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[DGL]

BACKGROUND: I finished my JD in May but never interned during law school so have no legal experience (although I do have nearly 7 years experience as an aerospace engineer).  Passed state bar (July 2011) and patent bar.  Earlier this month, I started working a second job as a law clerk doing patent law at a local firm.

Anyway... last week and so far this week I have suddenly received a flurry of interest from firms all over the country.  I have been working every angle I can think of since late 2010 - granted school, work, and bar prep diminished some efforts earlier this year, but I have been very aggressive sending out résumés and working angles since July.  Through some personal connections, I managed one interview in December 2010 and a second in July 2011 (neither said no, but it seems they don't need anyone).  Then... nothing until last week.  Now, all of the sudden I'm getting calls and emails from multiple firms from different parts of the country. 

It seems to have started after the new fiscal year started.  Has anyone else noticed a similar phenomenon?  Are these firms waiting on budget decisions for the new year before they start hiring?  Does this happen every year?  Is this just a coincidence that my résumé has been marinating within the system of some of these firms just long enough now?


One of my phone interviews has already led to a flight for an in-person interview later this month and I have 2 more phone interviews scheduled over the next few days.

[klaviernista]

Lots of firm hire in the fall.  Well, at least they used to.

FWIW, we have seen a huge uptick in business from some of our larger clients over the past few months.  Some of the in-house attorneys I have talked to mentioned 400% increase in patent application targets from 2011 levels.  In some cases, that means an increase from 40 applications per business unit in 2011, to 160 applications per business unit in 2012. 

[blaze1306]

BACKGROUND: I finished my JD in May but never interned during law school so have no legal experience (although I do have nearly 7 years experience as an aerospace engineer).  Passed state bar (July 2011) and patent bar.  Earlier this month, I started working a second job as a law clerk doing patent law at a local firm.

Anyway... last week and so far this week I have suddenly received a flurry of interest from firms all over the country.  I have been working every angle I can think of since late 2010 - granted school, work, and bar prep diminished some efforts earlier this year, but I have been very aggressive sending out résumés and working angles since July.  Through some personal connections, I managed one interview in December 2010 and a second in July 2011 (neither said no, but it seems they don't need anyone).  Then... nothing until last week.  Now, all of the sudden I'm getting calls and emails from multiple firms from different parts of the country. 

It seems to have started after the new fiscal year started.  Has anyone else noticed a similar phenomenon?  Are these firms waiting on budget decisions for the new year before they start hiring?  Does this happen every year?  Is this just a coincidence that my résumé has been marinating within the system of some of these firms just long enough now?


One of my phone interviews has already led to a flight for an in-person interview later this month and I have 2 more phone interviews scheduled over the next few days.

Must be nice...lets hope I can get some love when I graduate.

[plex]

Yea I got some temp IP work (local firms started hiring up the patent attorneys doing temp work) and got a phone interview with a firm right around the same time, I think the saturation point for laterals might have been hit along with an increase in filings...

[Number_27]

My more recent rejection letters are less form like and more complimentary on my background and experience.  Suggests to me that there's been more consideration given to my applications.

Hey, it's a start.  It's the little things, you know?

[DGL]

I had a phone interview yesterday.  They said they usually only hire people with 2+ years experience, but it sounded like a 'maybe' despite my lack of experience.  I'm flying to an interview on 10/31 for another firm.  We'll see.

[blaze1306]

I had a phone interview yesterday.  They said they usually only hire people with 2+ years experience, but it sounded like a 'maybe' despite my lack of experience.  I'm flying to an interview on 10/31 for another firm.  We'll see.

Good luck!!

[plex]

Fly-ins are usually a good sign, skype interviews are a decent maybe, phone interviews are usually a not so strong maybe or a first screening.