Who took the LSAT? - What about being a Patent Agent - Page 2

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Who took the LSAT? - What about being a Patent Agent (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 3/6/2006 8:47:44 AM EDT

[#1]

bump for added question (original post)

Posted: 3/6/2006 9:11:14 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Now, IP law, according to the SMU advisor does not require a law degree - all I have to do is pass the patent bar....I thought about that, but who would hire someone with NO basic background in law?

I just noticed this comment. Passing the "patent bar" allows you to practice as a licensed Patent Agent, pursuing patent applications (and reexaminations, and other USPTO actions) for your clients with the USPTO. It doesn't allow you to practice law in court. You are not a lawyer, and you don't get to play one in public.

As for who hires patent agents, plenty of companies do. There are advantages to being a patent lawyer -- you can do much more, such as handling infringement cases when they end up in court -- but you don't need a law degree to analyze an existing patent which is being claimed as prior art, you need an engineering or science background, preferably in a field related to the patent application in question. Sort of like the difference between physicians and nurses.

Posted: 3/7/2006 5:27:02 AM EDT

[#3]

bump for day crew

Posted: 3/7/2006 6:04:32 AM EDT

[#4]

158 cold

1st year kicked my ass but ended up in top 15% once I figured out how to play the game

Posted: 3/7/2006 6:14:06 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
158 cold

1st year kicked my ass but ended up in top 15% once I figured out how to play the game

And what are these "rules" you speak of

?

Posted: 3/9/2006 9:04:00 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I looked into law school last year. After finding what experienced lawyers made I said F* that! I already make double what they make with 10 years experience. Example: Senior Corporate lawyer at large corp here in Dallas pays $45-60k/yr! WTF? "Why so low?" I asked. Well, my DA friend said starting lawyers make in the low $30k! WTF? Apparently there are a lot of unemployed lawyers out there, and unless you own a successful firm or are partner in a successful firm, then you won't make jack....so all we ever hear about are the successful lawyers...I can take my chances with my PE license and start my own electronics enginering firm and probably come out ahead compared to going to law school and starting over. Now, IP law, according to the SMU advisor does not require a law degree - all I have to do is pass the patent bar....I thought about that, but who would hire someone with NO basic background in law?

Law has a lot of extremes. An associate at one of the 20 largest Dallas firms will start at $100k+. But, in order to do that you need to have graduated from a top ten lawschool or in the top 5% of your class at a local law school. As for $30k, that would be for a starting state DA. Federal DA's can make 100k after a few years.

This came in today's email:

On TexasLawyer.com today:

V&E First Big-Tex Firm to Raise Associate Salaries

The executive committee at Houston-based Vinson & Elkins voted on March 8 to raise associate salaries, moving first-year base salaries to $135,000 in Texas. The firm increased the first-year base in Washington, D.C., and New York City to $145,000, says managing partner Joe Dilg.

Read the whole story at www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1141812312600 (no password required).

Posted: 3/9/2006 9:08:25 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

This came in today's email:

On TexasLawyer.com today:

V&E First Big-Tex Firm to Raise Associate Salaries

The executive committee at Houston-based Vinson & Elkins voted on March 8 to raise associate salaries, moving first-year base salaries to $135,000 in Texas. The firm increased the first-year base in Washington, D.C., and New York City to $145,000, says managing partner Joe Dilg.

Read the whole story at www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1141812312600 (no password required).

Crap. The downside of the salary wars was that firms kept upping our hours. We work too hard as it is already.

Posted: 3/9/2006 9:23:55 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Quoted:

This came in today's email:

On TexasLawyer.com today:

V&E First Big-Tex Firm to Raise Associate Salaries

The executive committee at Houston-based Vinson & Elkins voted on March 8 to raise associate salaries, moving first-year base salaries to $135,000 in Texas. The firm increased the first-year base in Washington, D.C., and New York City to $145,000, says managing partner Joe Dilg.

Read the whole story at www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1141812312600 (no password required).

Crap. The downside of the salary wars was that firms kept upping our hours. We work too hard as it is already.

I've been reading up. The book I have started with is "Law School Confidential". Basically tries to talk you out of law school. The individuals, a lot of them, say that if it wasn't for having to pay back the loans they could actually do the lawyering that they originally set out to do.

I guess thats why I am wondering if the payoff is worth the investment (both time and money). No arguement that laws run this country and knowing it would certainly be an advantage and impacting it would really be good.

Posted: 3/9/2006 10:00:03 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I've been reading up. The book I have started with is "Law School Confidential". Basically tries to talk you out of law school. The individuals, a lot of them, say that if it wasn't for having to pay back the loans they could actually do the lawyering that they originally set out to do.

While law school can be expensive, a lot of the reason many young attorneys think they are slaves to their loans is because they choose to live like they are Paris Hilton.

(no, I don't mean they go around making night-vision XXX videos)

A lot of attorneys that are fresh out of school are living far beyond their means. It doesn't matter if you're pulling in a big firm salary or not. Somehow they think that a title of Esquire entitles them to bespoke suits, million dollar condos and beluga caviar. They spend like crazy and wonder why they have so little cash left over to pay their student loan payments.

Again, regardless of whether you are making 40k as a first-year prosecutor or $150k as a first year at Sullivan & Cromwell in NYC -- if you live below your means you'll never have problems with issues of personal finance.

Posted: 3/9/2006 10:10:06 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I've been reading up. The book I have started with is "Law School Confidential". Basically tries to talk you out of law school. The individuals, a lot of them, say that if it wasn't for having to pay back the loans they could actually do the lawyering that they originally set out to do.

While law school can be expensive, a lot of the reason many young attorneys think they are slaves to their loans is because they choose to live like they are Paris Hilton.

(no, I don't mean they go around making night-vision XXX videos)

A lot of attorneys that are fresh out of school are living far beyond their means. It doesn't matter if you're pulling in a big firm salary or not. Somehow they think that a title of Esquire entitles them to bespoke suits, million dollar condos and beluga caviar. They spend like crazy and wonder why they have so little cash left over to pay their student loan payments.

Again, regardless of whether you are making 40k as a first-year prosecutor or $150k as a first year at Sullivan & Cromwell in NYC -- if you live below your means you'll never have problems with issues of personal finance.

I am going to read the entire book because I totally understand the whole instant gratification (having done it myself

, ooohh, engineer, sure, here is a bunch of credit cards

). So I have learned that lesson

.

I figured at 100k/yr that leaves a take home of 60-70k. Comes out to 5-5.8k/mo. Should be enough to double up on loan payments for a time and still live at what I would call a two-year old car level.

Posted: 3/9/2006 1:59:46 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I've been reading up. The book I have started with is "Law School Confidential". Basically tries to talk you out of law school. The individuals, a lot of them, say that if it wasn't for having to pay back the loans they could actually do the lawyering that they originally set out to do.

I guess thats why I am wondering if the payoff is worth the investment (both time and money). No arguement that laws run this country and knowing it would certainly be an advantage and impacting it would really be good.

I'm not really happy with my career choices. I make enough to get by and the work's okay as work goes, but all things considered, I wish I'd stuck with engineering.

Of course, if I were an engineer, I'd probably be saying that I make enough to get by and the work's okay as work goes, but all things considered, I wish I'd gone to law school.

Probably should have gone into radiology. Radiology or bar tending. Either one would probably do.

If you think you're going to have a big impact on society as a lawyer, I'd give up on that foolish notion. It's mainly a day-to-day grind on issues of no consequence to anyone except the person who's paying the bills. Except Tobacco. That was sort of fun.

Posted: 3/9/2006 2:18:35 PM EDT

[#12]

Took it twice. Scored in the mid 150s (I teh sux). The second time I studied more, from the Testmasters class, and scored less

I have a good job in a growing Fortune 50 company with lots of upside, but I still think a legal career would be better.

-People cant screw with you as much
-more control over your own career path
-less chance of getting outsourced, downsized, or run out of business
-don't have to be a 'real' lawyer, could go into investment banking, M&A, work for a corporation, etc

College degrees are a dime a dozen these days. They aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Most MBA's don't add up to dogshit. So what's left, JD or MD, and medical school aint for me...

Posted: 3/10/2006 7:58:05 AM EDT

[#13]

bump for more stories

Posted: 3/10/2006 8:45:42 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Quoted:

This came in today's email:

On TexasLawyer.com today:

V&E First Big-Tex Firm to Raise Associate Salaries

The executive committee at Houston-based Vinson & Elkins voted on March 8 to raise associate salaries, moving first-year base salaries to $135,000 in Texas. The firm increased the first-year base in Washington, D.C., and New York City to $145,000, says managing partner Joe Dilg.

Read the whole story at www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1141812312600 (no password required).

Crap. The downside of the salary wars was that firms kept upping our hours. We work too hard as it is already.

I guess you won't want to hear this then:

On TexasLawyer.com today:

Andrews Kurth Raises Associate Salaries Retroactive to Jan. 1

Following Vinson & Elkins’ lead, Andrews Kurth is the second large Texas firm to raise its Texas associate salary scale. But Andrews Kurth upped the ante a bit. V&E’s new associate base salaries will be retroactive to March 1. Andrews Kurth will pay the new salaries retroactive to Jan. 1.

Read the entire story at http://www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1141898569934 (no password required).

I wish those greedy bastards I work for would give me a retroactive raise.

Posted: 3/19/2006 9:44:48 PM EDT

[#15]

bump for questions about being a Patent Agent and the Patent Bar Exam

Posted: 3/19/2006 10:29:18 PM EDT

[#16]

I'll be very interested in the discussion about patent agent careers.

I've talked with USPTO about patent examiner positions, and apparently a lot of patent examiners do end up taking the bar exam and moving on as patent agents, and some then go to law school and do the full patent attorney thing.

Jim

Posted: 3/20/2006 5:50:24 AM EDT

[#17]

bump for day walkers

from original post:

Edit3:What about being a Patent Agent? I understand the Patent Bar is thought to be difficult so no illusions there. I also know it can be done. This way I can get out of 3 yrs of law school and still be in the field (so to speak )

Posted: 3/20/2006 11:41:03 AM EDT

[#18]

tag

Posted: 3/22/2006 4:25:14 PM EDT

[#19]

anything about Patent Agent?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Who took the LSAT? - What about being a Patent Agent (Page 2 of 2)

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