Tamara Escajadillo, PhD, is a Patent Agent at Morrison & Foerster LLP. She received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the University of California, San Diego and was also a recipient of the PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. During her graduate work, she unraveled pathways for host-cell resistance to bacterial toxins and used biomimetic nanoparticles as decoys for potential therapeutic use in invasive bacterial infections. Now, Tamara works on patent prosecution and counseling for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, covering topics such as immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, and nano-engineering. 

How did you find this particular position, and what was the hiring process like? Is there a typical structure for this in your field? 

During graduate school I went to as many job related informational sessions as I could. This is how I first got introduced to the field of patent law. After that I contacted as many people as I could at different law firms to gain a better understanding of what the job is like. I was lucky enough to do an internship as well, which is very rare in this field. I also studied for and took the patent bar before starting my internship, which is not required, but it helped me better understand various aspects of the job. I was then hired to start as soon as I graduated with my PhD.

What are some of the challenging aspects of your job? Is there anything you wish you had known about your job or industry before joining?

As a scientist I already knew it was very important to be organized, and once I started working as a patent agent, I realized that organizational skills along with time management and being able to communicate effectively were key to being able to navigate my chosen field. There is a steep learning curve once you leave the bench and delve into the world of patents. Scientific papers and patents require different writing techniques, but having the experience in writing scientific papers helped me better understand how to understand science/technology to a sufficient degree to be able to transfer that knowledge to patent writing.

Do you have any professional plans for the future? What are some future career paths that could open up for someone in your position, 5-10 years down the road?

As a patent agent there are many paths that could be pursued, including being a career patent agent at a law firm, choosing to work as a patent agent in house at a company, or going to law school and then either working for a law firm on track to making partner, or working in house as a patent attorney. For now I am happy where I am, as a patent agent at a law firm.

What activities, internships, or organizations would you recommend someone get involved with to help them break into this field?

I recommend talking with as many people as possible that are already in the field in order to get a better understanding of what the job entails. I also recommend looking into studying for/taking the patent bar.

Is it common for people in your field to have a scientific/academic background (i.e. have PhDs)? Can you think of any advantages or disadvantages someone with a PhD might experience while pursuing or working in your field?

Although just about anyone with a scientific undergraduate degree can take the patent bar, most law firms and companies require a PhD for any type of biological/chemical sciences position, and at least a master’s degree for engineering. So it is extremely advantageous to have a PhD when looking into becoming a patent agent.