What I Do I currently clerk at Brooks Kushman in their patent prosecution department. I work part time during the school year and full time during the summer. I have done some work in patent searching and in IP litigation, but mainly I work in patent prosecution. I help aid in the writing of patent applications, responses to office actions, and appeal briefs.
Why Engineering? Before I began undergrad, I ultimately knew I wanted to end up in law school, so I picked a major that would give me the greatest opportunity to have more options once I graduated from law school. When looking at which areas of law I would want to work in, I gravitated towards criminal law and intellectual property (IP). Since IP required a technical background, I decided to go into engineering to ensure that I would be able to sit for the patent bar if that was the area I decided to end up in.
School Days I received my Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Kettering University. I am now a 2L (meaning I am in my second year of law school) at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
My Day At Work I currently clerk at Brooks Kushman in their patent prosecution department. I work part time during the school year and full time during the summer. I have done some work in patent searching and in IP litigation, but mainly I work in patent prosecution. I help aid in the writing of patent applications, responses to office actions, and appeal briefs.
Best Part The best part about engineering for me doesn’t really have anything to do with the actual work an engineer does. Engineering taught me to be patient and persistent. The physical things engineering can create is what initially drew me to the career, but engineering completely altered the way I thought and the way I approach problems. For me, the thought process was the greatest thing engineering taught me.
Proud Moments I jumped from engineering to law school almost immediately, so my career experiences are limited. Because of that, I am going to mention an accomplishment that relates to both engineering, law school and work. Recently, I competed in the National Patent Application Drafting Competition. The competition is offered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and law schools can participate. Essentially, a hypothetical invention is given to the participating groups and we are responsible for writing a patent application for the disclosure. This year’s invention was geared towards mechanical engineering. There are a few reasons why I chose this event to talk about: 1. I am a electrical engineer, not mechanical engineer. Therefore, some of the specifics of the invention disclosure were not clear to me in their functionality or just in the naming convention. Because of that, in order to write the application, I actually ended up learning a lot more than I expected. (Another neat thing about engineering…you’re always learning). 2. In addition to learning the technology for the application, a lot of work went into the actual application. Just in my experience, I pulled a lot of my knowledge from the things I have learned working at Brooks Kushman over the last couple of years. 3. The University of Detroit Mercy team won the Midwest Regional Competition and is moving on to nationals.
Challenges As a young female, it can be difficult to pivot and be heard in this field. I think over the years, I just learned to worry less about how people may look at me and pay more attention to who’s willing to listen and who is not.
My Family My mom, dad, and younger brother live in Rochester Hills, Michigan. My mom is Korean, and my dad is Iranian, both born in their respective countries. They immigrated to Canada in their early 20s and then we moved to Michigan about 10 years ago. Since we have family all over the world really, we traveled a lot when I was a kid…Korea, France, Turkey…just to name a few places. My brother and I are very close, even though he is 8 years younger than me (17). He goes to international academy and plays soccer for the Rochester Adams varsity team. Him and I are both soccer fans, so I try to make it to as many games as I can. We also both played instruments growing up and would play together occasionally (he plays piano and I play the violin).
Dreams and Goals Well, at the moment my short-term goal is to graduate law school and pass the bar. I have a little over a year left, so that’s my main focus right now.
Want to be an Engineer? You’re capable of much more than you think. It’s okay to fail and feel confused, out of place, or unheard. But, it’s also okay to succeed and feel empowered and capable. Engineering is hard, I won’t lie, but it is also one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life, so if it’s something you’re considering…just go for it.
Hobbies In my free time, I can be found mainly studying as I am in law school, but I also enjoys baking, working out, and frequenting great restaurants.