Many initiatives to grow representation in the patent bar are easy, as they are more marketing than action. It is easy to write an article or speak about the patent bar’s makeup at a conference. Less easy is hiring an underrepresented patent practitioner. And while hiring in itself is good, it does not improve representation in the patent bar. Instead, hiring merely maintains the current representation, moving a professional from one firm to another. To meaningfully advance change in the patent bar, more work is needed, and it is needed much earlier than when an underrepresented patent attorney graduates from law school or is looking to change firms.
Rather than simply hire underrepresented agents and attorneys who are already members of the patent bar, Colby Nipper has improved representation in the patent bar by hiring underrepresented career engineers and STEM students—the majority of our engineering hires have been underrepresented since our firm’s founding. We then diligently train these professionals, helping them to transition into careers in patent law. Of the third of Colby Nipper professionals that are underrepresented, all but one were from engineering careers—not laterals from other firms.
Please contact our firm at [email protected] for more information; we look forward to hearing from you.
Colby Nipper is an equal opportunity employer; underrepresented professionals are encouraged to apply.