale is currently pretty low due to up-top changes referenced above -- a lot of this is from sheer uncertainty as to how things will play out long-term. We've been under the new PAP for one quarter - it's going to take time to get used to, like anything new. I suspect after a while, the nerves will settle and morale will improve again.

Even so, there are SO many positives to working at the PTO. Every day presents new and interesting challenges, as each application is truly different. You get to learn so much in your researching for examination, and I find every day fascinating for some reason. The opportunities for work projects, details, and inner-Office advancement are pretty fantastic, and I have yet to meet anyone in middle-management (your direct supervisors) who doesn't advocate fiercely for their examiners' career development.

Work-life really can't be beat - at the end of the day (hell, sometimes the middle of the day when you need to take care of something and "flex" off) you get to turn the TM side of your brain off and live your life. There may be a lingering "ugh, I have to do this crappy case tomorrow" or "ugh, it's end of quarter and I'm not quite done yet," but you don't really *have* to bring your work home with you. You don't bring your work on vacation with you. You don't get panicked calls from clients/mgmt at 11 PM or on weekends. It's great.

Re: "Lathaming," it doesn't appear to be as common as folks make it out to be. I've heard of very very few instances in the past four years, ALL of which had to do with fundamental issues in understanding and applying the law. And it seems all efforts were made to get these folks to where they needed to be by mgmt. Sometimes, it comes down to the job just not being the right fit for them. No one's getting fired out of nowhere. The odds are overwhelmingly high that, as long as you actually try to understand and put in the effort, you will be FINE. Please don't let this frighten you off.

Other positives to remember: You get to work with AWESOME people. I've made my best real-life friends from this gig. The caliber of people here is truly outstanding. You get great federal benefits. No explanation needed. You get to full time telework after about 2.5 years. You get the opportunity to learn a ton. You get fast-tracked to a GS 14 after 3 years -- that's practically UNHEARD of in federal gov't. The first year or two sucks, but the payoff is FOR SURE worth it.

I hope this helps ease some of the anxieties that are floating around out there!

Good luck to those continuing to apply (keep at it - it took me and a LOT of other folks several tries, too!), and welcome to those who've gotten/accepted offers

[Anonymous User]

I got the offer this time and it was my second time trying. Nothing changed in between then and now other than I had an extra year of experience. I don't currently work in IP but I did do an IP clinic in law school which I think helped. But other than that I don't know what difference there was, and it is so tough to get into trademark law with no experience, so I am happy to finally get some.

[Anonymous User]

I got the offer this time and it was my second time trying. Nothing changed in between then and now other than I had an extra year of experience. I don't currently work in IP but I did do an IP clinic in law school which I think helped. But other than that I don't know what difference there was, and it is so tough to get into trademark law with no experience, so I am happy to finally get some.

Congratulations! That’s great news! May I ask if you interviewed the first time ? I read somewhere on this forum that some ppl got interviews the first time but didn’t receive the interview offer the second time.

[Anonymous User]

I got the offer this time and it was my second time trying. Nothing changed in between then and now other than I had an extra year of experience. I don't currently work in IP but I did do an IP clinic in law school which I think helped. But other than that I don't know what difference there was, and it is so tough to get into trademark law with no experience, so I am happy to finally get some.

Congratulations! That’s great news! May I ask if you interviewed the first time ? I read somewhere on this forum that some ppl got interviews the first time but didn’t receive the interview offer the second time.

Yes I got an interview the first time also. It was weird because they remembered me from the first time, mostly because I have a unique name. But the second interview was different because of that, and the main guy brought it up a few times during my interview and didnt ask certain questions (about my experience in my resume mostly) because of that. I thought it was going to make it less likely to get it due to that but somehow it worked out.

[Anonymous User]

Big thanks to all the examining attorneys who took to the time to comment here. I am so damn excited about starting in May!