Is Pursuing a Career in Patent Law the Right Move for You?

Is Pursuing a Career in Patent Law the Right Move for You? Copyright © 2005 Lisa Parmley Intellectual Properties Enterprises, Inc http://www.PatentBarStudy.com







Did you know that you might be eligible to gain entry into

the field of patent law even without a law degree? The basic

requirements are a degree in a technology-related field and the

will to pass the Patent Bar Exam.



The field of patent law is wide open to Biologists, Chemists,

Engineers, Computer Scientists, and many other science and

technology professionals. And it's true; individuals with the

proper science or engineering degree need only pass the Patent

Bar to become registered Patent Agents.



Upon becoming a Patent Agent, you may gain employment writing and

prosecuting patent applications at law firms, technology transfer

offices, biotech or engineering corporations, and government

institutes.



>From there, you may decide whether or not to go on to law school

and become a Patent Attorney. In addition to writing and

prosecuting patents, a Patent Attorney can also litigate in

patent infringement cases.





The Perfect Skill Set



Patent law is the perfect field for many creative and talented

individuals since it requires so many qualities to be successful.



There is definitely a people-oriented side to a career in patent

law. This is especially true when you consider the "isolated lab

environment" most scientists and engineers are used to. Contrast

this with the fact that an inventor's hopes and dreams will be

riding on the invention and you will be there every step of the

way to help them achieve their goals. Obviously, a great deal of

interviewing and excellent communication is required in order to

adequately learn what was invented and write a patent

application.



Which brings us to the next point, patent practitioners must

also have excellent writing skills. Drafting a quality patent

application is tedious work that requires the absolute best in

written communication.



In addition, a strong background in either science or technology

is a must. You will have to understand exactly what has been

invented in order to write a quality patent application.



Lastly, as a Patent Practitioner, you should possess a thirst for

never-ending knowledge. You will be right on the cutting edge of

research and development and will always be exposed to new and

exciting discoveries virtually before anyone else!





The Dollars and Cents



It's the million dollar question. What might you expect to

make as a professional in the field of patent law? Well,

the pay scale varies from $45,000 up to $250,000+ for Patent

Practitioners and is determined by many factors (yes I realize

that's quite a span).



First, as we've already eluded, if you are a scientist or

engineer without a law degree you will be classified as a Patent

Agent after you pass the Patent Bar Exam. If you have a law

degree and are already considered an attorney, you will be

classified as a Patent Attorney upon passing the exam. As a

Patent Attorney with the same level of experience as a Patent

Agent, you will typically earn the higher income because in

addition to writing and prosecuting patents, you may also help

protect patents in a court of law.



Second, your degree level will help determine your pay. If you

have a Bachelor's degree in your particular area of expertise,

you will typically make less than someone with a Master's or a

PhD.



Third, your experience level will make a difference. Your

previous positions will count when factoring your salary. The

number of years you have worked as an engineer or scientist

will make a difference. The more experience you have, the more

valuable you will be perceived by the company. The longer you

have worked in the field of patent law, the higher your pay will

be as well.



Lastly, where you seek employment makes a difference in your pay.

Law firms typically pay the most, whereas a Technology Transfer

department at a University will usually pay the least.

Furthermore, the state and city you apply for work in will

also play a factor.





Hot Commodity



Businesses in the science and technology sectors regard patents

as their lifeline. Therefore, gaining status as a registered

Patent Practitioner can open many career doors for you.



Since the fields of research and intellectual property are so

intertwined, imagine the new career opportunities you would be

presented with if you were trained in both areas. Furthermore, as

a scientist or engineer, most of the qualifications necessary to

achieve registration as a Patent Practitioner have usually

already been met. It is likely that your only requirement may be

to pass the Patent Bar Exam. It is a difficult hurdle, but in

comparison to the time and money you already spent to become a

scientist or an engineer, the time and money necessary to pass

the Patent Bar Exam is reasonable.



In today's unpredictable job market, expanding your skills makes

sense, especially when this can be accomplished for a relatively

low expense and little time. Compared to getting a degree,

setting aside even a full year (although it can be completed in

much less time) to learn about the patent prosecution process and

take the Patent Bar Exam is very reasonable. Especially when you

further consider the fact that it will open an entirely new

career door for you. Whether you wish for a complete job change

or the desire to become more marketable for technology based

companies, gaining skills is always a smart move to make.







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Lisa Parmley of Intellectual Properties Enterprises, Inc. Check-out http://www.PatentBarStudy.com to learn more about

the Patent Bar Exam and how you can start your career as a

Patent Practitioner.

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Add Easy Mexican Decorating Style with Mexican Serapes and Serapes Blankets

To bring an authentic Mexican decorating flair to any room in your house, one of the most striking and easiest Mexican decorating accessory are serapes.

Serapes were originally long colorful rectangular garments, worn like an item of clothing by the native peoples of Central America and Mexico. Worn much like a blanket, it was wrapped around the body much like a shawl for protection against cold and the environment. Serapes refer to the traditional striped weave that makes up the serape blanket or serape.

Today, serapes are also known as Mexican blankets or Mexican serapes. The modern serape blanket is still noted for its intermingled, band-like colorful design. The serapes usually consists of a dark base color with bands of yellow, orange, red, blue, green, purple or other bright colors. The largest stripe is always the primary color and repeated throughout weave, along with complimentary colors. There are also serapes that are made in lighter tones with white or cream colored and pastel bands. You may also find them in shades of the same color as well. The ends of the serapes are usually fringed as well.

While their design has changed little over the years, their use has developed into a more versatile blanket and decorative fashion accessory. Worn less as an outer garment, their presence can add warmth, color and style to any room. With their vibrant color Mexican serapes can bring a room to life making it feel warmer and more inviting.

The easiest way to use their Mexican decorative power is to drape one over a couch, sofa or chair. Because of their size, serapes can easily cover up an old couch instead of reupholstering it. Not only will it renew your couch or chair, serapes will make your furniture - and any room - more inviting. The multi colored striping of a serape can also make a room look larger.

Another simple way to use Mexican serapes for decorating is to use a serape as a table runner or even a table cloth or cover. Nothing makes a meal more inviting than serving dinner on a serape table cloth. To make it even more fun, serve up some tacos or other Mexican foods. Don't worry about getting a serape dirty though as they can easily be put in the wash.

Because of their length, serapes easily cover a table making it a great table cover when the table is not in use. Being on a flat surface like a table, their colors are displayed to brighten up the room. You can also fold serapes lengthwise and use them as a table runner. In this way, serapes make use of their color to compliment the table and accentuate the natural wood of any table.

With their artistic appeal, serapes make for unique pieces of textile art which can be hung on a wall. Serapes can be hung much like a curtain or even pinned to the wall. Alternatively, they can also be folded and arranged in a fanlike formation to brighten up any wall and making art out of a serape.

Needless to say, Mexican serapes can add a decorative touch to other rooms in the house. Try one on a bed as an extra folded cover or even as a bedspread and feel the bedroom feel warm and relaxing. Drape one over an ottoman or a wooden hope chest. Their use is virtually unlimited, and only need your inspiration to harness the potential add a Mexican decorative flair to any room in your home.

You can find additional info at the following links:

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PVC Fascias For A Great Look And Energy Saving Properties

If you’re planning on a new build or simply replacing some old fascia, then PVC fascia is the way to go. Perfect for all types of building, fascia’s are strong enough to fit directly to roof rafters, meaning that you don’t need any other preparations or work other than the fitting of fascia to rafter.

PVC fascias

Adding a PVC fascia to your home can add a much needed update to the house and really lift it above the other houses in the area. You could take an old dilapidated house and turn it into a fresh and clean looking home, almost new in appearance.

Fascias will often match windows and other pvc items on your outer walls perfectly, as the pvc used is commonly of similar colouration and style. This will mean that your house will take on a clean and uniform appearance and will appear even more so that it has recently been built.

There are various types of fascia available, with colours such as cream, white, mahogany, black, brown, Irish oak, grey and golden oak available. In addition to being available in these finish types, you’ll often find that accessories for the fascia are available in the same colour schemes, meaning that fixing pins and corner trims will fit in perfectly, almost invisible to those that don’t know they’re there.

Thermal insulation

One of the best features of PVC fascias, apart from the fact that they are made from PVC and are therefore impervious to water as well as being easy to clean, is that they offer better thermal insulation than most types of brick, concrete or timber.

This can be a real game changer and big plus when choosing a building material. Thermal insulation is one of the biggest concerns when creating or revamping a house. You could save huge amounts of money by properly insulating your home. It is said that things like loft insulation can save up to £200 per year, and cavity wall insulation can save around £100 per year. This means that the extra money spent on high quality insulating materials could be recouped by the homeowner within a few short years.

If you consider insulation carefully throughout your whole home, you could save thousands of pounds each year in heating bills, meaning that your building costs and then in later years general living costs will be noticeably lessened by this offset saving. Another great feature of saving energy is that it will help your green effort, saving energy and therefore saving the environment; the energy that would otherwise be used by your poorly insulated house can now be saved and therefore impact the environment less. This way you can feel good about helping the environment, as well as feeling good about saving a great deal of money on your energy bills.

You can find additional info at the following links:

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Cautions First: Toluene First Aid, Correct Handling And Proper Storage Procedures

Toluene is a common compound widely used in many industries as a solvent in paints, lacquers, glues and explosives. Household items such as nail polish, inks, glues, and stain removers all contain toluene. Toluene is also present in cigarette smoke and car exhaust but it occurs as a natural component of crude oil and can be extracted from a native Colombian balsam tree.



Toluene reacts readily with air and can be broken down to its component substances and compounds easily. However, when accidental spills of toluene occur on the ground, there is a huge possibility that it will leach into the soil and into the groundwater.



It is highly flammable, reacts easily with strong oxidizers and acids (nitric and sulfuric) and can cause damage to some forms of rubber, plastics, and coatings. When inhaled, ingested or come into contact with significant levels of toluene, the patient can experience dizziness, nausea, headache, stomach spasms when swallowed and itching and redness when it comes in contact with the skin.



What should you do when an accident happens in the workplace?



Even with strict safety policies in place, there is always that small possibility for the inevitable, an accident. It is very important that workers know what to do when an accident occurs. It must be an inherent concept of the company's standard safety operating procedures that workers are given first aid seminar on toluene along with other hazardous chemicals.



When inhaled, patient must be moved to the open for fresh air or if there is a need for artificial respiration then by all means do so and call the doctor first thing. Do not induce vomiting when toluene is ingested and instead give the patient lots of water to drink. If the victim is throwing up, keep the head below hips to avoid aspiration into the lungs. For skin and eye contact, immediately flush affected area with plenty of water for 15 minutes. For all these instances, get medical attention right away.



What are the proper handling practices for toluene?



One of the first things you should do when handling toluene is to be properly fitted out with your personal protective equipment including protective goggles and gloves. A whole face mask is even recommended to avoid possible splashes.



As toluene is highly flammable although normally it is a stable compound, you should avoid the following conditions when handling toluene: sparks, electrostatic discharge, heat, open flames, and other ignition sources. It is also a confined space hazard, meaning that a leak in a closed area is very dangerous and there should be proper ventilation of your working space.



Never use or handle toluene along with incompatible materials unless absolutely necessary and when you do, make sure you carry out all the precautionary measures. Again, it cannot be helped but overemphasize the need for the workers to be properly trained at handling hazardous chemicals.



What should you do to ensure proper toluene storage conditions?



Toluene safety largely depends on how you store it. In ordinary circumstances, it is a fairly stable compound. However, when there are improper storage conditions there is a high risk for accidents. To decrease fire hazard, think about using an inert gas in the container or storage vessel for toluene.



Use only non-igniting ventilation systems, standard explosion-proof equipment, and safe electrical systems. Proper labeling of containers, chemicals and other items must also be practiced so that workers can easily identify the chemicals. Since toluene presents a confined space hazard, regular air monitoring should be in place to determine if there is proper ventilation.



Safety always comes first and employees must be empowered with the right knowledge and proper training to be able to deal with hazardous chemicals such as toluene with as few risks as possible.



Jo is an author and publisher for 'ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd' (http://www.reagent.co.uk), a well-known UK based chemical firm that produces, stocks and distributes a huge range of high quality chemical products as well as analytical laboratory chemicals, specialty chemicals and solid chemicals. If your business is looking for superior quality organic solvents for instance Toluene or has other industrial chemical needs for uses similar to chemical syntheses, analytical purposes and cleaning then have a look at ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd.

Safety Awareness for Hotel Workers

hotel workers who do a lot of house keeping work always have to lift heavy objects or be constantly exposed to cleaning chemicals. For instance, the act of changing bed sheets requires the hotel work to bend down, lift the mattress up with both hands, and slip the sheets under the mattress. Mattresses are considered heavy objects, especially if one has to repeat the same movements several times a day. If not careful, this seemingly harmless act can lead to severe back injuries.

In addition, hotel workers are also constantly working with cleaning chemicals. There are many different types of chemicals and different hotels choose to use different cleaning agents, detergents, etc. Some cleaning agents is harmless when air borne, but some will cause eye or throat irritations when breathed in directly. To protect the health of the hotel workers, all hotel workers should be properly trained so that they know what safety precautions to take (e.g. wearing masks) when dealing with the chemicals.

For employers who are thinking of cutting corners and saving costs, and would like to do away with the safety training, please reconsider. The benefits of providing such training for hotel workers are very tangible. For instance, if the training is going to help workplace injuries (which is not uncommon), then it'll naturally lead to less staff on medical leave and lower the staff turnover. After all, who wants to leave an employer who really cares about the safety of the staff? Workers who feel that they are cared for and valued by the companies are certainly more likely be happier in their job, and be more self motivated to do a better job.

Let the hotel workers watch safety videos to promote the general awareness of safety within the premises. Some hotel workers have the tendency to joke safety and not take the training seriously. Let them know that it's their own health that's involved here. So it's in their best interest to take the training more seriously. Even if they refuse to heed your advice the first few times, just keep providing the training. Sooner or later, the wiser staff will acknowledge the benefits of the training, and get the more skeptical colleagues to believe in the training.

For every training program to be effective, there's a need to understand that different work places pose different hazards. So sometimes, when safety videos are purchased of the shelf, they may not be comprehensive enough to cover all the angles. That's because many of these angles are unique to your organization. So to make the training more complete, have a senior staff help out during these sessions. Note that we're talking about a senior staff within the company, and not an external consultant or trainer. The senior staff, who has precious experience in the work place, is in a much better position to pin point the problem areas. Therefore, they are also more likely to have more to contribute during training sessions. Have them bring up all the problems directly related to working in your work place, and address them directly during the training sessions with the aid of the safety videos.

Senior staff, high quality training videos, and a persistent company who takes safety training seriously is what it takes for the safety awareness to be raised.