Job Responsibilities
I prepare, prosecute, and enforce patents and trademarks. This
takes about 40-50 hours a week. I also provide general client
counseling and prepare, review, and negotiate license agreements
and Intellectual property sections of other agreements, usually
taking about 5 hours a week or more (much more when deals are
being negotiated).
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Job Requirements
You must have a JD, which is a three-year program after getting
an undergraduate or graduate degree in some field. Then you
also must pass a 3-day long bar exam. For practicing before the
patent office, there is another exam that you must also pass.
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Uppers
Working on a variety of client issues, getting involved in important deals and
negotiations, and solving client problems. Working with new technologies and
interacting with inventors.
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Downers
The hours are long, extremely long. I'm usually here in the
office about 11 hours a day during the week and 4-5 hours on the
weekend. Taking time off for a vacation is difficult and your
time is controlled by the client, the court, or partners in
charge of your particular matter.
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Lifestyle
Long hours, business casual. Don't plan on having much of a life outside the
office -- you won't have time for it.
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Compensation
The pay is very good. We offer first year associates over
$100,000.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Be very sure this is what you want to do, then go to the
absolute best law school you can. There will always be work for
lawyers.
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