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[Yak]

Hi all, looking for some professional opinion/mentoring here regarding an opportunity that recently presented itself.

I was recently offered a US patent attorney position with, from what I can tell after an internet search, a fairly well respected Japanese IP firm.  The employment agreement would have me practicing in the Japan office for 2 months and in the US for 2 months, 3 times a years.  There are various positives and negatives about this arrangement, one of the biggest being the strain on my marriage.  I think I can justify the hardship for 2 years if the long term benefit of this experience is worthwhile.  My current position is fairly stagnant and I fear that too much longer here may trap me at this firm forever as I am not sure if the experience I am obtaining is viewed "overly positive" by potential employers. 

So I guess my major question to you all is this, would this type of professional experience stand out to future potential firms or employers making me a more desirable candidate?

Any input would be appreciated, either here or though private email.

Thanks in advance.

[klaviernista]

With the focus becoming more and more on asian manufacturing, any asian experience will make you stand out in the IP marketplace, particularly if you can bring in Asian clients.

That said, nothing is worth sacrificing your marriage.  And I mean nothing. 

To quote Jeff Foxworthy, "If she ain't happy!  You ain't happy."  Truer words were never spoken.

[Oh, Crud]

Will it be good experience and look good on the resume? 

IMHO, strong yes, particularly given what I recall from other posts that you're kind of sitting in a "hunky-dorey-borey" prep/pros job now (i.e., mainly small clients inventing the next best non-exciting back scratcher or kitchen widget).  Firms with significant Japanese clients and/or larger in-house departments with significant amounts of JPO prosecution would love to have someone with the proposed direct JP experience.

That said, you're seriously going to ping-pong between 2 months stints in JP-US for a full 2 years?  Like `klav indicated, this would need some serious vetting with the spouse.  Of course, you carefully asked for "professional" advice and I'm incarefully (new word, all the rage) disgregarding that... 

Is the firm willing that he/she could travel along with you for the 2-month JP stints?  (Assuming this is practicable on your end of things.)  Or at least are they willing to fly you back home a couple times per each JP stint?  Like, a couple of looong weekends per stint.   

[UVAgal4]

Agreed that the job would look very good on resume, plus just simply knowing JP practice, some Japanese, etc.

What happens after the 2 years are over?
The back and forth will be hard though, but if it isn't forever (ie the rest of your career), then it is worth considering.

My husband spent one month periods back and forth for a year followed by 6 months apart, and it was hard. Not only when he was gone, but even when he was back. Re-adjusting to life together, knowing that in just a few weeks he would be gone again, I spent the first two weeks re-adjusting to living together, and the last two weeks mentally preparing for him to leave again, then the entire month he was gone waiting for him to come back, repeat.

[blakesq]

Why not bring your wife with you? 

Hi all, looking for some professional opinion/mentoring here regarding an opportunity that recently presented itself.

I was recently offered a US patent attorney position with, from what I can tell after an internet search, a fairly well respected Japanese IP firm.  The employment agreement would have me practicing in the Japan office for 2 months and in the US for 2 months, 3 times a years.  There are various positives and negatives about this arrangement, one of the biggest being the strain on my marriage.  I think I can justify the hardship for 2 years if the long term benefit of this experience is worthwhile.  My current position is fairly stagnant and I fear that too much longer here may trap me at this firm forever as I am not sure if the experience I am obtaining is viewed "overly positive" by potential employers. 

So I guess my major question to you all is this, would this type of professional experience stand out to future potential firms or employers making me a more desirable candidate?

Any input would be appreciated, either here or though private email.

Thanks in advance.

[Yak]

Thank you all for the insights and opinions. 

There are some other details to the arrangement that I am still working out. 

Klav, absolutely. 

Oh Crud, negotiating all the details.

UVAgal, not sure what will happen at end of the employment period and thanks for the first hand "wife back home" perspective.

blakesq, initially the offer was for 2 years full-time in Japan with wife.  She did not want to make such a significant change. 

[bleedingpen]

Wow, what an opportunity.  That's very high risk, high reward.  High risk in that you are moving to Japan.  High reward in that if you are able to make client/attorney contacts, you could parlay that into a sweet gig here in the US later.  There are prep and pros shops that have a sizable chunk of their business coming from Japanese clientele. 

[john122]

Yak:  I agree with all the above post.  But definitely have a long and deep conversation with your wife before you make a decision.  A job, whether it pays millions or gives you an edge over other practitioners, is definitely not work ruining a marriage.  Good luck with your negotiations and I hope everything works out for you.

On a related topic, I work for a US firm doing prosecution, but I'm looking for a Japanese firm in Japan that is willing to hire a US patent agent.  How did you end up finding this firm, and how did you go about receiving an offer from them?  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.