Location and IP law

[cmo]

"Can you provide any more insight into what your current R&D position entails -- what are the typical job duties?"

Primarily I'm working in the lab and managing a research associate in the lab. So I conduct basic research, develop assays, conduct drug screening (SAR or structure activity relationship studies) and target validation. As part of these duties, I'm constantly evaluating literature, looking for technologies/techniques that might be in academic labs to bring in house.

We do have an in house legal counsel and I've been talking to him a lot about my interest in IP law, and my desire to learn more so he has been trying to bring me into work on some of the patent applications and possible approaches the company is interested in going.

[john4040]

Primarily I'm working in the lab and managing a research associate in the lab. So I conduct basic research, develop assays, conduct drug screening (SAR or structure activity relationship studies) and target validation. As part of these duties, I'm constantly evaluating literature, looking for technologies/techniques that might be in academic labs to bring in house.

We do have an in house legal counsel and I've been talking to him a lot about my interest in IP law, and my desire to learn more so he has been trying to bring me into work on some of the patent applications and possible approaches the company is interested in going.

If your interested in IP from the legal side, rather than just merely developing the IP, I suspect that you would be better off getting training with patent proceurement and licensing.  It seems to me that the "new" job offers more opportunity to learn about procurement and licensing.  Of course, there's salary and location to consider -- but you would know better than I what you want.

[cmo]

Thanks again for your comments.

Salary is an issue as it would be less than I'm currently earning and the cost of living will increase.

Tough choice but as I'm intending to go to law school anyway, I'm beginning to think that such a small incremental advantage of learning about patent procurement and licensing doesn't outweigh the disadvantages of a reduced salary in a more expensive city.

[john4040]

Tough choice but as I'm intending to go to law school anyway, I'm beginning to think that such a small incremental advantage of learning about patent procurement and licensing doesn't outweigh the disadvantages of a reduced salary in a more expensive city.

That could well be.  You will certainly have more leeway with school rank and grades than the average law school graduate, because you are able to sit for the patent bar.  Either route you take, you should be fine -- to me, the "new" job would just be padding an already impressive resume (the "icing on the cake").  Assuming you're willing to re-locate (maybe you won't have to -- depending on your school and grades), there is a huge demand for patent prosecutors right now (slightly less for patent litigators - most firms are only recruting laterals), and I don't see that demand falling off any time soon. 

Cliffnotes:  You should have no problem finding a job regardless of the route you take.