Cincinnati (The vigil works...)

Yes indeed my friends, I noted the vigil. And here is your response. It is more than hard to believe I've been in Cincinnati working for four weeks now, but sure enough time has flown by that quickly. Let's jump right in.

Let's start with the job, as that's the only real interesting new development in the past 4 weeks. Going into the firm job I think everybody without any law-work experience has to wonder if this is the career they will really like and will do the rest of their lives. I definitely had that worry being so set on IP law since high school really but not having any experience other than engineering work which was not that enjoyable (although I think that was a function of working for a hometown small company). Well that fear has been more than calmed as I love the work and unlike law school, it feels good to go to work and do something productive for inventors and companies as opposed to just "spinning the wheels" in law school. I've heard the same from a couple classmates doing the firm job for the first time this summer, so that's good. The work is just what I wanted: intellectually stimulating, challenging, and lots of variety scientifically. For example, I've worked on things as different as pallets (the wooden platforms you put merchandise on in warehouses and stores), tractor trailer aerodynamics, spinal stabilization systems, and dentistry braces. You never know what technical expertise you will get working in the mechanical side of patent law because everything has some level of mechanics.

The learning curve is tough coming in because responding to an office action (which is a patent application rejection from the patent office based on certain reasons such as lack of novelty or non-obviousness) is something that you struggle with and learn with time. Same for writing claims and descriptions in a patent application. I've had a few trademark research projects which makes me happy I took all the IP I could this year, but no copyright as we don't do much work in that field. I've also done some research projects for patent infringement litigation, including a trip to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals courthouse which is literally a block away from our building. Research is a nice break from the patent work because I'm still learning how to do all the patent work whereas I know how to do research. Our firm uses Lexis, so I'm forcing myself to use actual books in the firm library as well as Lexis now...I like using Westlaw more for school. Each system online has benefits though. Office Actions and Patent Applications will come more easy as time goes along though, and I'm working on one patent application with a guy who's only been at the firm a year and is still learning himself. That's why the billing rate for partners and senior associates is higher than junior associates and clerks. I still ask myself how companies can pay over $100 an hour for my services (which they do), but that's the going rate in this business. But nevertheless, a great start and a satisying work makes for a good outlook for this career path. Thank God.

The only real problem was lack of work, but now I'm rolling in steady work like everyone else after the other new summer clerk showed up 2 weeks ago. I did show up a week earlier than any law clerk normally would because my finals were done a week early and I did not want a big break before work thanks to the JDR orientation two weeks. Everybody's got plenty of work and the firm is growing slowly as they just opened a sixth floor in the Carew Tower, so it was just a matter of time before I got enough beginner-appropriate projects to get me up to speed enough to do regular projects (which are just more mechanically involved).

Our firm has had a few social events in the mix, but not like a big firm. The first one was the annual partner-associates meeting my second week at the firm. This was a nice steak (although many of the attorneys picked the two kinds of fish available) from a place called McCormick's right near our office. The cool part was the associates all went over for a happy hour and a half before the dinner at 6:30 because the partners were meeting about business during that time. It was nice to really sit down with a Guinness and Blue Moon on the firm and get to know my co-workers. The firm also has a softball team which is a fun time on Tuesday nights. We are really bad, as the firm was 6-4 two years ago but has not won a game in the past season and a half. We play against other law firms so we usually do not get blown out, but our problem is scoring runs consistently. We lost 4-12 the first week I went, 4-8 the second (down 3-5 after 6 of the 7 innings, but 3 runs did us in for sure), and 4-19 in six innings last week (we were up 3-1 after three innings before it went to hell). Still a fun time but we need to get it together offensively somehow. I've also got to learn to swing the bat at a softball, as my baseball skills from 8th grade do not translate well today or to softball. We've got enough younger guys though to improve and be a good team eventually.

There is a black tie optional annual attorney-guest ball/event coming up in 3 weeks Kelley and I will attend. Looking forward to that as we had to miss Barrister's this past year for what became the infamous weekend in New Jersey. I also found out late this week that I will be getting the customary trip to the patent office in Washington DC to do a patent search this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Another learn-how-to-do job, but I was promised this trip to DC if at all possible this summer so it should be interesting even though it is work. Also firm pays for everything so apparently we are going to a steak joint called Ruth Chris on Wednesday night and if attorneys brag about it, it's probably going to be some of the best steak I've ever eaten. But overall it's been plenty good enough at the firm and I am getting good reviews on work product thus far. Hopefully I'll manage to work for enough hiring committee partners well enough to get an offer, which I will seriously consider.

There has been a poor side to all of this, and most of it deals with Cincinnati and the apartment. The apartment I chose is great and I even got the master bedroom a week early because of a third roommate moving in early who then did not show up but the master bedroom owner stayed on the couch until she left for NY anyways. Except for one thing. The central AC unit in the building is not working and maintenance is apparently retarded or the problem is serious because one month of complaints and you think it would be fixed. But no. So it simmers up here on the third floor and fans run 24-7. But whatever, it's only temporary and it is cheap for what I'm getting. The commute is pretty good too once I figured out how to avoid I-75 and Vine Street which runs through the most ghetto part of Cincinnati. But overall in my explorations of Cincinnati, Covington, Newport, and surrounding areas I'm just not impressed. I did not expect to be but Cincinnati just seems really crummy. Some of my co-workers have a long commute to get into better areas so if I come back next year that's what we will probably do.

Moving onto the just in case scenarios, I will be hitting the letters and interviews trail again this year, and next week I'll probably start refining my letter for Chicago, Texas, and the midwest. There's a OSU sponsored job fair in Chicago with 10 employers (3 strictly IP), so I'll probably check that out in August as well as the patent interview program, where I have 6/7 interviews. Wish I had more at the patent interview program, but oh well. And the ridiculous supply of letters at the now improved rate of 41 cents apiece!

I finally got my grades in after waiting on BA for 3 weeks after getting the other 3, but Oesterle still hasn't submitted grades for his other 2 classes so I guess we should be thankful. I somehow kept my high average (improved it a tad) and will almost certainly stay in the top 10% through 4 of 6 semesters...and with my job search being a tough one trying to get out of the region...I need a sparkling resume. Yay journal high position, being published on journal, 2L moot court experience, top grades, and IPLS position. What more can I do? Anyways, this semester proved I like everyone else cannot predict law school grades. I said I knocked Trademark out of the park...and I did bad in BA...well I did well in everything but in the opposite order than what I expected. 97 in BA is just inexplicable, 95 in Evidence is nice, and the pair 93's in seminar and trademark are good (but I really thought I was in the running for a CALI in trademark...but Lee doesn't like my style I guess). On the bright side, now I'm through 2L year, I did much better than I anticipated, and hopefully I can work that into some interviews for full time positions. I hear a couple of my other friends did very well also so good for them, but it's no surprise people from our 1L section are doing well because that was a tough section. And we can all see the light at the end of the tunnel, even if that soothing light is a frieght train comin our way in the bar exam. Bonus points to whoever gets that reference without wikipedia.

Kelley's doing well, but I think she's going to switch jobs away from the daycare place because it's finally getting to her. They are bad about not scheduling until the last minute and work policy is a little strange. Plus she has to put up with other people's kids for hours all day, and that would drive me batty. We've been taking in some Cincinnati Reds games which is awesome after seeing them like once a year since childhood. They are awful early this season rather than giving us false hope, so seeing a win is a rare thing. We went to the Bronson Arroyo bobblehead night and saw a loss to Washington 12-7. I've never seen so many runs, but it was cool to see a team I've never seen before (that counts when they were the Expos). Then we went again a few days later to see the Reds beat the Pirates on memorial day 4-0. Unfortunately our best outfielder Ryan Freel was injured and laid motionless on the field for 15 minutes that game too. We've got tickets to see my first ever interleague game in a little over a week against the Angels, also Aaron Harang bobblehead night. Then my desk at work will be bobbling on both sides.

Longer term, looking forward to our anniversary, the 4th of July, and Origins the following weekend. Signed up for some interesting events such as a world championship qualifier for Settlers of Catan, a LARP called Terrorwerks, Palabra, Apples to Apples national championship...and I'm sure I'll catch some poker and perhaps magic too. I'm selling the remains of my magic collection as planned in summer 2007 and the last good stuff is on ebay now, the bulk goes at origins probably in the auction. Also really looking forward to our anniversary, as we both know what we are getting each other. She's getting a 1 carat three stone ring she's wanted since our engagement 3 years ago and also a night out on the town with dinner and tickets to the musical Wicked. She's giving me Diamond seats on fireworks night July 3 when the Reds play St. Louis. I've never been in such good seats! Hopefully the Reds will win too, but that may be asking for too much :-) Should be the best week of the summer though, hands down.

Speaking of rings, Zach (Kel's brother) and his fiancee broke it off. Guess they argued constantly for 10 months since they got engaged, and it is no surprise they are broken off. It's probably better off for him. Crazy happenings though.

Grading the editing assignments for the write-on competition for main journal and JDR, and man does that suck :-) It's usual JDR stuff though. I'm just happy I don't have to read the essays. That would be much worse...40 or more ten page papers on the exact same topic with the exact same ten sources. Ick.

Let's turn finally to TV and movies. TV had a decent end of season. Lost finished in a fantastic manner, actually killing off a main character and some others as well as threatening many more. Plus we found out that maybe flash-forwards is the new flash back for the final three seasons and that could be awesome. Plus we know Jack and Kate get off the island...many more questions but a few answers in great Lost style. 24's mediocre season ended poorly, with the lamest soap opera ending ever of Jack spending the last 20 minutes talking to his comatose girlfriend and crying on the beach. On the bright side they did leave open any storyline they want to do with no cliffhanger to tie back into for the first time, so perhaps Season 7 will be great yet. Finally, House had a good run at the end of the season but inexplicably half the cast quit or got fired in the last episode (all the ducklings Foreman, Chase, and Cameron are gone, leaving just Cuddy, Wilson, and House). This means either some good stuff goes down at the beginning of next season or we have to learn 3 new characters. Hmm, don't know which I would prefer. Overall I think House beats Lost for the best this season because while Lost finished much better, House had solid episodes all season long and a great fall storyline with the asshole cop screwing House and his friends over to make a point. We await next January and February...when 24 and Lost come back. At least OSU plays football in the fall.

The first three blockbusters have come and gone in movies as well. Spiderman 3 was quality but maybe a tad worse than the first two because they had too many enemies and not enough plot behind them. The movie totally could have been carried without Sandman, who got absolutely ridiculous at the end. Shrek 3 was also an enjoyable popcorn flick with a few hearty laughs, but this series was at its best when it was novel. Pirates 3 was an impressive ending to that story and is probably my pick for movie of the summer up till now (edging Spiderman). Ocean's 13 comes up this week which is the one I've been looking forward to most along with Harry Potter 5. Knocked Up looks like a surprise fantastic movie as well, so maybe we'll go catch that at some point. Good popcorn summer so far.

Well I'm sure there's stuff I forgot to cover in 4 weeks, but I got the major stuff. Won't make any promises as to when I'll update again as I'm pretty busy relaxing and working. If you are in Cincinnati or living here this summer and want to grab lunch or dinner, let me know. Have a good summer to all of you still reading.