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Attorney
By
Attorney
Career Profiles of the Profession
Who?
What?
Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields:
Intellectual Property Technology Counseling and Negotiation; Biotech
Transactions; High Technology Transactions.
When?
Years in Practice Area:
Since 2000
Years in the Legal Profession:
Since 1998
Where?
Employer:
The Prinz Law Office
www.prinzlawoffice.com
Size/sector:
Solo Practitioner
City/State:
Los Gatos, CA
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Law School:
Vanderbilt School of Law (1998)
Undergraduate School/Degree:
Furman University, B.A. Political Science/Spanish (1995),
Summa cum laude
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa, full tuition Founder's Scholarship
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Why?
Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area:
It's a vibrant, exciting area of the law, which continues to develop
and change. My practice allows me to interact with people from
all over the world, and requires me to learn about the latest
technology being developed.
Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area:
Effective negotiation skills; the ability to effectively write
and communicate with clients; the ability to grasp technical concepts;
knowledge and understanding of a variety of areas of the law (including
not only business and intellectual property law but also areas
such as commercial litigation, dispute resolution, insurance,
and antitrust law).
Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice
Area:
Learn as much as you can about as many areas of the law as possible,
including litigation, which is often overlooked by transactional
attorneys. The more knowledgeable you are about trends and issues
in the law generally, particularly those that are being litigated,
the more effective you will be in your representation of clients
on transactional matters, where the goal is to keep your clients
out of litigation. Also, learn as much as you can about the business
world and the industries with which you are working. Negotiation
often requires business judgments, and it is difficult to advise
clients effectively without a good understanding of their business
concerns.
How?
Career Path to Current Position:
I established my own law firm following the sudden and unexpected
collapse of Pennie & Edmonds, LLP in December, 2003. Though
I never anticipated or aspired to establish my own law firm, it
has opened doors that I never realized were closed to me at a
larger organization, and I now see the collapse of my firm as
a blessing in disguise. Though starting a firm is challenging
even under the best of circumstances and particularly difficult
under situations like a firm collapse, I have found it to be very
empowering to be in a position to make all of the firm decisions
and to fix all of the problems that I found in my prior organization.
Also, it is incredible to be in a position to hire people for
the sole purpose of making you and your business successful, and
to no longer have to worry about being conflicted out of representing
a particular client.
Influences and Mentors:
The most profound influences in my career have been events over
which I have had no control, such as the collapse of my firm and
the loss of several jobs, which each put me on an entirely different
career path than I had originally set out on. Such changes prompted
me to change practice areas, relocate across country, and even
set up my own law firm. Yet, oddly enough, each event, though
very difficult at the time, proved to put me on an entirely different
course that has worked out much better for me, in retrospect,
than the one I originally set out on. So, in hindsight, I would
have to say that the worst events of my career ended up being
the best things that could have ever happened to me, and certainly
shaped me into the attorney and business owner I am today. I've
had a few good mentors along the way in terms of older attorneys
who offered me excellent advice at various times I needed them,
but I'd have to say at this point in my career, the best mentors
are the ones I've sought out myself and paid to advise me. Since
the collapse of my firm, I've discovered that there are people
out there who you can hire to teach you to do almost anything,
and that sometimes these are the best kinds of mentors.
Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area:
ABA Business Law and Practicing Law Institute publications.
Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position(s):
Headhunter, networking through various bar and professional associations,
mass mailing. The Aspen and BNA publications in Intellectual Property
Law and Transactions have been extremely helpful to me.
Bar Affiliations and Activities:
American Bar Association (Cyberspace Committee of Business Section;
Chair of Copyright Licensing Subcommittee of Intellectual Property
Section); State Bar of California (Cyberspace Committee of Business
Section); State Bar of Georgia; National Association of Women
Lawyers (Co-chair of Writing Competition Committee; Publications
Committee); Computer Law Association (Public Relations Committee);
Licensing Executives Society (High Tech Committee); Intellectual
Property Owners Association (Copyright Law Committee); National
Association of Women Business Owners; Bay Bio; Forum for Women
Entrepreneurs.
Memorable Career Moment:
Having the opportunity to negotiate a transaction in Dublin,
Ireland with Irish local counsel.
Intriguing Interests:
Following domestic and international politics; collecting Spanish-language
music and movies; studying German; following Southeastern Conference
football and basketball; running and playing tennis.
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