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[Eliz]

Hi everyone--I am in the process of updating my resume before I start 1L in a few weeks, and wanted some input on a few things:  

1)  As some of you may know from my earlier posts on here, I have a PhD in a biological science.  After finishing my PhD, I enrolled in a masters program in IP law at a unviersity in my area (I'll call it University A).  However, I decided I wanted to get a JD and did not finish the masters.  Technically, I guess I "dropped out" of the program, but obviously I don't want to present it that way on my resume.  My dilemma is that I want to include the information that I took these classes on my resume (I took a patent law and a patent drafting course, my GPA was very high and I got a CALI award), and I also need to account for the time between when I finished my PhD and when I am starting my JD, but I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking that I actually have the masters.  Right now, I have it under my "Education" section on my resume as:  

University A: Master of XYZ student, September 2003-December 2004.     (then listing my GPA, and elsewhere on the resume listing the CALI award).

This is different from how I have my other degrees listed (e.g. College X:  BA in blahblahblah, 1998), but the difference is subtle, and if you don't read it carefully, you would probably think I have the masters degree.  I certainly don't want to go into an interview and have the interviewer feel misled.  Is this something I should just address in a cover letter?  Or can anyone think of a better way to present this on the resume itself?  

2)  How do people in the real world list being a registered agent on their resume?  I have been looking through attorney profiles and the few agent profiles of people in my area, and most (but not all) have it listed under a separate section called "Bar Memberships" or something similar.  I know that being registered to practice before the PTO is not technically a "bar" membership, so I hesitate to list it this way, but if this is standard in the field, I feel like it would be weird to list it differently, and if I do list it differently, I'm not sure what section to put it in, or what section heading to put it under.  

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!
Elizabeth

[PiP]

Masters information:
Maybe you could have a section on relevant course work and list the courses you took while mentioning that they are masters level? Alternatively, you could keep it as is and mention that you did not complete the degree ('degree not completed en lieu of law school.')  You can explain this in the accompanying cover letter.  I like this latter method better.

Patent agent registration:
If you have other organizations to which you belong, like AACR, maybe you could make a section on memberships to professional organizations.  If you have a section that highlights you and your professional accomplishments, you might list it there.  Or you could put it in a leading sentence if you have that resume format: "Registered patent agent (2005) looking for work in yada yada..."  Maybe you could put your patent registration date in the education section as well, to go alongside your other degrees, since it is sort of a degree?  

[Eliz]

Thanks for the opinions so far.  

ttglink:  What is ALCAN?  I googled it and did not come up with anything that seemed relevant.

I think I am leaning towards doing a one or two sentence explanation of my educational history in my cover letter...I hate to put anything negative (e.g. "degree not completed") on the resume...I will have to work on the wording but I am thinking that explaining in a cover letter may let me put a much more positive spin on it.  

As for the patent agent info, what do people think about incorporating it into the header of the resume?  I would probably still need to list the info elsewhere with my reg# (when I get it), but I want this info to be prominent.  I am thinking along the lines of
My Name
Registered Patent Agent
(followed by my contact info)

Also, what about listing patent agent registration in the education section (currently the first section of the resume), if I make the section heading something along the lines of "Education and Training"?  However, arguably patent agent registration is neiter education nor training.  I am having a hard time coming up with an alternative to "training" though.  "Qualifications" maybe?  But this does not seem much better than "training" to me.  

Thanks again!
Elizabeth

[Wiscagent]

Elizabeth -

For whatever it's worth to you, I list my patent agent status and educational background thusly:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

- Courses in patent law.  Recent courses:  "Designing
  Around Valid U.S. Patent; “Draft & Prosecute Winning
  Patents", Patent Resource Group.
- Various courses in intellectual property, consumer
  psychology, marketing, statistics.
- Graduate courses and seminars in analytical, polymer, and
  other areas of chemistry.
- Leadership and management programs.
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
  Patent Agent, registration number 53,673.
- State University of New York
  New Paltz, New York
  Bachelor of Science, cum laude (chemistry).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Note that I do not include dates.  Also I simply state that I took graduate courses but do not list a graduate degree.


Rich

[Anon]

2)  How do people in the real world list being a registered agent on their resume?  I have been looking through attorney profiles and the few agent profiles of people in my area, and most (but not all) have it listed under a separate section called "Bar Memberships" or something similar.  I know that being registered to practice before the PTO is not technically a "bar" membership, so I hesitate to list it this way, but if this is standard in the field, I feel like it would be weird to list it differently, and if I do list it differently, I'm not sure what section to put it in, or what section heading to put it under.  

Not sure how I would handle the MS situation.   But with respect to your second question, a statement that you are admitted to practice before the USPTO would be accurate.   A common way to indicate that you are so admitted is with an "admittances" section such as the following:

ADMITTANCES
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Registered Patent Agent

[Eliz]

Elizabeth -

For whatever it's worth to you, I list my patent agent status and educational background thusly:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

That's exactly the type of phrase I was looking for.  Thx!