• Law School

    A Biochemist at Yale Law School: Interview with Josh Weinger (Part 2 of 2)

    by  • June 6, 2013 • Careers, Interviews, IP Litigation, Law School, Patent Litigation

    This is the conclusion of our interview with Biochemistry PhD Josh Weinger, who has just completed his second year at Yale Law School. (If you haven’t already, check out part 1 of this interview, where Josh explained why he decided to leave academic science, how he chose YLS, and how his experience has been so far.)

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    A Biochemist at Yale Law School: Interview with Josh Weinger (Part 1 of 2)

    by  • May 28, 2013 • Careers, Interviews, IP Litigation, Law School, Patent Litigation

    Dr. Josh Weinger

    Dr. Josh Weinger

    Are you interested in transitioning from a career in science to law?

    How about to the top-ranked law school in the country?

    Josh Weinger did exactly that, and in part 1 of this exclusive interview you’ll learn about the two big reasons he left science, and get a rare inside peek into the life of a scientist currently enrolled in law school.

    Dr. Joshua Weinger did his undergraduate studies at Brandeis University and his PhD in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale. After spending several years as a postdoc at Rockefeller University, he enrolled at Yale Law School where he has now just finished his second year.

    With his pivotal 2L summer ahead of him, Josh joined us to talk about his own transition from science to law, his law school experience so far, and his own plans for the future.

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    From Scientist to Patent Law Firm Partner: An Interview with Mark Bellermann

    by  • May 9, 2013 • Careers, Interviews, Law School, Patent Prosecution

    Dr. Mark Bellermann

    Dr. Mark Bellermann

    Attention all scientists considering a career in patent law! We’re delighted to bring you an interview with Mark Bellermann, a PhD scientist and principal of the patent law firm Brake Hughes Bellermann LLP.

    Dr. Bellermann did his undergraduate work at Yale, and holds a PhD in Atomic Physics from SUNY Stony Brook as well as a JD from Columbia Law School. Dr. Bellermann works chiefly in patent prosecution: His practice emphasizes preparing and prosecuting applications, preparing opinions regarding the infringement, validity, and value of patents, and client counseling on intellectual property matters.

    He joined us to talk about his own path from science to patent law, as well as to share advice and tips for those making the transition today.

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    Three Reasons Law School Will Surprise A Scientist

    by  • April 30, 2013 • Law School

    We scientists are a rational bunch. What’s more, we’re used to being recognized for our legitimate achievements in research, to tests that make sense, to grades that reflect how much we’ve learned, and going on the job market at the end of our studies.

    Well, time to forget all that, you’re going to law school!

    1. Law School Admissions Officers Don’t (Much) Care About Your PhD

    As a freshly-minted PhD, when’s the last time someone cared about your undergraduate grades? If asked for your academic credentials today you’d likely tout your graduate coursework, publications, and teaching experience before your years-old undergraduate grades. After all, your graduate achievements came after undergrad, so they more accurately reflect what kind of student you are today, right? Of course they do — but law schools don’t care.

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    Beware the IP Law Rankings

    by  • April 27, 2013 • Law School

    Are you using the wrong law school rankings?

    If you’re a grad-level scientist relying on the US News Best Intellectual Property Law Programs rankings, you may well be.

    Don’t confuse these IP rankings with the critically important US News Best Law Schools rankings. It’s quite honestly almost impossible to overstate the importance of those general rankings to law firms and lawyers in general. This is a commonly accepted truth that generates periodic gosh-oughtn’t-we-wise-up laments from the profession. (For instance, the ABA Journal in its July 2012 cover story The Pedigree Problem complained that “[t]his near obsession with pedigree is not only paralyzing to the career prospects of individual lawyers; it is damaging to the entire profession.” At this, lawyers nodded sympathetically before reverting to precisely what they were doing before, which was probably shredding resumes from graduates of modestly ranked schools.)

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