Re: Advice Needed for future IP/law school applicant

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I couldn't agree more with his statements about the right
school and grades. I had the grades but not the school
reputation. If only I had known that 12 years ago. I went to a
good local law school (however it was rated in the 3rd/4th
tier)in the Chicago area. I graduated 3rd in my class with
numerous accolades and awards. Yet, I got a job at the largest
and best known IP firm in Chicago (on basis of grades and
personal attributes) where I worked for 4 years.

After a run in with a pompous ass partner who graduated from
Michigan, that's when I learned that credentials not skills
open doors for a legal job. I was downsized because of the
economy and the partner's ego at having a "non top 10 law
school graduate" stand firm, and (actually) save his ass from
making a couple of big legal errors in a case. After that, he
wanted me out because I knew. I was on track for partnership,
and had good reviews except the one partner, yet, I was out
the door because the economy meant cuts would be make. I was
told some partners battled for me; but, I had no say to
dispute the partner's false statements about me. In the end,
the economy did me in as 10%-15% of the firm associates were
laid off.

It took me almost a year to get a job at a smaller IP firm on
the west coast, while lesser skilled attorneys (with better
reputation schools and lower grades) got much better jobs.
Now, after 7 years in that smaller firm, I find myself looking
again after downsizing, and its the same thing all over. When
I get in the door, I am only rejected because someone went to
a better school.

The morale - go to a top ranked school even if you cannot
afford it. The benefits are worth it. I had the grades and the
LSATs. I was married, lacked money, worked about 10 years
before going back to school, and foolishly thought that good
law school grades, and exceptional skills would win out. I was
wrong.

I am member of the patent bar, Illinois Bar, California Bar,
and numerous federal district courts, Fed. Cir. and Ninth
Circuit. I have prosecution, litigation, and transactional
skills - even did a due diligence investigation for the
largest biotechnology merger, and I can't get in the door for
my dream job - corporate counsel for a life science based
corporation.

On 12/13/03, lawdawg wrote:
> Look at the patent firms as follows:
> www.patentratings.com
> www.martindale,com (type in "patent" under area of practice).
> Look at the websites of some firms in your area that hire
> technical advisors/agents. Applying as a registered agent is
> a plus, so take the patent bar NOW!!!
>
> Most law schools look at 2 things: undegraduate GPA and
> LSAT. Most use an admission formula that take these two
> numbers into account. Graduate GPA is usually not factored
> into the admissions formula. However, a few schools consider
> other things besides GPA & LSAT, which may include grad
> school performance.
>
> Just remember that your law school's reputation (see link
> below) and your law school grades will determine the your
> future as a lawyer. Law is a very credential driven
> profession, unlike medicine and engineering. In medicine and
> engineering, you can just barely graduate and get a
> relatively good paying job. However, in the extremely
> competitive legal profession, just getting a JD degree doe
> not cut it. You need to graduate from a top tier school and
> be in the top 10&37; of your class. Why? Because the law is
> flooded with an oversupply of lawyers allowing law firms to
> be overly picky about who they hire.
>
> Note:
> See "http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/lawin
> dex_brief.php" for ranking information.
>

Re: Advice Needed for future IP/law school applicant, 2/19/04, by patentguy.

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