They always claim they're hiring more USPTO examiners, then never actually do. It's become as competitive for that as for anything else.

That said, they are opening a new USPTO branch office in Detroit if the D is your thing

Hopefully with the Triangle's tech focus maybe we can get one down here someday.

1/22/2011 3:05:15 PM

a lot can happen in 2.5+ years

1/22/2011 6:40:05 PM

hey hey party people

think back to when you took the bar exam (try not to have a panic attack)

when you were doing practice problems in a particular subject area, do you remember what they (your profs, the barbri/kaplan people, etc) said was a good % to be getting right to be on target or whatever?

i feel like it was in the 50-60% range but i can't really remember

i just don't know, for all of these chunks of practice problems i've been doing, if i'm doing ok or....if i'm far behind or what. i'm not in a class or anything so i really have no one to ask or compare myself to haha.

1/30/2011 9:44:19 PM

ugh property and contracts used to be my worst MBE subjects

but i've been getting over 80% right in those areas

now i suck at evidence. which i USED to be good at in law school. apparently not so much anymore. boooo evidence.

2/3/2011 10:21:03 PM

i'm taking it in february.

depending on the time of day, the subject, and the complexity of the problem, i'm running anywhere from 40% to 60% on practice questions.


trying to do this with a full-time job of +40 hours a week is tough as shit. I'll probably end up having to take it again in July.

2/3/2011 10:25:42 PM

i know i'm working too. luckily they let me cut back on hours. it still sucks hardcore though. i can't imagine doing 40 hours. working 25ish hours is making it super hard to study as it is. 40 seems impossible yo.

i have been between 65 and 85% on practice tests right now

of course i was between 60-70% the first time and still failed so. really i just don't know what my problem is. practicing i'm fine...taking it i'm not. i think i'm just nuts

and the entire process makes me want to stab myself in the face

anyway, i feel your pain. GOOD LUCK!

2/3/2011 10:32:26 PM

i just got 68% on an evidence practice set which is pretty decent considering i still have hearsay to review (tomorrow). so...hopefully i can get that % consistently over 70.

i feel like if i'm over 60% though consistently in every subject (i do my practice sets, well so far, in multiples of 50 problems at a time...i'm going to start doing more at a time next week though...100), that is good, right? or am i totally off base??

2/3/2011 11:03:11 PM

dunno myself, seems like you get overly anxious for the test though.

2/4/2011 5:56:02 PM

well its kind of a big deal. a really big deal.

2/5/2011 5:50:29 PM

well remember that anxiety affects things as much as preparation. you admitted that you were fine practicing, but during the test you aren't. not worrying about it so much will actually help you relax and just realize that you know what you need to know. try to keep yourself calm, and you'll have success.

just keep studying and trying to improve, and you'll do as well as you possibly can. stress won't make things better.

2/5/2011 7:13:02 PM

^ that

2/6/2011 1:10:43 AM

is anyone on the nlg-unc law listserv and following this whole homeless man arrest in the rotunda ...


this shit is hilarious.

2/6/2011 12:13:26 PM

^^^ that is true. i am one of those people that needs stress as a motivator though. i mean there is definitely a line between being stressed to the point where you aren't productive and using stress as a motivator, though. i've crossed into the dark side before! but i need some stress or else i'll just dilly dally or get distracted.

i don't think asking what target % are on practice tests crosses the line. according to others i've talked to, over 60% is good so...i'll just assume i am where i need to be!! i don't want to be lagging behind the masses, ya know?

at least this time i think i'm doing a good job of not getting bogged down by things i don't know well. i'm obviously going to miss some stuff. my new approach is know what i CAN know and don't waste time on things that i don't get as well. because it seems stupid to lose points in areas that i am capable of doing well in because i was too focused on trying to understand some confusing topic. *shrug* i dunno. i'm away from all of my law school peers and people retaking it so, that is why i posted here!

2/6/2011 5:45:23 PM

Got 2 on campus interviews today for summer associate positions at Spilman, Thomas and Battle and Brooks Pierce. Hoping everything goes well. I've got two more on Thursday with different firms, and then one next week for Womble Carlyle, which is the big one.

A little nervous, as I haven't had to go on a job interview in 8 years. Fortunately, I've prepped my ass off and I interview well (I think in my whole life, I've only been on four job interviews where I didn't get an offer), but you never know how it will end up until afterwards.

[Edited on February 8, 2011 at 8:23 AM. Reason : j]

2/8/2011 8:23:07 AM

To anyone who has taken the South Carolina bar ( - jbrick, help me out here - ):


So the board of examiners sent me a list of what is being tested on the Feb. bar and at what times they will be presented (which in and of itself is freaking sweet). It does not mention trial advocacy, legal research, or personal jurisdiction. Does this mean they will not be tested at all, or might these topics be incorporated into other sections??? I know nothing about how the SC bar is formulated.

Also, what kind of questions and responses are typical for the legal research and trial ad portions of the essay sections. My outlines on both are rather convoluted. My research outline acts as if you'll be looking up shit in a library

2/8/2011 5:05:17 PM

always remember, kiddies, when you don't know wtf you're doing on corps, secured, etc --- just answer it with contract theory, biatches.

2/19/2011 6:07:16 AM

^^

I'll try and help a little here, but I've tried my best to block those painful three days out of my memory.

First, I honestly don't remember Trial Advocacy or Legal Research being any part of the Bar Exam. I mean...I don't even think there was a possibility of either being on their (as in the test makers didn't have those as options). Personal Jurisdiction on the other hand, definitely could have/was a part of my exam.

Quote :

"I know nothing about how the SC bar is formulated. "

Hmmm....I don't know either. I'm going to assume you know how it's set up though, right?? Just in case, I'll go over my basic understanding of the test.

7 sections. 6 essays and 1 multi-state.

1st two days are the essays. One section, two hours, 15-minute break, second section, two hours, lunch. Third section, 2 hours, go home. Same thing second day. Third day, multi-state.

They TRY to cover one subject per question. So you look at it as 6 possible subjects. Again, it's been a couple years and my memory is EXTREMELY hazy...but I think there are possibly 10-12 subjects they can take grab those 6 subjects out of. So you're first section might be mainly domestic law. The second section might be commercial law. I would say 4 out of the 6 subjects stick strictly with the subject, but sometimes they'll tie in another subject. Like Probate law with Property...or Probate with Family. Each section usually has 4 questions with several issues. Which I'm pretty sure is how they grade it. 100 points per section...with 4 questions, each question with several issues, so they usually divide it into about 25 points per question. It's not always exactly like that, but it flows along those lines.

In my BarBri class, they told you that they would DEFINITELY test certain subjects. I think there were at least 4 subjects that they said were always on there. Now here is where my memory fades. Like I know there will always be a Property, Torts, and Family Law section...but that's about it. You'll definitely get some commercial/business/contract law (that's also where you can see some "incorporating" as you put it earlier). Then after that, you just have to study everything. I remember there was a small outrage because they put a huge Probate question on our test and they hadn't seen a Probate question in over 25 years. So you never know, but that's why they tell you to study everything, but definitely focus on certain subjects over others. Like memorize the 6 or 7 main ones...then make sure you have at least a general knowledge of the rest.

I really wish I still had my books so I could help you out more...but that's all I can recall. I honestly blocked that test out of my memory...what a miserable 3 days. See if you can find anyone else that's taken it more recently than I have and see if they have any study books. If I remember anything else, I'll let you know.

2/19/2011 3:35:40 PM

anybody want to help a good man find a summer job...looking for public interest but if the right opportunity comes i won't turn down other stuff

rising 2L, > 3.0 1st sem., just elected assistant solicitor of honor council, already 1L rep for HC, two instances of innocence project already...

have resume, references, and writing samples available

have applied to legal aid, certain legislators already but won't hear back for awhile and not trying to be left in the dust

3/15/2011 10:10:15 PM

I think it's tough on everyone right now. It's really about connections. Have you talked with any of your professors about work?

I am waiting on a final verdict from Smith Anderson after I went on my callback with them a little over a week ago, and if I don't get that, my Torts professor has repeatedly asked me to be his research assistant this summer, so I will likely take that. He's an extremely impressive guy, writing both the Restatement and a textbook (cool little story, because of certain circumstances, he is including my name in an illustration for the next version of the Torts Restatement being published next year).

Just keep pushing. State judges are working on picking their clerks right now, and small firms won't hire until much later, because they don't have the same kind of established program and plan that larger firms do.

3/19/2011 4:55:57 PM

thanks for the reply, yeah ive also got a few professors on the radar.

3/19/2011 7:50:51 PM

i've now been in the legal job market for 6 years.

it's even worse than when i started.

good fucking luck.

if you're in Wake County, a male, and want a suggestion of how to meet other attorney's quickly, IM me, though, and I have a solid suggestion for you.

[Edited on April 4, 2011 at 9:56 AM. Reason : .]

4/4/2011 9:55:41 AM

just found out I passed the SC bar, and it must have been by the skin of my teeth.

I will say the outlines on baroutlines.com were pretty great for the money, though.



[Edited on April 24, 2011 at 11:18 AM. Reason : e]

4/24/2011 11:18:08 AM

^Congratulations!

I have two exams left, and I am done with law school! The motivation to study is sharply waning.

4/24/2011 11:43:11 AM

yup... I should be studying. I'm not though. It's exam week... I don't care.

4/25/2011 6:16:06 AM

Come on, you can do it. Just one or two more weeks, and then you can relax. Just power through and it'll be worth it in the end. Especially because you know there are other people who have just cashed it in at this point.

4/25/2011 6:11:07 PM

I studied con law for 6 straight hours today. I'm doing it, but 6 hours is enough. We're doing the individual / civil liberties, 1st amendment, EP and DP semester. My professor teaches it pretty comprehensively, and the multistate bar questions on the subject are simple to me now because of the way he teaches... however, he can surprise us tomorrow with his essay questions, and there's not too much I can do about that now. I read for the classes, I reviewed a total of 8 or 9 hours in study "groups" (sometimes i consider myself a group)... I did my due diligence dammit!

I expect an A, and will be PISSED if I get below a B+

Then Thursday I have property. property can fuck off. fuck property. It's a open note exam though so I'll just make sure my notes are awesome on Wed and I'll be good. Other than that, I just have to finish up my clinic work and I'm DONE!

I just bought a puppy

4/25/2011 6:36:23 PM

Haha! That's funny, because my best law school friend talked about getting a puppy at lunch today. Guess it's catching.

I feel you on the Con Law. My prof is much more abstract, though. He's confusing as hell, but he wrote the book (which is so big that it takes up two 1000 page volumes, of which we had to read about 1200 pages), so he supposedly knows what he's doing. We're doing the same as you, the DP, EP, 1st Amendment stuff now. He gave us a practice essay question, and then during the review session to go over it told everyone it was a question he had used for an actual exam. He then followed it up with the following statement...The year I assigned this question, I didn't have a single student who got the right answer. So don't feel bad that all of you got this wrong as well.

Among other things we need to memorize 33 justices, their dates of office, who appointed them, their judicial philosophy, and representative cases. We also need to know the basic facts, holdings, names, and dates for about 80 of our 100 cases. Oh, and he included questions on the multiple choice portion for the review that he didn't cover in class, and apparently because he's taught it so much, he doesn't even know (or seemingly CARE) what he hasn't covered that year. He had one question where the right answer made you pick between two Commerce Clause answers, and we don't cover the Commerce Clause, obviously.

Good luck on everything. I'm a little more fortunate, in that I don't start until next Tuesday with Contracts.

4/26/2011 2:36:24 AM

Quote :

"Among other things we need to memorize 33 justices, their dates of office, who appointed them, their judicial philosophy, and representative cases. We also need to know the basic facts, holdings, names, and dates for about 80 of our 100 cases."

ummm... fuck that

I have my exam on me... he released it. It was NOT easy at all... he wrote it himself last night. I think I did OK... if I didn't get an A or B i will be pissed, even though I know I got 1 of the 6 essays wrong on the face of the fucking statute he introduced into the question. It was one hell of an exam. Is pan-handling commercial speech? what if they are playing music in front of the DC metro? Thank the g man that I spent most of my analysis on Time Place Manner... but that is only one of the 6 tricks he threw at us. I also had to analyse DILDO SALES and SEX WITH ANIMALS relating to JURY INSTRUCTIONS (prurient interest)

[Edited on April 26, 2011 at 9:06 PM. Reason : ]

4/26/2011 9:05:06 PM

Just finished semester two of the tax LL.M. program. The worst part should be over, I just have to complete one course and my seminar paper this summer.

5/4/2011 2:41:56 PM

survived 1L. no permanent damage as far as i can tell. looking forward to all my future contract electives for the next year (remedies, wills and trusts, secured transactions).

5/14/2011 7:50:07 AM

17 hours huh?

5/23/2011 5:10:53 PM

Yo Barbri ain't no fun at all.

Welp, seeya

6/1/2011 12:01:15 PM

Bar Prep could have been the most miserable two months of my life. Actually...I take that back. I ended up going to the movie theater and beach a lot during that time and studying a lot less than I thought I would. It was still incredibly boring though. And I might end up getting some money back out of it. Bar/Bri got sued for some anti-trust stuff and I recently filled out some paperwork to get in on some class action monies. Not expecting much, but I would be ecstatic with a couple hundred bucks.

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1204066589893&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1

[Edited on June 1, 2011 at 12:42 PM. Reason : .]

6/1/2011 12:41:22 PM

My friends studying for the bar are all going nuts. I'm not going to take it. I'm going to graduate from law school then become a famous rapper and just make my money that way.

6/10/2011 11:25:26 AM

Bar prep wasn't that bad. Just treat it like a job and get into a healthy routine. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

My bar prep schedule was simple -

Get to library by 8
Study til 9
Class from 9 - lunch
1 hr lunch break
Study til 6
Go home at 6 - work out and eat dinner
Get in 45 mins of studying before bed

Although my girlfriend of 5 yrs breaking up with me via text message and facebook 12 days prior to the bar exam definitely hindered my studies. Still passed though. Bitch can't bring me down!

6/10/2011 2:39:41 PM

I can't speak for other states, but honestly, the North and South Carolina bar exams really weren't that bad. SC just sucked because it was three days long.

If you study at least a few hours each day, you are most likely going to make it through. Just get it out of your head that you need to write perfect answers for all those essays. I wrote some seriously thick B.S. on a few essays in both states and still managed to pass.

Of the few people I know that failed, most just didn't study much at all. The other two, sadly, have really bad nerves.


I just wish I could go back and get that 2 grand I gave to Kaplan. All that most people really need are a set of the books to study. Hell, I know I barely passed, but I just used the 100 dollar outline set from baroutlines.com for the SC bar.

[Edited on June 10, 2011 at 3:52 PM. Reason : vv]

6/10/2011 3:50:22 PM

They just posted on campus interview schedules for 2Ls. A fair number of larger firms. Skaaden is one of them, surprisingly.

6/13/2011 3:43:13 PM

Someone's law school is now fully aba accredited . . . unlike someone else's . . .

6/14/2011 6:30:43 PM

I think you are referring to Elon and Charlotte receiving full accreditation, but what school are you referring to who is not? Charleston? If so, I've always heard that it was because their library is mostly virtual, instead of physical.

6/15/2011 12:21:13 PM

I've been studying for the bar probably 6-8 hours a day on average, but I'm watching the lecture videos at 1.7x speed so that cuts down the time a bit. Mostly I've just been doing MBE questions and then going back to the outline for things I'm weak on, but I still usually get only about 60% correct on average for Property/Contracts. That seems about right for this stage of the game though, right?

6/15/2011 1:53:59 PM

charleston is still only provisionally accredited

6/15/2011 6:40:46 PM

Ha...yeah, he's talking about Charleston to get in a dig at me (some type of inferiority complex that came out of nowhere).

It's been reported that they'll get fully accredited in July, but who knows. I honestly didn't even know that it hadn't happened yet til someone brought it up at a bar a couple months ago. I'm not the biggest fan of my law school (too much politics...founders being more involved than they should be) and pretty much have cut off all connections with them save a few classmates.

Locally, not being fully accredited hasn't affected any of the graduates as far as I've seen (for example, me not hearing about until a few months ago...it would be a bigger deal if they thought it was a serious problem). And hasn't affected me personally either. At the beginning of August I'll be moving into a sweet new office on Broad Street and I've finally built my client base up enough to where I'm comfortably paying all my bills and can actually weed out clients (not do work and hope that they pay me...can finally demand and get the money up front and turn down clients when I'm a little too busy). Being solo is awesome. Just took a week off to go up to Connecticut with the lady and all I had to do was send a few emails to let clients know I'd be out of the office.

I don't know if I could have done it had I not had secondary income on the side in the beginning (I would have had to take out an extra loan and had more pressure to produce), but it's finally working out.

And for Arab...let us know when that $150K offer right out of law school comes in so you can stop sucking off the wife's teet.

6/16/2011 12:29:45 PM

S'ok DB, sometimes things aren't what you erroneously believe them to be. Some of us at least have wives. Then again how did I ever make it before? Hmmmm.

6/16/2011 11:32:47 PM

It's getting a little nasty in here.

6/17/2011 2:36:43 AM

^ No worries. This guy just has a weird obsession with me. I have no idea where it came from, it stopped for a little while, now it's back again. Don't mean to bring this chit chat shit into Old School, but he's just incredibly annoying.

Quote :

"Some of us at least have wives."

I'll give you that. You are actually extremely lucky to have an average looking wife. Kudos to you for slightly outkicking your coverage.

6/17/2011 9:54:48 AM

Dude, just because you're all butt-hurt over being below average in obvious ways don't start to take it out on un-involved parties.

And I do it because you're an incorrigible douche-bag that get's all bent out of shape sooo easy when you get called out on it.

[Edited on June 18, 2011 at 2:25 AM. Reason : First and Last]

6/18/2011 2:22:55 AM

^You're still in law school, right?

6/18/2011 9:04:04 AM

Yep. A third party used my SN to talk about law school in here before last year. I have 4+ years of top end lab research experience under my belt. I'm also probably going to try finishing up a second undergraduate degree in chemistry to go along with biology.

Also, unlike 50% of my class I have a paying internship this summer.

6/18/2011 11:24:59 AM

Okay. I'm going to give you some unsolicited advice, and I do mean well, honestly.

You sound cocky, and it's not earned yet. I'm sure you've got great stuff behind you, and a technical background is going to get you in the patent field a whole lot faster. But... it's still hard out there, and it's going to be difficult to get a job. And no on wants to hire a douchebag who isn't appreciative that he got a job in this market. You're still a law student at a school that's not first tier.

My advice to you is to be proud of your achievements, but you need to be a bit more humble outwardly. You get jobs through networking and who you know--not what's on your resume, sadly enough. If you're already burning bridges with practicing attorneys, that's not a good sign. I'm sure you're intelligent and hardworking, but that's not what shines through about you. What I see is someone who is going to be knocked down a few pegs by reality once he leaves law school. You don't want to give off that persona when you're entering the job market for real (and not just a summer internship).

Now--on to other things. Where are you working this summer? Do you still want to do patent? If so--what courses has your school offered to get you there? I took some very good IP courses at Carolina, but I don't know if other schools have their equivalent.

6/18/2011 12:17:18 PM

Mostly I just like shitting on jbrick. He can't take it at all and instead reverts to lowbrow personal attacks and snide remarks about loved ones. 90% of the content I've posted in this thread is either not me, or me playing a very particular role. The people from tww that I actually have met know that I'm not really anything like what you may see itt.

That said, this is tww, the internet is srs business. Pretty much all one has to do is keep their nose clean and not post nudes online for no one to care.

6/18/2011 10:04:43 PM