Profile
Profile
When Mike ’05 decided to give up a steady job to attend law school, he knew he wanted to make a full-time commitment. Now a second-year student, he is active not only in his classes, but also in a student organization (president-elect of the Student Intellectual Property Law Association) 
and an off-campus job (law clerk for the patent law firm, EJ Brooks and Associates, PLLC). He is also competing on the Giles Rich Moot Court team.
He chose to focus on patent law, he says, because it ties in well with his interest in science. His first two degrees are a bachelor’s in bacteriology and a master’s in environmental science, both from the University of Wisconsin. After completing his master’s, and before coming to William Mitchell, Mike worked for eight years as an environmental consultant, most recently for railroads.
“I was looking for a change in my career, something with more intellectual stimulation. I also felt that my career was getting more administrative than scientific, and I thought intellectual property would bring me back to the science.
I have several relatives who are attorneys; I saw that the legal profession is somewhat similar to consulting, so I felt comfortable that I would like the style of work. When I looked at law schools, I wanted a good IP program and a good mix of students. I’m 34, and I didn’t want to stick out as the oldest person in the class.
I chose William Mitchell because it had the strongest IP program of the local schools. I had heard of Professor [Kenneth] Port when he was at Marquette, so knowing that he was here, and that there was a substantial IP program in place and a strong placement history—these were very important factors in my choice. I was taking a significant risk leaving a career that paid well, and I needed to know that the risk would pay off. There was some soul searching on my part when I was choosing schools.
My experience at bigger universities is that the professors come in and teach the class, and then they leave. The professors at William Mitchell spend more time interacting with students. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve gotten to know some professors really well. They’ve been mentors to me and guided me in the classes I’ve taken and in my studies.
I got my job as a law clerk by asking Professor [Carl] Moy to help me set up informational luncheons. I had three lunch meetings, and one of them led to interviews at the firm I work at now. Within two weeks I knew I had a position there. It [EJ Brooks and Associates, PLLC] is a small, boutique patent firm that just opened last year. I think what attracted them to me was the fact that I had a previous work history and goals. Coming from a startup standpoint, they needed somebody to hit the ground running.
I clerked there last summer and on into the fall. As it stands now, there’s a good chance I can stay on after graduation. It’s a pretty busy schedule, and it’s not easing up much. I thought the classwork would slow down a bit in the second year but that’s not been the case. You just have to do what you have to do and let things fall into place.
I’m into competitive cycling. This summer I did quite a bit of road cycling, and I competed in a mountain bike race. I’ve done three triathlons so far. I think I need it as a bit of stress relief. It’s really nice to go to school, go to work, stay focused in those settings, then hit the gym and unwind a bit.”