<p>I have no idea about the first 3, but here is what I know about #4. I’m a scientist working with IP lawyers to obtain patent protection for our inventions. To be able to practice patent law in the US, you have to pass the Patent Bar in addition to the State Bar of the state where you will be practicing. Not everyone can take the Patent Bar exam; the USPTO has very specific requirements. Basically, you have to have an undergraduate degree (no, PhD or Masters’ will not cut it for the USPTO) in a scientific field (chemistry, physics) or some areas of engineering or have to show that you’ve taken enough credits in these fields if your degree is in something else. With A JD and no scientific background, you will be able to work in other areas of IP such as trademarks, but no one will let you practice patent law without passing the patent bar exam.</p>
<p>^ That’s right, and for that reason patent law tends to be its own little world. “IP” law encompasses a lot more than patent law – including copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and licensing (including patent licensing, for which you do not need to be a member of the patent bar).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Kid, you got a lot to learn!</p>
<p>By the way, your various target jobs involve very, very different skill sets and ways of spending time. Consulting and hedge fund management, for the young people involved, generally require tons of math and long hours spent doing quantitative analysis. Corporate lawyers deal with words much more than numbers (although the good ones know numbers, too), and even junior lawyers need excellent people skills. IP lawyers are basically a subset of corporate lawyers. (“Corporate” law is usually sort of a general term covering a bunch of business-related subspecialties. It also usually means transactional or planning work, not litigation. IP lawyers are also generally split between transactional lawyers and litigators.)</p>
Lol, thank you.
Thank you for your great advice.</p>
<p>Please excuse me haha, I am still a high school student.
My problem is that I am good at both and I want to have a job that involves both disciplines: Math and Critical Analysis.</p>
<p>In response to JHS’s comment maths is seen as important for Oxford PPE, in particular the economics part. From the Oxford admissions pages on PPE:</p>
<p>"Although a background in Mathematics is not formally required for admission, PPE applicants should have sufficient interest in, and aptitude for, mathematics to cope with the mathematical elements of the course. Mathematics is a particular advantage for the Economics component of the course, as well as for the first year logic course in philosophy, and for understanding theories and data in politics.</p>
<p>Last year around 90% of the applicants who were offered places for PPE had studied Maths to at least AS-level, or equivalent. You may like to consider taking Maths to AS-level, or an equivalent qualification such as IB Standard Level, even if you do not pursue it further. It is useful to have learnt the basics of differentiation before starting your university course in PPE."</p>