Salaries and Firms - DC

[Mgrwannabe]

I am trying to get a job as a manager in a DC IP Practice. Does anyone have any insight on DC Firms in General?

[dubhousing]

Originally posted by Mgrwannabe
I am trying to get a job as a manager in a DC IP Practice. Does anyone have any insight on DC Firms in General?

What is a manager of an IP practice?

That aside, in DC you will find every sort of IP practice so it is pretty difficult to generalize about them. There is everything from small IP firms with only a couple of attorneys to places with 100+ IP attorneys. I'd suspect that the larger practices are the ones most likely to hire managers. You also should look in northern Virginia because the PTO is actually located in the suburbs so many of the IP shops are in Virginia.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by dubhousing
What is a manager of an IP practice?

That aside, in DC you will find every sort of IP practice so it is pretty difficult to generalize about them. There is everything from small IP firms with only a couple of attorneys to places with 100+ IP attorneys. I'd suspect that the larger practices are the ones most likely to hire managers. You also should look in northern Virginia because the PTO is actually located in the suburbs so many of the IP shops are in Virginia.

I've not worked in a firm with one, but my vague impression is that an IP practice manager is sometimes a non-attorney managerial position that helps manage a relatively large IP department, and that this is more common where there are large patent or TM portfolios involved.

(But I could be wrong).

In any event, I agree with dubhousing about the wide range of practices in DC. Elaborate, please, on what you're driving at.

[Annawan23]

can a brother get some advice before an interview for a lateral position at the DOJ?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Annawan23
can a brother get some advice before an interview for a lateral position at the DOJ?

sure, but you have to specify something, like at least a division, for anyone to have any chance of being helpful. unless the position is deputy attorney general, in which case I'd say you should accept, without hesitation.

[Annawan23]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
sure, but you have to specify something, like at least a division, for anyone to have any chance of being helpful. unless the position is deputy attorney general, in which case I'd say you should accept, without hesitation.

i'm more wondering what sorts of questions they have for people coming from private practice

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Anyone been pulled for this? It's two weeks+, with call in each day to find out if they need you the next day.

Anyone have a sense of how many days of the 10 (actually, 12), I'm likely to be going in to the courthouse?

As a lawyer, I'd be interested in sitting on a trial. But as a lawyer, I'm not so interested in sitting on my butt in the jury holding room.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Perhaps an interesting article to someone

Post

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Follow the predicted peak bloom here .

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

DC Commuter tax lawsuit dismissed.

[Deleted because it's been posted on every board--Burger]

[Flinty_McFlint]

Just fixing the first page.

[notcasesensitive]

Ok, a little late, but here is a copy of the Holland and Knight e-mail that has sparked some debate:

From: [partner's name redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 12:57 PM
To: MAR-RealEstateSection-Associate@hklaw.com
Cc: [name redacted]
Subject: Billable Hours

Average billable hours for DC real estate associates in the first 4
months of 2004 are disappointing. Most of you are averaging less than
150 hours/month. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. If we didn't have the work in the
door, that would be one thing. However, we have lots of work, much of
which is being exported to other offices because many of you have
indicated that you're not available to help out when asked.


I don't mean to be an ogre, but I need you to pick up the slack. Each of
you must try your best to bill AT LEAST 175 hours per month. I want to
see people in their offices at night and on weekends. If you are light,
call me immediately and I will find you work. If you turn down work, be
prepared to explain to me why you did so if your monthly numbers for
that month show that you billed less than 200 hours.


I try to treat all of you like adults. However, this is a business, and
I need you to help us make money. If you do not wish to perform at the
production level we require, please let me know and you can shift over
to part-time work. Please call me if you have any questions.


[name redacted]
Holland & Knight LLP
2099 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 100
Washington, DC 20036
(202) xxx-xxxx

Thoughts? I think the tone totally sucks, but clearly if non-busy attorneys are turning away work partners have a right to be frusterated. I agree with many on the stalin board who note that the guy is likely a poor employee manager.

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Ok, a little late, but here is a copy of the Holland and Knight e-mail that has sparked some debate:



Thoughts? I think the tone totally sucks, but clearly if non-busy attorneys are turning away work partners have a right to be frusterated. I agree with many on the stalin board who note that the guy is likely a poor employee manager.

So the new minimum at H&K is 2100 / year? That sucks. And no discretion to turn away work unless you're on track for at least 2400? That's pretty harsh.

Frankly, the tone didn't bother me as much as the numbers (except for the treating as adults part). Dial the numbers back 10%, and it wouldn't be that bad.

I suppose that 10% is pure profit for the jackass, though. Clearing an extra $5000 a month per associate must be nice.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by baltassoc
So the new minimum at H&K is 2100 / year? That sucks. And no discretion to turn away work unless you're on track for at least 2400? That's pretty harsh.

Frankly, the tone didn't bother me as much as the numbers (except for the treating as adults part). Dial the numbers back 10%, and it wouldn't be that bad.

I suppose that 10% is pure profit for the jackass, though. Clearing an extra $5000 a month per associate must be nice.

Not sure it's that. They actually might allow vacation for a couple of weeks, plus holidays.

Question i have is the backstory. Was this the first grenade, or had he already talked to people. The tone is rather abrupt for something if it's the first time the issue has been raised.