Intellectual property lawyers can specialize in patents, trademarks, and all of the above.Patent attorneys work with inventors to file and license patentsBusiness owners are advised by trademark attorneys to register their brands.A wide variety of artists and entertainment executives are assisted by Copyright attorneys in the registration and licensing of their copyrighted material.
Step 1: If you want to get an undergraduate degree, you have to do it in any major.
Law schools do not require a specific major or a pre-law designation.If you already know that you want to protect intellectual property rights, then you should get educated in the field or industry.If you want to become a patent lawyer, you need a degree in science or engineering.If you don't major in one of those disciplines, you must show adequate scientific training to take the patent licensing exam, or 30 to 40 hours of college coursework in specific scientific disciplines.If you want to become a copyright lawyer, you should consider what kind of clients you would like to represent and take undergraduate courses in that subject.If you want to work with publishers or authors, you might take English or creative writing classes.This will help you understand the publishing process.If you want to work in the music industry, you should take music or entertainment business courses.A business degree can be helpful if you want to work in trademarks.Studying business will give you a better understanding of how trademarks fit into their business plans and help their businesses grow.
Step 2: It's important to keep your grades up in your major.
If you don't have a high overall grade point average you will have difficulty getting into the better schools.When you apply for the patent bar, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will only consider coursework in which you earned a C or better in determining whether you have the scientific training necessary to take the exam.
Step 3: You can participate in extra-curricular activities
Pre-law students choose debate and student government, but aim for activities that reflect their interests.Your involvement will show your commitment and passion.Someone who signed up for a dozen different groups but never participated in them is more likely to be rejected by a law school admissions committee than someone who was deeply involved in one or two activities.If you are interested in patents, you may want to join an engineering, invention or patent club at your school.You could work for your school's newspaper or literary magazine if you're interested in copyright.
Step 4: Work away from the campus.
If you have some real-world work experience or volunteer work, your law school applications will look better.If you work in a law firm, you can decide if you really want to go to law school.Law firms often hire undergrad students to work as clerks.If you are interested in patent law, consider working with an engineering or construction firm.
Step 5: Prepare for the test.
The reading and verbal reasoning skills required for the study of law are measured by the LSAT.There are five sections of multiple-choice questions and one written essay response section.35 minutes will be given to complete each section.There are three types of multiple-choice questions that measure reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning.To find out what the average scores of entering classes are at the schools you want to attend, you should research them.This will help you make a decision about your score.Practice the LSATs.You can either take a prep course or study on your own.Try to replicate test conditions, including time constraints, as closely as possible if you study on your own.Plan additional study based on your strengths and weaknesses.If the logical reasoning section is your downfall, you might benefit from logic games and puzzles.
Step 6: If you want to take the LSAT, take it.
The Law School Admissions Council gives the test several times a year in locations all over the country, and it can be taken more than once.You will have to pay more than $200 each time you take the test.You need to register for the LSAC's Credential Assembly Service if you want to take the LSAT.The whole package of your transcripts and recommendations will be sent to the law schools you request by the LSAC.
Step 7: If you want to attend law schools, apply.
To increase your chances of admission, you probably want to apply to several schools.Before applying, visit law schools.There are many factors that go into choosing a law school.Check out the location and cost of living, and read statements online from present or former students about the school.If it is a place you would be happy spending the next three years, this will help you decide.You can work as an attorney anywhere in the country if you go to an accredited law school.Most law graduates find jobs in the same state or region as their law school, so make sure the school is located in an area you would like to work after graduation.If you want to specialize in intellectual property, you should look for schools that offer multiple advanced courses.If you want to become a patent attorney, you're not going to get much out of a law school that only offers one or two general patent courses and has no clubs or clinics where you can get hands-on experience.
Step 8: In your first year, take courses that are basic.
Law students don't have a lot of control over the classes they take during their first year.During your first year, you will take courses such as contracts, legal writing and civil procedure.The courses give a foundation for understanding other courses and are tested on the bar exam.First year classes teach you how to analyze legal issues.You will be able to understand more complex legal topics in your next two years of law school.
Step 9: You can take the patent bar in the summer.
Law school students interested in becoming patent attorneys use the summer after their first year of law school to study for and take the patent bar.Your legal knowledge is not as important as your science or engineering knowledge.As soon as possible, take the patent bar.You will be able to work as a summer associate with a patent law firm after your second year if you take the patent bar early.The exam is offered almost every day of the week.There are 100 multiple-choice questions and 90 are scored.Correct answers to at least 70% of the questions are required to pass the exam.You will pay a lot of money to take the exam.
Step 10: You can apply for a law journal.
If you have good grades after your first year of law school, you can join the staff of a law journal.If your school has a journal that deals with intellectual property, you should try to get on its staff.When you start looking for a job as an attorney, experience on any law journal makes you more attractive.Writing a student article for the journal gives you the chance to research and demonstrate your expertise in the intellectual property area where you want to practice.
Step 11: Specialty courses are taken in your second and third years of school.
If you want to pass the bar exam, you should take courses on intellectual property law in your second and third years.You should take related courses as well.Take courses in publishing, music or entertainment law if you want to become a lawyer.Take construction or technology law classes if you want to become a patent attorney.Commercial contracts courses should be taken since intellectual property law involves licensing contracts.
Step 12: There are intellectual property law clinics.
If your school has clinics that work with intellectual property, you can get hands-on experience as well as additional credit towards your law degree.
Step 13: You should get outside work experience.
If you want to practice intellectual property law when you graduate, you should apply for a summer associate position at a law firm in the summer after your second year.You have the chance to network with and learn from attorneys who are established in the field when you have ground-floor experience in your chosen specialty.If you want to become a copyright attorney, you might consider volunteering for a nonprofit service that provides free legal services for filmmakers, musicians and other performing artists.It gives you a better understanding of the issues facing working artists and allows you to network with established attorneys.
Step 14: You have to take the professional responsibility exam.
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam has multiple-choice questions on legal ethics.Except for Maryland, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico, the MPRE is not required to practice in the U.S.If you plan to take the bar exam in a state where the passing score is different, you should check with the state bar association.Even if you are planning on practicing in a different state, you can take the test in the state where your law school is located.During their third year, most law students take it.
Step 15: You have to apply to take the bar exam.
There are different application requirements for the bar exam in different states.You should check with the National Conference of Bar Examiners to find out what state you will practice in.In July and February, bar exams are offered.After graduating from law school, most students apply to take the July exam.In order to complete the application, you will have to provide extensive background information, including your addresses over the past 10 years, your work history, credit history and names and addresses of personal references.A personal interview is required before you can take the bar exam.
Step 16: You need to pass the bar exam.
Under strict testing conditions, most bar exams include multiple-choice questions and essay questions.Criminal law, family law and commercial transactions are included in state bar exams in addition to the subjects you covered in your first year of law school.You can take the bar exam again in February or the next year if you fail the first time.It is possible to sign up for a bar review study course.
Step 17: If you are willing to go where the jobs are, you will be successful.
It's not too late to find a job if you didn't get an offer after graduation, but you have to be flexible.If you don't have an offer, you may not be able to take the bar exam after you have a job.Some states may be hotter for intellectual property than others.If you have a bachelor's degree in computer science and want to work with technology patents, there are more opportunities for you in California.If you want to work in the publishing industry, New York may be the place for you.
Step 18: You should have a professional resume that emphasizes your experience in intellectual property.
If you want to stand out as a specialist, focus as much of your resumé as you can toward that area of law.If you want to practice copyright law, your resumé might say that you got the highest grade in your class because of your law review note.
Step 19: Look for informational interviews.
Even attorneys who don't have any open positions at their firm may be willing to sit down and talk with you about your strategy and help you understand a little more about the job market in the area.You should try to get connections from your interviews.Ian Potter is a well-known patent attorney in your area.He doesn't have any openings in his firm, but he has a friend who might.The first line of your cover letter might send your resumé to the top of the pile if you have "Ian Potter recommended I contact you" in it.
Step 20: Donate to nonprofit organizations.
Lawyers for the Arts is a great place to network with practicing attorneys as well as demonstrate your skills and expertise.
Step 21: Professional intellectual property groups are a great place to join.
You should join the intellectual property group once you've joined the state bar.They have discussion groups, programs and mixers that you can use to meet other attorneys in the industry.You can join national groups such as the American Intellectual Property Law Association.There are job boards and other services for these groups.
Step 22: Become a patent examiner if you want to.
If you don't want to go into private practice, you can apply to become a patent examiner.The process is slow.It can take as long as 10 weeks from the time you apply to be notified if your application was accepted or rejected.If you get an offer, you need to complete a 12-month training program at the Patent Training Academy.
Step 23: The trademark office may be a good place to work.
The U.S. is located in the United States.Approximately 400 attorneys are employed by the Trademark Office.State governments may have positions in trademark law.General transactional firms can help people start and operate small businesses.