Choosing the best intellectual property law school involves balancing overall ranking, strength of IP programming, personal feel, and professional reputation. Commercial law school guides and alumni can provide valuable insights. It’s important to consider the overall ranking of the school, but also the specific strength of the IP program.
Choosing the best intellectual property (IP) law school is often a matter of choosing a school with the right balance of overall ranking and strength of IP programming. Personal feel and professional reputation are also very important. Very few schools specifically advertise themselves as intellectual property law schools. However, some schools necessarily have stronger IP programs than others. The best way to choose what’s right for you is to determine which school will best meet your specific educational needs while still offering world-class IP opportunities.
One of the best places to start looking for an intellectual property law school is in the commercial law school guides. Guides often divide law schools into several categories, including the strength of courses in certain practice areas, including IP. Making a list of all schools with notable programs in intellectual property law can help you better visualize your options.
There is some debate about whether it makes more sense to choose a highly ranked school with a weak IP program or a lesser-ranked program with a renowned intellectual property curriculum. In many contexts upon graduation, you as a lawyer will be judged on the overall caliber of your law school. Not all employers care if your school has the number two intellectual property law program in the country if the school itself doesn’t make the top 100. Other companies may be more convinced by the specific strength of the IP, but the overall ranking is still something to consider.
You can make some judgments about whether an intellectual property law school is a good choice for you by doing a little research on each of your options. Start by evaluating the different intellectual property course offerings from the various schools, including the professors’ credentials. This information is usually readily available on a school’s website, but it is also on most admissions prospectus materials. When in doubt, call the admissions office and ask for a copy of their current course offerings and instructor bios.
Talking to alumni who have become intellectual property attorneys can also give you a good sense of how practical a particular school’s IP program is. An intellectual property attorney who has been in the field for a few years will be able to tell you whether she felt her education adequately prepared her for the rigors of her job or whether she encountered any difficulties in the job market. It is also often worth asking prominent intellectual property lawyers in the community you hope to work in for their views on a particular intellectual property law school.
Choosing the best intellectual property law school is the first of many steps you will take to become an intellectual property attorney, but it is arguably one of the most important. Take the time to research, ask the right questions and, if possible, visit the schools you’ve been admitted to before applying. Regardless of program ranking and strength, an intellectual property law school will be best for you if you feel you would be happy to spend several years studying and living there.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
