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[iq65]

If you work at the same firm throughout law school as a student associate (where you work FT and go to school PT),  by the time you graduate, what type of credit do you get?  Do you most people start as a third year?  Is there a difference between pay credit and partnership credit?  (As in might one get paid as a third year, but be considered a second year for partnership purposes?)

[petethebody]

I have never heard of getting credit for time you were not an associate at a bigger firm, but my experience with smaller firms is very limited.  If your firm is large or does lockstep, my guess is that your salary and bonus are in line with the rest of your class.  In that situation, your benefit is knowing who the major partners are and *hopefully* being known by them for having good work - a benefit not to be discounted easily.

Smaller shops with no formal or rigid partnership track might let you be partner earlier.  But someone else might be better able to inform you about boutiques and smaller shops. 

[bald & chained]

it's usually 1 year for 2 years of experience as a patent agent.  So if you spent 4 years as an agent while you were in law school, you'd start as a 3rd year.  This is not a hard rule so the credit may vary between firms.

[stuffball]

it's usually 1 year for 2 years of experience as a patent agent.  So if you spent 4 years as an agent while you were in law school, you'd start as a 3rd year.  This is not a hard rule so the credit may vary between firms.

That's how it is at my firm.

[helene]

I know of one firm where it was 3 years of credit for 4 years as a student associate, and I think I even talked to one firm that gave 1:1 seniority credit - associates there got some kind of senior status at 5 or 6 years, so an agent who'd been there all through LS would have become "senior associate" within a year or two of graduation. No idea how either of those firms in particular handled credit towards the partnership track, since not all firms consider you for partnership at a set date.
I do agree that 50% seniority credit seems more common.

[iq65]

Hi Helene,

Do you know by chance which firm gave the 3:4 credit, or the 1:1 credit?

Thanks