Hi all,
A bit of a meta-bankruptcy question, if I may.
I'm a second-year law student. In part because of the economy, I've had an impossible time finding any sort of summer work, much less interviews for an after-graduation job, in what would have been my specialty, patent prosecution. (I have a tech undergrad, and I already have some experience as a tech spec. I'm actually pretty good at kicking USPTO examiner @$$.)
So, I'm thinking about going into bankruptcy law instead. In looking at the stock market, job numbers, foreclosures, and all the rest, I don't see any recovery. Things are getting worse, and right now it looks like we're on the precipice again.
I've taken the basic Bankruptcy class, and will be taking at least two more classes this year. (Purely by luck, my school has three well-regarded bankruptcy scholars on its faculty, plus an adjunct professor who teaches a practical-skills class in between billing, literally, 3000 hours.)
One last fact to add to the pattern: I do have some contacts who have expressed interest in sending me patent work once I'm back in the working world. They're hurting due to the economy, so it's anyone's guess whether there'd be much to do. But it's a start on my own "book".
Would any bankruptcy attorneys be so kind as to provide advice on how to market myself to bankruptcy-law firms, or even what my chances would be for going solo? I've heard that for those of us with tech backgrounds who have already focused on IP during law school, non-IP firms tend to wonder why we're looking for something else -- and tend not to hire us as a result.
Does anyone think it would be possible to run a general-practice solo firm, focusing on two areas -- bankruptcy and IP (patent and trademark work)? Or would that hurt my credibility for clients on both sides?
Thanks,
Hairy
A bit of a meta-bankruptcy question, if I may.
I'm a second-year law student. In part because of the economy, I've had an impossible time finding any sort of summer work, much less interviews for an after-graduation job, in what would have been my specialty, patent prosecution. (I have a tech undergrad, and I already have some experience as a tech spec. I'm actually pretty good at kicking USPTO examiner @$$.)
So, I'm thinking about going into bankruptcy law instead. In looking at the stock market, job numbers, foreclosures, and all the rest, I don't see any recovery. Things are getting worse, and right now it looks like we're on the precipice again.
I've taken the basic Bankruptcy class, and will be taking at least two more classes this year. (Purely by luck, my school has three well-regarded bankruptcy scholars on its faculty, plus an adjunct professor who teaches a practical-skills class in between billing, literally, 3000 hours.)
One last fact to add to the pattern: I do have some contacts who have expressed interest in sending me patent work once I'm back in the working world. They're hurting due to the economy, so it's anyone's guess whether there'd be much to do. But it's a start on my own "book".
Would any bankruptcy attorneys be so kind as to provide advice on how to market myself to bankruptcy-law firms, or even what my chances would be for going solo? I've heard that for those of us with tech backgrounds who have already focused on IP during law school, non-IP firms tend to wonder why we're looking for something else -- and tend not to hire us as a result.
Does anyone think it would be possible to run a general-practice solo firm, focusing on two areas -- bankruptcy and IP (patent and trademark work)? Or would that hurt my credibility for clients on both sides?
Thanks,
Hairy
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