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[DetroitPatent]

Hello All,

I am coming forward with an issue that many new patent attorneys are facing - the lack of employment.  I am a four-year attorney who previously worked for an insurance defense firm.  I was laid off nearly 8-months ago and have been looking for work since. 

I took and passed the patent bar in April, hoping it would make me more marketable.  I have a ChemE background with a strong academic record.  However, I live (own a home) in the metro-Detroit area - where nothing is happening and no one is hiring at the moment. 

I applied to the PTO months ago but never heard back (have plenty of contacts there).  Now I am writing to firms asking if I could work as a law clerk.  Still nothing.  Any advice on how to kickstart my career?  Any avenue that I have not thought about? Get out of Michigan is the number one piece of advice I get, but for personal reasons I cannot do this. 


Thanks in advance.


Pratheep

[stuffball]

What about looking into tech transfer departments at universities and colleges?  In this job market there's probably even competition for these kind of jobs... but maybe you could get something temporary that would add to your resume and certainly look better than unemployment.  Plus the kind of exposure you'd likely get might help you to get a job in the private sector with a company or law firm.

Obviously, the big dog in your area is UM.  From the site it doesn't look like their tech transfer office has too many lawyers on staff.  I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.  The general counsel is 10 yrs out of law school and has pretty stellar qualifications (Michigan JD, Kirkland and Ellis experience, federal clerkship).  The assistant's bio isn't posted.

Wayne State does its tech transfer through this "tech town" thing.  I don't really get it, but here's the website:

http://techtownwsu.org/

Lawrence tech is another one you might want to check out if you're pinned to Detroit.  Eastern Michigan Univ. isn't too far away from Detroit either.

If you're willing to move, you'll have a lot more opportunities.  There's no harm in applying to places like Michigan Tech, Western Michigan or MSU.

[stuffball]

Just a follow-up, I would encourage you to compromise and take something less than would make you happy in order to avoid being out of work more than a year.  Sounds like you've already considered this and I think it's a good move.  In the private sector... I think... people won't necessarily look down on you for sucking it up doing what you have to do in hard times.  That shows a lot more character and drive than holding out for the perfect job.

Good luck and keep trying.  And, yeah... when and if you can get out of Michigan, please do so.  The job market is much less terrible in the DC area than it is in Detroit for pretty much everything, especially patent law.

[Yak]

http://www.patentlyo.com/jobs/2010/11/patent-analyst-other-alexandria-va-or-southfield-mich.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+PatentLawJobs+(Patent+Law+Jobs+by+Patently-O)

Southfield, MI looks like it is only about 20 mins from Detroit. Maybe not an ideal job, but a paying start in the industry?

Good luck. 

[DetroitPatent]

Thank you all for your suggestions and comments.  I will certainly look into the advice I received.


Much appreciated!!! 

[trustme]

Why don't you try working for Cardinal Intellectual Property or Landon IP, as either a project manager or searcher? They're usually always looking for people.

[Ghoti]

If you can't move; working remotely? or travelling in to a 'better' area for four days a week and travelling back for weekends?

[DetroitPatent]

Of all places they decide to launch the first satellite USPTO office, the choose DETROIT!   Lucky for me, but unfortunate to those who were hoping to move to DC and then get stuck out here with me in the Motor City.

Now, I just need to convince the USPTO to hire me...

[Physgeek]

Congratulations, Detroit! Your prayers have been answered!!!  Go for it!

http://www.uspto.gov/news/pr/2010/10_65.jsp

[horsechute]

Suprising they would open up outside of detroit, with all the unions. Popa is probably licking their chops.