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[cashforphone]

I work at a Biotech company that is willing to pay for law school.  That does not guarantee a job at the biotech company, but the chances are good.  i have a BS in Biology and a MS in Biology with a thesis and a prestigious publication.  I currently make about $60k a year and will not be able to make more than $80k a year in my field without a PhD.  My supervisors even told me to try patent law.  Is it a no brainer to attend law school?  I plan to pass the patent bar exam before even applying to law school so that I have the opportunity to transition to a patent agent as I am in school.  Any thoughts?  Also, what are can I expect to for pay at a large biotech corporation?  I will still have to pay 25% in taxes of the law school fees, but I will still make my current salary.

[Cronous]

I work at a Biotech company that is willing to pay for law school.  That does not guarantee a job at the biotech company, but the chances are good.  i have a BS in Biology and a MS in Biology with a thesis and a prestigious publication.  I currently make about $60k a year and will not be able to make more than $80k a year in my field without a PhD.  My supervisors even told me to try patent law.  Is it a no brainer to attend law school?  I plan to pass the patent bar exam before even applying to law school so that I have the opportunity to transition to a patent agent as I am in school.  Any thoughts?  Also, what are can I expect to for pay at a large biotech corporation?  I will still have to pay 25% in taxes of the law school fees, but I will still make my current salary.

If you look around the forum you will realize that Bio is one of the least desired majors in patent law.  A PhD may help to certain extent.  Thus law school is not a no brainer IMO.  If you have an inside into your company maybe you should transfer to their patent division as an agent once you pass the exam.  Experience with patent prosecution will count for a lot more then law school IMO.  Law school is more of a career enhancement and its practical utility is somewhat to tangential to patent prosecution.

[NJ Patent1]

Cashforphone:  I concur in part and dissent in part with Chronous.  A reg number coupled with ur MS would bring value to you in the market, and to ur employer if you transfer to and stay in the patent department.  A Ph.D. would, IMO, add value, but only in the margin, not a quantum leap.  Concerning a law degree. I agree that for drafting and prosecution - up to but not necessarily including the BPAI - the value of a JD could be questioned.  After all, even "big law IP firms" do hire agents.  But w/o a JD, opining on what this or that CAFC decision says could be unauthorized practice of law.  And law school would give you training in how to parse a statute or regulation and "split hairs" to the benefit of your principal (or client if admited to law).  If ur employer will pay and if you (and ur family if you have one) can take the pain (and it hurts, I did the nightschool thing) do it.  You will increase ur overall "marketability".   Bio is not as "hot" as  EE / comp sci.  But there are still a lot of postings - check the job boards.  Money?  That depends.  Don't bet on a lot more than 80K as an agent (exceptions noted).  It can happen if you land with the right big law firm.  But, right or wrong, w/o a JD industry is unlikely to make you director of the patent department. 

[LabRat36]

This is a straight copy of my post.  What is new here?

I do not believe that a Ph.D. would benefit at all, especially knowing that it would take at least 5 years of 60+ hours a week of lab work.