To bring you up to date, nothing much in terms of results in getting a patent attorney job has changed. I've been on a few interviews, and in each interview, I've been hearing the same thing:
"So, you have a philosophy degree, eh? Do you know about X [usually something like communications]? What about Y [then something about hi-tech or biotech or something like that]? Well, if you don't know about these areas, then you will be unable to prosecute the patents for the clients we serve. We are looking for someone who has a Z degree (they usually say electrical engineering here), and without that degree, you are of no use to us. We'll get back to you and let you know."At that point, the interview typically ends.
...So the short and skinny of it is that it doesn't look like I'll be getting a job as a patent attorney, and so I'm so close to giving up and changing fields that my heart hurts at the prospect of this move.
To adjust, the past week I've looked into patent/Intellectual Property (IP) litigation, but while it is difficult to get into it, I feel that is the best home for my skills and my abilities. However, it is a dim chance that someone will hire me without experience, so I need to find some litigation job (state/federal/general/local) that will give me experience and motion practice ideally in the federal courtroom, and once I have a few years of that experience, I'll be able to side-step into an IP litigation firm and use my patent attorney license to litigate patent infringement issues.
This is a sad turn of events for me, but the reality of it is that at least I'm realizing where I am and where I need to be. I just wish I learned this hard fact that A PATENT ATTORNEY FROM A LOW-TIERED LAW SCHOOL WITHOUT A HARD TECHNICAL SCIENCE DEGREE CANNOT PRACTICE AS A PATENT ATTORNEY.
Additionally, my wife and I are moving out of our apartment in the end of November, so we're looking for a Jewish (preferably Chabad/Lubavich) community to move into, and it doesn't matter which state we go to, as long as the cost of living is reasonable.
All this being said, I feel good. I am a tatty, and my son is 5 months old, and there is Shalom Bayis (peace) between my wife and myself, even though I know me not having a job is quite stressful for her. That being said, we are not poor, chos v'sholom, as I have always been smart about saving for a storm, and it is raining. We have literally just a few liquid dollars in the bank and so things are very tight, but I am hoping we will make it through and G-d will provide for us by somehow getting me hired at a law firm.
Lastly, I know that G-d doesn't make mistakes, and everything is done for a reason. Thus, while I cannot see His mater plan for me and my family, I know that I didn't just waste over a year taking and passing the patent bar exam and wasting my time applying to literally hundreds of patent prosecution firms. Somehow, my patent attorney license must come into use at some point in the future, because otherwise it would have been a waste and I don't think G-d would do that to me, especially since I've been working so hard to be his servant.
6 comments:
look into the Chabad community of Cincinnati.. a chabad boy's mesivta, and chabad cheder, chabad preschool, 3 kosher restaurants, and two grocery stores with large kosher selections (fresh kosher meat, kosher bakery,
I have my fingers crossed for you.
In addition to the above, Pittsburg PA has a rather large Chabad community and New Haven, CT is up and comming a new mesivtah, new building and a number of goods schools in the area and the fact that it is under 2 hours from Crown Heights is another plus
My goodness...I have read several of your posts and it's disheartening. I am in law school, have an Electrical Engineering degree, and will be a summer associate at a large law firm. Eventually, I will be a patent attorney. Reading all of your struggles to get where I am, I would exchange spots with you. After all, you have a baby....so please trust me when I say, I sympathize with you. Now, I hate to tell you this, but it's something you need to hear. Passing the patent bar is pretty useless. You should have done some research before you started chasing this career. Your best bet is to give up chasing a career in IP. I say this because I go to a good law school where many of my friends *with* technical backgrounds are still having a tough time finding a job in IP. If you are still really interested in working in IP, you should apply to be a Patent Examiner at the USPTO. And you should also check out the very helpful forums at:
http://www.intelproplaw.com/Forum/Forum.cgi?board=patent_career
Good luck.
I read your comment and thank you for your concern. IP is a very tough field, yes, but it is not only for the elite. People that come from where I come from also can make their mark.
agreed.
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