Emory People Generally Talking Amongst Ourselves

[3-Elle]

Yeah I think it might be my best grade (which might speak badly about my other classes!), but it was without question the most miserable 32 hours of my life.  It took me at least 8 hours and three-times-through reading the cases before I was able to figure out what the hell was going on.  That reading was tough!


Is anyone else going to bar review tonight?


Also, on three occasions I thought for sure I figured out who you 2l/3l people were, and on each occasion I was totally wrong.  I tried to ask kind of inconspicuous questions, and I completely failed each time!  I apparently do not know you people.

Legal Methods was miserable...I never want to read anything about coal mining again. I was so happy to turn that in and be done. I haven't decided about the bar review tonight, I may end up going. We definitely have a lot to celebrate When do you all head home?

[Number81]

I'm driving home so no real plans.  Probably tomorrow.  Maybe Sunday.


And I don't have your phone # anymore (new phone).  I'm meeting up with a few people you know, so give me a call if you want to stop by.

[Refused Party Program]

If you have a professor that stressed making a checklist (as mind did), I would take that to heart. In other words, use as much of the packet as possible. I didn't do this and my grade was crap.

Weren't you in Bederman?

He stressed a checklist?

I only used half of the cases in the packet. My grade was pretty darned good.

Ha, well, it could have also just written a crappy exam. But yeah, there was a day where he talked about making a checklist. But, guess it doesn't matter now. The 1Ls are done, and its off to a fun semester of Con Law.

[Captain]

If you have a professor that stressed making a checklist (as mind did), I would take that to heart. In other words, use as much of the packet as possible. I didn't do this and my grade was crap.

Weren't you in Bederman?

He stressed a checklist?

I only used half of the cases in the packet. My grade was pretty darned good.

Ha, well, it could have also just written a crappy exam. But yeah, there was a day where he talked about making a checklist. But, guess it doesn't matter now. The 1Ls are done, and its off to a fun semester of Con Law.

Yeah, I dunno, another guy (who you surely know) didn't even go to most of the classes and he got an A from Bederman. Knowing Bederman, there was surely a method to the madness, but from outside his head, it just all seems kind of random.

[JeNeSaisLaw]

Rumor has it kids from Emory Law are running around Circuit City's (how the hell do you pluralize that? Solution: "around from Circuit City to Circuit City") making K breach threats/claims.

[Captain]

Yeah I think it might be my best grade (which might speak badly about my other classes!), but it was without question the most miserable 32 hours of my life.  It took me at least 8 hours and three-times-through reading the cases before I was able to figure out what the hell was going on.  That reading was tough!


Is anyone else going to bar review tonight?


Also, on three occasions I thought for sure I figured out who you 2l/3l people were, and on each occasion I was totally wrong.  I tried to ask kind of inconspicuous questions, and I completely failed each time!  I apparently do not know you people.

PM me... I want to know who you thought I was... and I'll tell you who togbra is...

[Number81]

Rumor has it kids from Emory Law are running around Circuit City's (how the hell do you pluralize that? Solution: "around from Circuit City to Circuit City") making K breach threats/claims.

Haha

So last year I bought a laptop and paid $400 extra for a 4-year extended warranty service plan from circuit city.  My computer was a POS and I had to ship it in to get serviced.  So they said they want to just fully replace it, but that the remaining 3 years on my warranty would no longer be honored.  They said that's part of their "No Lemon Guarantee."  The relevant clause, in its entirety, reads "15. No Lemon Guarantee."

So eventually I explained how there's no way they can do that and am getting a pro-rated refund on the warranty.

[togbra]

I'd be interested in hearing the 2L's comments on the job issue, given current "conditions."

Oh ok... well, since you pulled my leg, I'll take yet another break from studying...

Most of the people that I know who are in the top 1/3 or so have a job lined up for the summer. Not all of those count as "BIGLAW," though, but I'd venture to guess that if you are in the top 1/3 and make a journal, you're in good shape, so long as you attack the bigger markets. I know of two people who are on a journal and don't have jobs. I think it had a lot to do with them skipping big markets and applying to niche markets that either cut back on hiring or that they didn't have a connection to, but honestly I am just guessing.

The ATL jobs were seemingly unavailable if you had a strong connection to a geographic area outside of the southeast, however. I don't think many interviews were granted to people who had "New York, NY" listed anywhere on their resume, for example, regardless of rank. At least on the east coast, NY is the only market that doesn't seem to care about local connections at all. Even if you do have a connection to a market, it may not be strong enough (for example, I have a connection to Philadelphia through my undergrad, but apparently that wasn't convincing enough for Philly firms).

RPP can probably do a better job of commenting on this, but I think the job market for Patent/IP lawyers is still pretty good. I don't think I know of any Enginerds who are unemployed at the moment. I don't, however, know every future patent lawyer at Emory.

I've mentally excluded people from this analysis who want to work for the government, or small firms, or anything outside of BIG/MID-LAW. Those jobs might not be filled until next semester.

I disagree with captain on this issue.  I know quite a few people on a journal who do not have jobs lined up next summer (at least the 2 captain is thinking of and a few more).  the rumor going around during finals (of which i have secondary sources somewhat confirming the validity, but i am not completely convinced of this) - was that only about 1/4 of the 2L class had jobs lined up after fall oci - based on a survey done by career services.  Obviously this is pretty low, but i don't have numbers to compare to last year (also i know a few people who didnt respond to their career services person and have a job).  also fall oci was a while ago, but a friend of my mine asked cs during finals and they seemed to confirm it.  1Ls are probably screwed for next year, but who knows.  3Ls are screwed.  the market is bad.  that is just the truth. just look at abovethelaw and the failure of some big firms and layoffs.  its an oversaturated market, if you are thinking about law school, i would recommend that you think about your reasons and your ability to pay off debts...

I would agree with captain on NY.  Atlanta firms dont like it if you apply to other firms outside of atlanta, even if you are from atlanta. 

IP law is the exception if you have the right background.  if you have questions on that, i can fill you in on that.

caveat: everybody has a different experience/opinion, so take my advice/thoughts for what you will...

[JeNeSaisLaw]

I have an IP question. I don't have a science background or degree, and couldn't sit for the patent bar. However, I am a Web programmer with fairly extensive experience (for my age at least). I'd like to do something with Internet law and/or soft IP and/or helping programmers (this is more unlikely at a large firm I'm sure). Am I going to have much of an advantage come OCI?

[Refused Party Program]

If you want to do IP work, an ability to sit for the patent exam is pretty critical even if you end up doing litigation your whole life and never actually take the exam. I think if the market were better, it would be a little easier to get a job working in IP without the science background, but right now, every advantage helps. I'm not sure what you mean by "Web Programming." If we are talking large scale enterprise ASP/JSP web development, that is great. If you are talking something like scripting, its better than nothing but not as impressive. I have a software background, and at the boutiques, they wanted to know a lot about the kind of work I did and how complicated it was. If you can't sit for the patent exam, you can pretty much cross any boutique off your list (Fish, Finnegan, Ballard Spahar, Thomas Kayden, Knobbe Martens, et al). If you want more specific comments, PM.

However, I do think your work experience is a huge plus. I had many, many firms comment on how they appreciated some real, meaningful work experience. I think there is something about working in an office that you have to learn by actually doing it, and there are firms that value that "something." Also, apply to TI:GER and do your best to get in. That is a great thing for your resume and firms really like the program.

Also, if you want to work in Atlanta, and you interview in other markets, I would keep it quiet. I know many people who wanted to stay in Atlanta (myself included), and did not have an offer. One of them actually grew up around here and went to undergrad in Atlanta. I don't think this changes with being an IP person.

The only IP people I know that have jobs right now are in the top 1/3 or have PhDs. However, I don't really talk much about jobs so that may have improved after September OCI.