<p>Do you really need to go to a T-14 if you're doing patent law? What if you went to a top 50 or top 100? How well do you have to do in law school?</p>
<p>Also, if you're an engineering major, do you need to have a M.S. for patent law or is B.S. enough?</p>
<p>I am from Canada, so things might/might not be the same. You can become a patent lawyer no matter whichever law school you are in, provided that it meets the standards listed from the professional association. You would have to complete certain exams specialize in patent law after bar and also need relative experience.</p>
<p>A bachelors in engineering will suffice, although the business that u attract largely depends on your specialty and credentials.</p>
<p>Sorry I forgot to elaborate: given the number of unemployed and under-employed lawyers out there, what kind of law school for patent practice do you need to go to be realtively safe? Also, is B.S. enough to have a secure enough job or is M.S. more of the way to go?</p>
<p>start here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/235271-overview-patent-intellectual-property-law.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/235271-overview-patent-intellectual-property-law.html</a></p>
<p>From my mother the legal consultant:</p>
<p>BSEE are historically the highest in demand followed by BSME. That said, top grades at whatever law school, again, preferably a top tier, will open more doors. Summer internships, while few, need to be researched wherever in the country. Patent boutique firms could offer insight as to who they hire. Look at their websites. Check credentials of Counsel, Partners and Associates. It’s not easy anywhere, so be the best. </p>
<p>Sent from my Desire HD using CC App</p>
<p>By ‘safe’ there are always no guarantees. What is safe is that even if you cannot find a job in patent law you can still use your engineering degree to make a living or you can go to engineering contract management or a patent agent. Which school or whether to get a MSc might increase your chances but there are no guarantees on being ‘safe’.</p>
<p>As mention by the previous poster you should look at the current market to see where the demand is for patents.</p>
<p>Second of all, find out if patent law is really something you want to do and not just for money. In my case, patents are a little bit boring when I took an introduction course and I much prefer corporate/contract and ip law.</p>
<p>Bump…</p>
<p>I am also interested in this question.
I am about to complete my MS in EE.
I can make $80k now, since I have good internships and a good skillset. </p>
<p>The problem is, if I go to law school I know it will not be a top one because my undergrad grades were ~3.3. And I don’t want to spend 3 years in law school and graduate, and make less or the same as I could do right now.</p>
<p>What kind of starting salary would I expect if I went to an average law school with an MS in EE and specialized in patent law?</p>
<p>As a legal recruiter, I have clients (law firms) that are more interested in where you received your undergrad/grad degree(s) than where you went to law school. I have another corporate client who will only consider T14 grads, even for patent, so it all depends. Of all the practice areas, however, there is more flexibility about prestige of the law school in patent law than in other specialties.</p>
<p>But, if I graduate from say, a top 35-50 law school right now, with an MS in EE, what kind of starting salary would be typical?</p>
<p>I am patent lawyer and I can vouch for the fact that your technical background is FAR more important than what law school you went to. I have a MS from MIT in CSEE and a law degree from UConn which is a respectable second tier law school. I went back to law school after spending 25 years with early stage technology companies. I specialize in nanotechnology and medical devices (which has nothing to do with my original engineering background). </p>
<p>You have to understand that patent law is probably the most specialized area of law. You need to pass the patent bar which requires a science or engineering background. That eliminates 99% of the competition. Many of the top law firms do not have their own patent lawyers, but rather work with boutique firms for patents. Most of them have less than 25 attorneys. </p>
<p>Patent attorneys are in very high demand right now largely because of the recent major changes in the US patent system. There are less than 20,000 patent lawyers among 1.2 million lawyers in the US and about the same number of patent agents. Most openings, especially for attorneys dealing with software patents which are the latest rage, can’t be filled. Nanotech and greentech are also hot areas right now. Corporations as a general rule, NEVER do their patent work in house and that includes IBM and Microsoft. It just does not make sense. </p>
<p>As a starting patent attorney with no experience you can expect to make at least $100k with a boutique firm and $120K and up with a larger firm. With experience, there is no limit as what you can make. There is much less competition than in other fields making partner and unless you screw up badly, the firm that trained you will not want to lose you. Good patent attorneys are very hard to replace. Patent litigators make the most money and I know several making well into seven figures. </p>
<p>I took a different route and formed my own patent practice straight out of law school even before I had passed the patent bar. I don’t charge by the hour but charge my clients a fixed retainer for handling their patent needs. Once I sign a client, I keep them for years. I become part of their team and work on their long term IP strategy. My first year as a solo practitioner, I made more than twice what the average patent attorney makes. My second year, I doubled my business. Now starting my third year, I plan to hire another patent attorney to handle biotechnology, which is outside of my zone of comfort. I am of counsel with several big law firms who do not have their own patent practice, which means they send me referrals and I give them a commission on the work they refer to me. </p>
<p>If you don’t have a lot of industry experience, I would suggest working for a boutique firm first and get the experience. After that, if you are good at building relationships with clients I believe the best strategy is to focus on a few technology areas and be independent. If you know your field well, you will have no problems getting business.</p>