2017 PLIP Forum

[Anonymous User]

Ugh, interview cancellations are the worst. I hope they just decided not to come to Loyola at all and they didn't just change their mind on me specifically.

What firm was this, if you don't mind sharing?

[Anonymous User]

Ugh, interview cancellations are the worst. I hope they just decided not to come to Loyola at all and they didn't just change their mind on me specifically.

What firm was this, if you don't mind sharing?

Morgan Lewis DC. I just reread the email and it sounds like they cancelled the entire schedule of interviews. I'm going to let my ego think that regardless.

[Anonymous User]

Ugh, interview cancellations are the worst. I hope they just decided not to come to Loyola at all and they didn't just change their mind on me specifically.

What firm was this, if you don't mind sharing?

Morgan Lewis DC. I just reread the email and it sounds like they cancelled the entire schedule of interviews. I'm going to let my ego think that regardless.

Sorry to hear that man. It could also be that maybe Morgan Lewis DC isn't performing as well and you just dodged a bullet (complete speculation - just saying).

[Anonymous User]

1)Does anyone know where we can get a list of the hospitality suites or is that just distributed day-of?

2)Also, as for alternates, does anyone have advice on where to kind of be during the no-show period?

4) Writing sample wise, I have an IP memo I wrote for the summer for an in-house job but it's pretty long, even when I cut out the redacted portion and it's obviously not as thoroughly reviewed as my legal writing memo that I know through my grade in the course is something I can use. Do I bring copies of both? Just the IP one? Any suggestions in that front?

3)Lastly, curious as to what people's schedules are like to get an idea of how hectic it'll be. My schedule seems pretty unbalanced. I'm done pretty early on Thursday with only 3, and then 6 on Friday, so I plan on doing most of my schmoozing on Thursday.

FYI:
I'm at a T1 (~20ish), ChemE, 3.2GPA @ applications.

Had 7 interviews, 6 alternates, 2 alternates turned to interviews. Really banking on this to basically get my job cause after this it's just OCI to get real face time. Some interviews are with the bigger boutiques, some with the mid size, only 1 smaller.

[Anonymous User]

1)Does anyone know where we can get a list of the hospitality suites or is that just distributed day-of?

2)Also, as for alternates, does anyone have advice on where to kind of be during the no-show period?

4) Writing sample wise, I have an IP memo I wrote for the summer for an in-house job but it's pretty long, even when I cut out the redacted portion and it's obviously not as thoroughly reviewed as my legal writing memo that I know through my grade in the course is something I can use. Do I bring copies of both? Just the IP one? Any suggestions in that front?

3)Lastly, curious as to what people's schedules are like to get an idea of how hectic it'll be. My schedule seems pretty unbalanced. I'm done pretty early on Thursday with only 3, and then 6 on Friday, so I plan on doing most of my schmoozing on Thursday.

FYI:
I'm at a T1 (~20ish), ChemE, 3.2GPA @ applications.

Had 7 interviews, 6 alternates, 2 alternates turned to interviews. Really banking on this to basically get my job cause after this it's just OCI to get real face time. Some interviews are with the bigger boutiques, some with the mid size, only 1 smaller.

1. When you log on to Symplicity, the hospitality suite days are listed on the first page. They may change some as the actual fair approaches, but that's where I'm following for the list of hospitality suites.

2. Go to the place for registration to stand by for alternate selection. Once you've checked in, they'll be updating your interview schedule as those interviews become available. Once you've registered and checked in, you'll automatically be put into the pool of potential alternates firms will be able to pull into open interview slots.

3. Just bring your best writing sample. You want to showcase writing ability, not necessarily "IP writing ability" unless you have something on point that a firm would particularly appreciate. I suppose you can bring both in case it comes up to offer an example of your ability to write about IP stuff, but you should still rely on your strongest writing over the most on-point writing because you most want to show that you have writing ability.

4. The schedules will vary pretty heavily depending on the number of interviews. Some are in similar territory having single digit interviews while I personally know others who have over 20 interviews (they mentioned declining on some of them, so I'm not sure on their final number of interviews). The best advice is probably just to navigate your schedule with max effect. If you only have 3 interviews on Thursday, that's probably to your advantage because it seems most of the hospitality suites are on Thursday. But don't worry about what you can't control. There are going to be a lot of qualified people interviewing and schmoozing trying to get jobs, so don't take offense or worry about how others are doing. Just do your best to be personable, professional, and worthy of a hire.

[Anonymous User]

1)Does anyone know where we can get a list of the hospitality suites or is that just distributed day-of?

2)Also, as for alternates, does anyone have advice on where to kind of be during the no-show period?

4) Writing sample wise, I have an IP memo I wrote for the summer for an in-house job but it's pretty long, even when I cut out the redacted portion and it's obviously not as thoroughly reviewed as my legal writing memo that I know through my grade in the course is something I can use. Do I bring copies of both? Just the IP one? Any suggestions in that front?

3)Lastly, curious as to what people's schedules are like to get an idea of how hectic it'll be. My schedule seems pretty unbalanced. I'm done pretty early on Thursday with only 3, and then 6 on Friday, so I plan on doing most of my schmoozing on Thursday.

FYI:
I'm at a T1 (~20ish), ChemE, 3.2GPA @ applications.

Had 7 interviews, 6 alternates, 2 alternates turned to interviews. Really banking on this to basically get my job cause after this it's just OCI to get real face time. Some interviews are with the bigger boutiques, some with the mid size, only 1 smaller.

1. When you log on to Symplicity, the hospitality suite days are listed on the first page. They may change some as the actual fair approaches, but that's where I'm following for the list of hospitality suites.

2. Go to the place for registration to stand by for alternate selection. Once you've checked in, they'll be updating your interview schedule as those interviews become available. Once you've registered and checked in, you'll automatically be put into the pool of potential alternates firms will be able to pull into open interview slots.

3. Just bring your best writing sample. You want to showcase writing ability, not necessarily "IP writing ability" unless you have something on point that a firm would particularly appreciate. I suppose you can bring both in case it comes up to offer an example of your ability to write about IP stuff, but you should still rely on your strongest writing over the most on-point writing because you most want to show that you have writing ability.

4. The schedules will vary pretty heavily depending on the number of interviews. Some are in similar territory having single digit interviews while I personally know others who have over 20 interviews (they mentioned declining on some of them, so I'm not sure on their final number of interviews). The best advice is probably just to navigate your schedule with max effect. If you only have 3 interviews on Thursday, that's probably to your advantage because it seems most of the hospitality suites are on Thursday. But don't worry about what you can't control. There are going to be a lot of qualified people interviewing and schmoozing trying to get jobs, so don't take offense or worry about how others are doing. Just do your best to be personable, professional, and worthy of a hire.

I appreciate the advice, thanks. Just got my OCI schedule today as well and well, eggs are officially only in the patent fair basket. 0 preselections from OCI and a handful of lottery-only interviews.

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

In general, when can we expect callback notifications?

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

If Finnegan, can you address the previous discussion about W&S/partner departures? If not, question retracted.

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

In general, when can we expect callback notifications?

OP here. I got most of mine in the week after PLIP.

Also, for reference, I'm a lit associate.

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

In general, when can we expect callback notifications?

OP here. I got most of mine in the week after PLIP.

Also, for reference, I'm a lit associate.

Can you address exit opportunities for IP Boutique litigation groups? For those who don't make partner, where do they wind up?

Usually when I talk to people looking at general litigation they see their future in government or smaller firms. I'm not sure either of those options are particularly good fits for IP litigation associates. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

I have an interview with 2 of those 3. Not selected @ the third. I've spoken to an alumni who is very high up to get inside scoop on some things about one of the firms, and my interviewer is an alumni for another one of those firms. How advantageous is it to discuss alumni conversations you've had during the PLIP to show genuine interest and research?

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

In general, when can we expect callback notifications?

OP here. I got most of mine in the week after PLIP.

Also, for reference, I'm a lit associate.

Can you address exit opportunities for IP Boutique litigation groups? For those who don't make partner, where do they wind up?

Usually when I talk to people looking at general litigation they see their future in government or smaller firms. I'm not sure either of those options are particularly good fits for IP litigation associates. Any thoughts?

OP here. At my firm, there have not been too many departures from the patent lit group since I've joined (none in my office). To the extent I'm aware of departures from before I joined, all of them went to another biglaw firm or in-house, the former being more common. None have left for government positions.

[Anonymous User]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

I have an interview with 2 of those 3. Not selected @ the third. I've spoken to an alumni who is very high up to get inside scoop on some things about one of the firms, and my interviewer is an alumni for another one of those firms. How advantageous is it to discuss alumni conversations you've had during the PLIP to show genuine interest and research?

Yes, discuss those conversations. You should demonstrate interest one way or another. Whether that is via conversations with alumni or otherwise, make sure to demonstrate why you care about being there.

[Anonymous User]

I wondered if anyone knows much about Neal Gerber Eisenberg? Their website shows quite a lot of professionals in patent law but since we know attorneys can write what they want in their profiles, does anyone know if NGE has a strong patent lit practice? What about patent pros?

[Carlton_Banks]

I wondered if anyone knows much about Neal Gerber Eisenberg? Their website shows quite a lot of professionals in patent law but since we know attorneys can write what they want in their profiles, does anyone know if NGE has a strong patent lit practice? What about patent pros?

https://www.chambersandpartners.com/124 ... _editorial

[Carlton_Banks]

Anyone getting pumped to go to Chicago this week? I'm not excited to be wearing a dark suit downtown.

[engineer2law]

1st year associate at one of Fish/Finnegan/Fitzpatrick. CS background. Got my job through PLIP. Happy to answer any questions.

In general, when can we expect callback notifications?

OP here. I got most of mine in the week after PLIP.

Also, for reference, I'm a lit associate.

Do the callbacks ask for another interview, or are they offers for summer positions? If offers, when is it good to reply by?

[PotatoSalad]

Anyone getting pumped to go to Chicago this week? I'm not excited to be wearing a dark suit downtown.

What are you talking about? We will fit right in with the Lollapalooza crowd right?

[elephant210]

On another note: Is anyone flying into Chicago O'Hare the morning of August 2nd who might want to split an Uber? They normally run ~$50 to downtown and I'm not about that life if I can help it. PM me if interested.

Dude, don't bother trying to uber on the Kennedy in the am. Take the blue line. Will probably a shorter trip downtown... and costs $2.50 or whatever.

Late to the party. Is this an option from Midway as well? I'm flying in Wednesday afternoon.

[TEIAM]

On another note: Is anyone flying into Chicago O'Hare the morning of August 2nd who might want to split an Uber? They normally run ~$50 to downtown and I'm not about that life if I can help it. PM me if interested.

Dude, don't bother trying to uber on the Kennedy in the am. Take the blue line. Will probably a shorter trip downtown... and costs $2.50 or whatever.

Late to the party. Is this an option from Midway as well? I'm flying in Wednesday afternoon.

Yes. The Orange Line feeds into the city from Midway. Traffic isn't usually quite as bad as it is from O'Hare but it's still miserable.

[elephant210]

On another note: Is anyone flying into Chicago O'Hare the morning of August 2nd who might want to split an Uber? They normally run ~$50 to downtown and I'm not about that life if I can help it. PM me if interested.

Dude, don't bother trying to uber on the Kennedy in the am. Take the blue line. Will probably a shorter trip downtown... and costs $2.50 or whatever.

Late to the party. Is this an option from Midway as well? I'm flying in Wednesday afternoon.

Yes. The Orange Line feeds into the city from Midway. Traffic isn't usually quite as bad as it is from O'Hare but it's still miserable.

Awesome. Anything to avoid traffic. Thanks!

[qmc]

Does anyone know iff Symplicity lists multiple interviewers that means you actually interview with all those listed or is the firm running multiple interviews at the same time? Don't want to hurt myself by planning on asking a certain interviewer something only to find out he/she is not even there.

[Carlton_Banks]

Does anyone know iff Symplicity lists multiple interviewers that means you actually interview with all those listed or is the firm running multiple interviews at the same time? Don't want to hurt myself by planning on asking a certain interviewer something only to find out he/she is not even there.

How would that hurt you? If the interviewer isn't there, don't ask the question.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know iff Symplicity lists multiple interviewers that means you actually interview with all those listed or is the firm running multiple interviews at the same time? Don't want to hurt myself by planning on asking a certain interviewer something only to find out he/she is not even there.

Wondering this as well, one of the firms interviewing me has 6 names listed.