LCS Graduate Fellow
On October 5, the Intellectual Property Law Association hosted a three attorney panel that spoke to a standing-room only crowd about what it is like to be an Intellectual Property practitioner. The very accomplished and friendly panel consisted of Pamela Fulmer, an experienced litigation partner at Jones Day; David Tsai an associate member of the Litigation Practice Group at Townsend and Townsend and Crew; and Soyeun Choi, a solo practitioner who advises companies on business and intellectual property law. The panelists offered a few take-aways from the lively discussion that can be applied to students interested in all practice areas:
- Build and protect your professional reputation. Building a positive reputation in the legal community can take years and a significant amount of effort; however, it can be lost in a single second of irresponsibility. It is important to understand that lawyers and employers often talk about interns and interviewees, so your reputation building starts immediately and is assessed every time you interact with others.
- Extern with a judge. Regardless of whether or not you plan on being a litigator, the experience, knowledge and connections you will gain from working for a judge may surpass nearly every other work environment available to students. Dedicated work for a judge will always be rewarded.
- Be enthusiastic about your interests. Find something that you are passionate about, career or non-career related, and let that shine through when you speak with attorneys and potential employers. People you speak with will both recognize and appreciate your enthusiasm, and it will make you stand out from the crowd.
- Show up, even when you are not required to. Whether it be a bar association event or running group, the first step to your success is to show up. Set goals for yourself, such as attending three networking events in a month, and then always follow through.
- Volunteer with bar associations. Volunteering can be the best way to get on the front-line of a networking or educational event for attorneys. Local bar associations often consist of highly-motivated, socially active attorneys, so helping them carry out their extra responsibilities should open a door to their seasoned professional network.
