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[Kaylee]

Dear Board members,
When I look at rankings of best IP firms, I usually see two kind of rankings. One includes firms such as Fish & Richardson ,Kirkland & Ellis, Kenyon & Kenyon, Finnegan, Henderson, Jones, Day, as in http://www.law.com/special/professionals/ipww/2002/top_defense_plaintiff_firms.html
and in other rankings , in the top I see firms such as Oblon Spivak, Burns Doane, Oliff and Berridge, Sughrue Mion, as in
www.iptoday.com/toprank2003.pdf
Why are the two lists exclusive, and what's the difference between these firms? And where is it better to work as a IP attorney? Like, where is the job safer, what's the salary difference etc etc:)?
Thanks!
Kaylee

[IPLVR]

You have the lists confused.  The first list includes some boutiques and former boutiques.  Generally, a boutique is defined as one solely practicing IP law.  The last of the big boutiques (bitiques) includes Finnegan and Kenyon.

The trend in recent years has been to merge boutiques with GP firms.  Having worked at both, I prefer the IP boutique environment.  I think it also depends on the area of IP you want to practice so.  For instance, I think patent litigation would be better at big law firm.  But prosecution tends to suffer at Big Law because of the cost.  ($ 20000 for an opinion does not buy you much time when an attorney charges for $ 285 plus)