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(Message started by: PiP on Jun 23^rd, 2005, 10:55am)

Title: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 23^rd, 2005, 10:55am

I am in the final throwes of attaining my PhD in Toxicology and am now applying to law school to go into biotech IP law. I understand that school location is critical for getting associateships and subsequently a job. Thus, for biotech patent attorneys the best locales are the Northeast sector (Boston, NJ), North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham), and California (San Diego, San Francisco). My questions are:

1. Is Washington DC also a good place to be for biotech patent law? It is a great place to attend law school and is fantastic for other areas of IP law.

2. Do you think that U. of San Diego or U. of San Francisco are worth attending? They are not top tier by any stretch but they are in some of the best locations. I know that Berkely and Stanford are tops out west, but I cannot rely on getting into those schools.

3. Would it be a big mistake to attend law school in a place out of the way? For example, U. of Florida or U. of Houston have very nice IP programs, but there is little biotech nearby. Would my PhD go to waste in the South?

Thanks for any input! This forum is really great!

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by Chuy on Jun 23^rd, 2005, 12:38pm

My specialty is not biotech, but electrical. Nevertheless, I have a couple of things to say.

If you really want to be in the Bay Area and aren't going to get into Boalt or Stanford, Santa Clara is where you want to be for IP law. If there's a chance you'll practice any other kind of law, I wouldn't do it, but it's great for IP law. All of the big firms that are otherwise snooty about what law school you attended will recruit IP people from Santa Clara.

Also, I don't know about the rest of the South, but Texas is a strong IP market. Probably third behind D.C. and the Bay Area. I don't think your degree would go to waste there at all, but it's probably a little better for computer/electrical kind of work than it is for biotech. But keep in mind that Houston has one of, if not the best, medical centers in the country. UH is a great choice for IP law if you rule out D.C. and the Bay Area for some reason.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 23^rd, 2005, 1:37pm

Thanks, Chuy! I will probably add SC back on my list based on your advice! I plan to put in an app at 2 California schools so it is going to be SC and probably Boalt.

I know Houston has a massive medical center (combined it's around 80k people in the medical community alone, if you can believe that.) But I think that most of the medical community consists of doctors and insurance companies relieving patients of their money??? Hah, I'm being overly harsh. There is great research in Houston and at various schools around Texas such as UT-Austin, but I'm not sure how much IP law will be happening in those areas that is outside of the schools. If you have additional comment, please let me know!

It is important to me to not work for a tech transfer office affiliated with a university. I already do that, actually, and it seems that some people in the law field look down on it. I think that firms or even biotech companies are the best. That said, my family is actually moving to Houston and I am definitely applying to U of H as it seems to have a nice reputation in IP law. There is some biotech happening in the area. I'm not sure how much biotech is necessary to grow a reasonably sized group of IP attorneys... I don't want to end up "on and island," with the only biotech IP business in town while everyone else is in (probably) oil related industry!

Title: Washington, DC
Post by PiP on Jun 24^th, 2005, 8:21am

I would really appreciate it if someone could comment on biotech IP law in the DC area?

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by Patent_Type on Jun 24^th, 2005, 12:13pm

"am now applying to law school to go into biotech IP law"

Did you already take the LSAT? That will answer quite a lot of your questions -- because if you score 170, you can consider Stanford or Boalt. If you score 155, get your Santa Clara application ready.

"I understand that school location is critical for getting associateships and subsequently a job."

Well, school location isn't always critical. You can be in law school at Georgetown and find jobs in Boston. You can go to law school at NYU or Chicago and find jobs in California. In other words, if you go to a top 20 school, the location is meaningless. Now, on the other hand, if you go to school at Franklin Pierce, good luck finding a summer job in Concord NH. Good luck finding a job anywhere for that matter!

"I would really appreciate it if someone could comment on biotech IP law in the DC area? "

There is always lots of IP law work in the DC area. Most firms do work for biotech/pharmaceutical companies that are located elsewhere, as well as lots of foreign originating work.

Here's a list of DC firms with biotech practices to get you started. Look at their websites to get a feel for the depth of biotech work done there:

Finnegan
Foley Lardner
Howrey
Hale Dorr
Sterne Kessler

then there are dozens of smaller shops that do chemical or bio work.

PT

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 24^th, 2005, 12:53pm

PT - thanks so much for the information. These firms you listed are extremely helpful!

I am studying for the LSAT now to take in October. That is really the deciding factor in how this scenerio will play out for me...but I always find it better to plan for the worst and hope for the best and am trying to consider all options.

Hah, if I ended up at FP by some horrible circumstance I could get a summer associateship milking cows or pulling weeds, LOL! The sad part about that joke is that I would still be making more money pulling weeds than using my PhD for research...

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by IPLVR on Jun 24^th, 2005, 3:02pm

"Now, on the other hand, if you go to school at Franklin Pierce, good luck finding a summer job in Concord NH. Good luck finding a job anywhere for that matter!"

Cute, I admit there is some truth to that. But I know that as a PhD there should be no problem. I went to FPLC and a friend of mine had with a PhD had a summer job offer secured by the end of August.

There is more stuff to do than milk cows.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 24^th, 2005, 3:56pm

That is actually relieving to hear, IPLVR. Obviously everyone cannot go to the law schools where everyone drinks tea with their pinkies in the air!

Are FP students able to get work in the Woburn, MA area or down in Boston? It seems to me that with all the biotech stuff going on there a PhD/JD could still do very well even if they had to deal with the negativity (deserved or not) that appears to have attached itself to FP.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by IPLVR on Jun 25^th, 2005, 9:20pm

"Are FP students able to get work in the Woburn, MA area or down in Boston? It seems to me that with all the biotech stuff going on there a PhD/JD could still do very well even if they had to deal with the negativity (deserved or not) that appears to have attached itself to FP."

To answer your question. I would say it depends on the firms. The Boston market is one of the hardest markets to get a foot in the door. There are a lot of law schools in Boston (BU, BC, Harvard, North Eastern, New England School of law....) and many of the graduates of these schools stick around. That makes it harder for FPLC graduates to get jobs at big firms. FPLC has a good connection to Mintz, Wolf Greenfield, Lando. There were good ties to Testa but since that firm closed the people went mainly to Goodwin I think. So FPLC might have a connection there. Oh and there is one FPLC who is a partner at Foley. I would say it is possible to find a job in the Boston market but at a smaller IP firm.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by IPLVR on Jun 25^th, 2005, 9:23pm

PiP have you considered looking into a law clerk program? I think with your backgroun you might have a chance. It is not easy to do but would be a great opportunity. I think Wilmer Cutler was looking for agents? Or was it Goodwin.

I am not sure but I remember seeing a posting. To find some just go to martindale.com and pick a city (try DC) and search for area of practice - IP and then go through all the firm's websites. It is a pain in the butt - but those couple of hours will pay off...

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 27^th, 2005, 10:22am

IPLVR, thanks for the great advice and information!

I have thought about the clerkship, but hadn't followed up on it as well as I should do. I will only have next summer time to do that work because I will attend law school in the fall '06 and I still have to graduate from here...but I was thinking to ad some law school's night programs for that very reason. There are potential benefits to doing it that way, such as getting a firm/company to pay for school + get experience; plus, admissions standards are lowered for part timers. Dubious possibilities, but possibilities with a big enough payoff not to ignore.

If I stay longer at my grad school (after graduating and until law school starts), I have a chance to advance my publication record by 1-3 papers (total = 11-14). However, I think that experience is probably the key to getting my foot in the door. (http://www.intelproplaw.com/Forum/Forum.cgi?board=patent_career;action=display;num=1116514911)

I will follow through with looking around for clerkship positions based on your advice, IPLVR.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by IPLVR on Jun 29^th, 2005, 5:09pm

Pip - take a look at Wilmer Cutler - (wilmer.com)

They are looking for a PhD technical specialist.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 30^th, 2005, 1:26pm

Thanks v. much, IPLVR! But I didn't see where it's listed on their firm's website? Is it under "Entry Level Associates & Judical Clerks" ?

Ha ha, they abbreviate their name WHPhD. Bad joke, but I had to...

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by T on Jun 30^th, 2005, 3:19pm

PiP, are you retarded?

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by PiP on Jun 30^th, 2005, 3:28pm

So what does "T" stand for? From your statement, I'm going to go out on a limb and suppose it's short for Tea Bagging.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by IPLVR on Jun 30^th, 2005, 6:12pm

on 06/30/05 at 13:26:13, PiP wrote:

Take a lot under current opportunities - I found it under laterals but also on the iplawbulletin.com website.

Title: Re: Locations where biotech IP law is practiced ?
Post by Muhammad Mustafa Mustaan on Jul 23^rd, 2005, 3:38am

Hello;
I am here to find some sources, so i can make the Intellectual property Law for Afghanistan where is lacking of such laws.
I would have to build a road, so people can go tomorrow by, but the problem is that I am not from such field, but working on it.
can anybody help me, creating such law(volunteerly)?
with respect