Jones Day's legal intern program involves recruiting scientists with advanced graduate degrees (including Ph.D.s and M.D./Ph.D.s) in relevant sciences and training them in all aspects of intellectual property law. This program helps us leverage the talents of our highly qualified "high-tech" lawyers and law clerks to attract and service the specialized needs of technology-based businesses.

Scientists selected for our legal intern program work by day for Jones Day and attend a local law school with an evening program. These lawyers-in-training are schooled in all aspects of intellectual property law, although the bulk of legal interns' work experience involves prosecution. Legal interns are encouraged to take the patent bar exam so that they are admitted to the patent bar by their second year of law school. Opinion work, due diligence, agreement/licensing, and litigation support work are assigned as they progress through law school.  

In recruiting for the legal intern program, we look for individuals who have excelled in their academic careers and who have chosen to explore a career in law. Some of the more committed candidates will have already sat for the patent bar exam. Compensation for our legal interns currently includes a base salary and reimbursement for law school tuition, books, and bar-exam study courses. Offers are contingent on acceptance to law school.

Our legal interns are evaluated annually. In his or her third year of law school, each legal intern is evaluated by the partners in the group to determine whether the intern will receive an offer to join the Firm as an associate and, if so, his or her placement as an associate. We strive to place the candidate into a class of associates having similar skill sets and levels of experience. We attempt to communicate hiring decisions early, so that legal interns can plan their lives accordingly during their last year of law school.  

The working experience and postgraduate degrees of associates in the Intellectual Property Practice, including their work for the Firm as patent agents in the legal intern program, are factors that are viewed favorably in consideration for partnership.

To learn more about IP legal interns, please contact Jacqueline Benn ().