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Engineer Turning Attorney?
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Date: April 14th, 2015 5:34 PM Author: Rusted Submissive Field Background:
My goal in college was to become a patent attorney so I became a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineer. While acquiring my degree I landed a pretty good gig at an oil company working offshore 2 weeks on 2 weeks off making 6 figures. Now I'm not sure if its worth it. Money wise patent attorneys make avg 220k a year (Salary.com) which is the same i would be making if i stayed in this industry (with debt from school and still making money).
Questions: 1. Do you actually enjoy your job? 2. Do you have any real engineering experience? 3. Are you specialized in the field of engineering that you studied/practiced? 4. Should I practice as a patent agent before going to law school to get my feet wet? 5. How much time do you spend on yourself, does your job consume you?
Thank you in advance for reading this post and your responses. |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:43 PM Author: costumed stag film "While acquiring my degree I landed a pretty good gig at an oil company working offshore 2 weeks on 2 weeks off"
stop right there |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:31 PM Author: adventurous filthpig really tough guy It's one or the other.
http://i.imgur.com/2Py5lMQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uFOzFbl.jpg
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Date: April 14th, 2015 10:13 PM Author: Trip Sweet Tailpipe How much are you actually making now? Are you at a supermajor or a smaller company?
I get the feeling that most lawyers on this board have never really had a real job -- if you are working for the Exxons of the world, I can't imagine the stress being any worse as a lawyer. At the very least if you fuck up, you aren't putting a shitload of people at risk |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 10:15 PM Author: balding weed whacker (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27692936) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 10:17 PM Author: Trip Sweet Tailpipe fml (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27692949) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 1:59 AM Author: Arousing Talking Son Of Senegal (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27694432) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 2:00 AM Author: Arousing Talking Son Of Senegal (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27694435) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 1:01 PM Author: Splenetic blue locale if you want to do prosecution you will never break 220.
if you want to do lit and get into a good firm (which will still be hard considering the cases have dried up) you MAY break 220. With a 10% chance of making it to senior associate close to 300 (while working 3k hours/year) and then a .05% chance of making partner and making maybe 1mil when ur 45-50 after continuing to work your ass off. |
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Date: April 17th, 2015 8:28 PM Author: Stimulating Claret Theater Stage Stock Car 1. Do you actually enjoy your job? Yes. Parts of it are soul-sucking but I like the cash.
2. Do you have any real engineering experience? Yes.
3. Are you specialized in the field of engineering that you studied/practiced? Yes.
4. Should I practice as a patent agent before going to law school to get my feet wet? No.
5. How much time do you spend on yourself, does your job consume you? Get to work out, see family and friends, and pursue hobbies. The job does take a lot out of you though. It is probably the most mentally draining job on the planet.
Good luck dude. I would assess your EQ, and decide whether you have it in you to succeed outside of law.
Thank you in advance for reading this post and your responses.
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Date: April 14th, 2015 6:02 PM Author: Territorial Up-to-no-good Rehab Engineers who become attorneys are so 180. It's great knowing there are smarter people out there who still have fucked up even bigger than I have (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691305) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 6:39 PM Author: multi-colored apoplectic milk (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691517) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 6:52 PM Author: Bateful Walnut Shrine 180 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691595) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:28 PM Author: lavender tank (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691778) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:31 PM Author: Lascivious buck-toothed site juggernaut lol (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691792) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 10:15 PM Author: crystalline jewess hissy fit I thought it was me who posted this.Lol (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27692938) |
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Date: April 17th, 2015 8:56 AM Author: Concupiscible newt (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27706844) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 6:17 PM Author: Avocado cracking background story Don't (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691387) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 6:53 PM Author: Navy locus (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691602) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 6:50 PM Author: crusty carmine orchestra pit So you only have to work 26 weeks a year? That sounds 180 as fuck, why would you give that up? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691578) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 1:01 PM Author: vengeful dull state I know a guy who worked as a helicopter pilot for 6 months in Alaska and then got 6 months off. He bartended in Key West and took people out fishing the other 6 months and made over $300,000 a year for 10 years in a row before the shark. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27695993) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 1:02 PM Author: passionate cuck lay buried the lede a bit there (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27696002) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 1:47 PM Author: vengeful dull state (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27696311) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:00 PM Author: hideous jap home who the fuck decides they want to be a patent attorney at 18? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691649) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:01 PM Author: Kink-friendly parlor generalized bond Maybe he read a lot of Calvin and Hobbes. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691651) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 1:59 AM Author: Arousing Talking Son Of Senegal Respect (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27694431) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:26 PM Author: provocative gay cumskin genital piercing azns and mormons (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27692115) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:51 PM Author: Spectacular Pisswyrm Regret 1. yes but i also hate it. overall the hate outweighs the enjoyment.
2. no, not really.
3. no, just B.S. in chem-e.
4. do not go to LS.
5. i have made virtually no progress in my personal life since i joined biglaw six years ago. i have been on call 24/7 nearly every single day of those six years and would strongly advise you not to go into biglaw especially given ur current strong position. |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 7:55 PM Author: costumed stag film this dude should just do cheap company paid mba (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691895) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:01 PM Author: Territorial Up-to-no-good Rehab They actually have Masters of Engineering Management degrees. Dude I went to HS with got one after he realized that being an engineer sucks ass and his life is now 100x better than mine lmao (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27691930) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:16 PM Author: costumed stag film do MBA, trust me.... it's amazing how easy it is to climb the corporate ladder:
lower rung - engineers (BS/MS/PhD Engineering) middle rung - Engineering Managers (20 years experience / Eng Management) upper rung - Group Managers (Engineering + MBA)
it's sick what a flame STEM is. |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:50 PM Author: adventurous filthpig really tough guy I know I hate having time off.
I can only really feel alive when my phone could buzz at any minute with an assignment. |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:55 PM Author: comical temple main people 1. I love my job, and look forward to going in every day.
2. Yes, about 5 years
3. Yes
4. Not worth it, and from what I can tell next to impossible to get the job unless you know the right people.
5. I am never not working. Every now and then I'll take half a day off or so. Just plan on working Christmas and other major holidays.
In your position, if you like what you do, I wouldn't go to LS. I found being an engineer got boring as I kept getting the same assignments over and over. On the other hand I'm never bored in patent law
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:34 PM Author: silver bespoke senate chad 4 is definitely worth it. Try it out while you can still back out. Once you go to law school, you're committed. Not sure it's all that difficult to get a job if you have good creds and are a good writer. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702599) |
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Date: April 14th, 2015 8:57 PM Author: bipolar motley hominid (flame) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27692351) |
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Date: April 15th, 2015 12:57 PM Author: boyish unholy feces fat ankles If you are on track to make $200k+ doing real work, do NOT go to law school. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27695957) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:14 PM Author: Mildly Autistic Salmon Office this is fucking flame
Biglaw and engineering are both miserable jobs, but at least biglaw pays you what you're worth.
In engineering firms, you are almost always paid a salary. Millennial engineers are the biggest fucking faggot striver poors so their employers are more than happy to pay engineers this way. What will happen is an engineer will be obliged to be at the workplace from 9-5 even if there is no work (if you leave you will get fired). You will be expected to stay back if there is a high volume of work to be done due to the incompetence of your higher ups, but you will receive no additional compensation for it.
You will be doing tedious shit-work which involves calculations, designing, drawing and report writing. You will have several 'Codes and Standards' books that will take up most of your desk space. These books are pretty much like your law books except every clause has some equation in there just to fuck with you. You will never be comfortable doing any work because these books' binders will irritate you whenever you rest your arms on them.
You will be working for 60k starting salary and after 10 years, your job title will change to 'senior engineer' and your boss will bump up your salary to 100k. At this point you become his personal slave, you will be on call 24/7. Enjoy having DAT DREAD set in when you see that 'Work' Contact call you as you are about to sleep on sunday night. 'Work' wants you to come in 2 hours early to work on a tender design. At this point you are supervising and correcting the work of unpaid interns and graduates who are too stupid or ethnic to realise engineering was a mistake. You are constantly stressed because any overlooked errors from your designs could lead to people getting killed. You could go to jail for negligence.
Engineering is what you get when you remove the prestige from medicine and the money from biglaw. |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:17 PM Author: Bateful Walnut Shrine Devastating (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702515) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:25 PM Author: Arousing Talking Son Of Senegal This is basically what I have heard from engineers who switched to IP attorneys. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702545) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 4:11 PM Author: Avocado cracking background story Switching to BIGPATENTLAW is credited for many engineers. Doesn't seem to apply to OP though. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27703048) |
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Date: April 17th, 2015 10:35 AM Author: razzle confused address kitty cat this is no longer true. patent law done here. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27707093) |
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Date: April 17th, 2015 8:39 PM Author: Avocado cracking background story Nonsense. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27710198) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 4:18 PM Author: hideous jap home this is completely off the mark for oil and gas at least.
plus OP is an offshore guy chilling on a platform somewhere and already making six figures |
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Date: April 17th, 2015 8:21 AM Author: Mildly Autistic Salmon Office oil and gas are glorified technicians (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27706796) |
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Date: April 17th, 2015 9:09 AM Author: multi-colored apoplectic milk Sounds like flame. You left out the 4-8 hour meetings and design reviews. Nobody reads code that often unless they're in civil or HVAC, etc.
That's why I copped a market development eng. job. I make sales commission for recommending product to the sales guys customers and fucking around on the internet all day. No cold calling or prospecting. |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:23 PM Author: Slimy Crackhouse Your job is way better than law, but I did feel like chiming in to say that 2 on 2 off is FUCKED just like consulting having to fly all the time - it prevents you from ever actually joining society and contributing to your city (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702542) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:34 PM Author: silver bespoke senate chad Patent attorneys are paid reasonably well, but no way is the average salary 220K. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702602) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 2:38 PM Author: silver bespoke senate chad Edit: assuming this is flame, but some people may benefit from these questions anyways.
1. Do you actually enjoy your job?
Sometimes, sure. The inventions are sometimes pretty awesome things to work on. The parts I dislike outweigh the parts I enjoy though.
2. Do you have any real engineering experience?
Yeah, a few years. It was your typical 9-5 60K easy but boring grind. Not the $200K flame jobs that people regular post about.
3. Are you specialized in the field of engineering that you studied/practiced?
Somewhat, I do lots of other stuff too though. But a degree like yours which probably isn't that in demand for patent work could make it hard to get a job.
4. Should I practice as a patent agent before going to law school to get my feet wet?
Yes.
5. How much time do you spend on yourself, does your job consume you?
Patent pros. is probably less consuming and closer to a regular 9-6 job than most areas of law. It's still dread-inducing though. |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 4:25 PM Author: Navy locus (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27703113) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 3:18 PM Author: Electric sinister ticket booth Is it all possible to become an engineer out of a non-STEM degree? Like could you apply for engineering grad school and get a degree there or would it just be another four years? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702821) |
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Date: April 16th, 2015 3:29 PM Author: Lascivious buck-toothed site juggernaut maybe if u majored in like physics/chem or know the shit out of coding and then go for cs (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2855311&forum_id=2#27702891) |