Interview​ ​Assessment​ ​#1

Shloka​ ​Ramshankar
Question​ ​List​ ​and​ ​Notes​ ​on​ ​following​ ​pages
Name​ ​of​ ​Person​ ​Interviewed:​​ ​Mr.​ ​Clyde​ ​Siebman
Profession:​ ​Intellectual​ ​Property​ ​Attorney
Location​ ​and​ ​Business​ ​Name:​ ​Siebman,​ ​Burg,​ ​Phillips,​ ​&​ ​Smith,​ ​LLP
​ ​ ​ ​ ​4949​ ​Hedgcoxe​ ​Road
​ ​ ​ ​ ​Suite​ ​230
​ ​ ​ ​ ​Plano,​ ​TX​ ​75024
Date​ ​of​ ​Interview:​ ​October​ ​12,​ ​2017
Time:​ ​10:00​ ​AM​ ​-​ ​11:00​ ​AM

I​ ​woke​ ​up​ ​the​ ​morning​ ​of​ ​Thursday,​ ​October​ ​12​ ​feeling​ ​quite​ ​excited​ ​for​ ​my​ ​first
interview.​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​particularly​ ​motivated​ ​to​ ​speak​ ​with​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman,​ ​because​ ​I​ ​had​ ​called
his​ ​office​ ​three​ ​times​ ​before​ ​finally​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​schedule​ ​an​ ​interview.​ ​The​ ​drive​ ​to​ ​the​ ​firm
was​ ​only​ ​twelve​ ​minutes​ ​away​ ​from​ ​my​ ​house​ ​and​ ​I​ ​soon​ ​found​ ​myself​ ​entering​ ​the​ ​much
anticipated​ ​Suite​ ​230.​ ​On​ ​my​ ​way​ ​there,​ ​I​ ​encountered​ ​Ms.​ ​Barnes,​ ​a​ ​fellow​ ​attorney​ ​who​ ​works
with​ ​Mr​ ​Siebman,​ ​and​ ​she​ ​introduced​ ​me​ ​to​ ​him​ ​upon​ ​entering​ ​the​ ​office.​ ​The​ ​three​ ​of​ ​us​ ​then
sat​ ​down​ ​in​ ​a​ ​nearby​ ​room,​ ​where​ ​I​ ​proceeded​ ​to​ ​introduce​ ​myself,​ ​the​ ​ISM​ ​program,​ ​and​ ​my
research​ ​goals.​ ​Finally,​ ​we​ ​began​ ​the​ ​interview.
I​ ​first​ ​asked​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​about​ ​how​ ​he​ ​became​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​the​ ​law​ ​and​ ​then​ ​his
educational​ ​pursuits​ ​as​ ​a​ ​once​ ​aspiring​ ​lawyer.​ ​Interestingly​ ​enough,​ ​he​ ​had​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a
lawyer​ ​since​ ​the​ ​eighth​ ​grade​ ​and​ ​joined​ ​a​ ​program​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​ISM​ ​in​ ​high​ ​school,​ ​where​ ​he
continued​ ​to​ ​work​ ​towards​ ​his​ ​career​ ​goals.​ ​When​ ​I​ ​asked​ ​about​ ​law​ ​school,​ ​I​ ​especially​ ​recall
Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​stating,​ ​“law​ ​school​ ​teaches​ ​you​ ​how​ ​to​ ​think”;​ ​after​ ​graduation,​ ​one​ ​must​ ​pursue
mentorships​ ​or​ ​internships​ ​of​ ​some​ ​kind,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​they​ ​can​ ​apply​ ​the​ ​skills​ ​they​ ​learned​ ​to​ ​real​ ​life.
He​ ​then​ ​talked​ ​about​ ​the​ ​absurdity​ ​of​ ​the​ ​bar​ ​exam,​ ​which​ ​particularly​ ​shocked​ ​me,​ ​in
comparison​ ​to​ ​the​ ​more​ ​straightforward​ ​LSAT​ ​for​ ​law​ ​school.​ ​Additionally,​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman
described​ ​his​ ​staunch​ ​advocacy​ ​for​ ​clerkships​ ​after​ ​graduating,​ ​differences​ ​in​ ​practices​ ​over​ ​time,
and​ ​regional​ ​differences​ ​in​ ​demand​ ​for​ ​Intellectual​ ​Property​ ​Law.
Next,​ ​I​ ​shifted​ ​the​ ​conversation​ ​to​ ​more​ ​specific​ ​aspects​ ​of​ ​Intellectual​ ​Property​ ​Law.​ ​I
began​ ​by​ ​asking​ ​about​ ​artificial​ ​intelligence’s​ ​effect​ ​on​ ​the​ ​law,​ ​to​ ​which​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​responded
that​ ​there​ ​will​ ​always​ ​be​ ​a​ ​demand​ ​of​ ​individuals​ ​to​ ​assist​ ​patenting​ ​the​ ​new​ ​technology​ ​that
arises.​ ​Consequently,​ ​I​ ​inquired​ ​about​ ​his​ ​thoughts​ ​on​ ​the​ ​“deteriorating​ ​patent​ ​system”,​ ​which​ ​I
have​ ​been​ ​personally​ ​researching​ ​of​ ​late.​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​revealed​ ​that​ ​he​ ​feels​ ​recent​ ​congressional
changes​ ​to​ ​patent​ ​legislation​ ​(such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​American​ ​Invents​ ​Act)​ ​have​ ​been​ ​for​ ​the​ ​worse​ ​lately
and​ ​that​ ​a​ ​larger​ ​problem​ ​is​ ​the​ ​overworking​ ​of​ ​patent​ ​reviewers.​ ​Furthermore,​ ​he​ ​also​ ​described
the​ ​two​ ​“schools​ ​of​ ​thought”​ ​regarding​ ​patent​ ​law:​ ​patents​ ​hinder​ ​innovation​ ​versus​ ​patents
bolster​ ​innovation.​ ​Ultimately,​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​felt​ ​that​ ​the​ ​public’s​ ​attitudes​ ​towards​ ​patents​ ​will
become​ ​favorable​ ​again​ ​in​ ​the​ ​next​ ​five​ ​years.
As​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​had​ ​answered​ ​all​ ​my​ ​priority​ ​questions,​ ​I​ ​then​ ​proceeded​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​a​ ​variety
of​ ​detailed​ ​questions​ ​I​ ​had​ ​saved​ ​in​ ​case​ ​extra​ ​time​ ​was​ ​left​ ​over.​ ​Upon​ ​inquiry,​ ​he​ ​told​ ​me​ ​that
his​ ​firm​ ​primarily​ ​specialized​ ​in​ ​intellectual​ ​property,​ ​however​ ​that​ ​they​ ​would​ ​occasionally
tackle​ ​other​ ​civil​ ​litigation​ ​matters.​ ​Additionally,​ ​he​ ​described​ ​his​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​working​ ​with
clients,​ ​which​ ​usually​ ​consists​ ​of​ ​providing​ ​advice​ ​to​ ​a​ ​client​ ​who​ ​has​ ​already​ ​prepared​ ​a​ ​case.
Also,​ ​he​ ​described​ ​the​ ​pro​ ​bono​ ​work​ ​his​ ​firm​ ​does,​ ​which​ ​includes​ ​assisting​ ​his​ ​local​ ​Church
with​ ​legal​ ​issues.​ ​Finally,​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​offered​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​advice​ ​he​ ​finds​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​most
important​ ​for​ ​aspiring​ ​lawyers:​ ​Persistence.​ ​Such​ ​words​ ​truly​ ​resonated​ ​with​ ​me​ ​long​ ​after​ ​I​ ​had
finished​ ​the​ ​interview.
Though​ ​I​ ​had​ ​my​ ​very​ ​first​ ​interview​ ​with​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman,​ ​I​ ​found​ ​it​ ​beyond​ ​informative
and​ ​enjoyable.​ ​Throughout​ ​our​ ​conversation,​ ​I​ ​would​ ​branch​ ​off​ ​his​ ​answers​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​additional
questions​ ​and​ ​ended​ ​up​ ​not​ ​consulting​ ​my​ ​scripted​ ​questions​ ​much.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​result,​ ​I​ ​felt​ ​I​ ​was​ ​able
to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​invested​ ​during​ ​the​ ​interview​ ​and​ ​gain​ ​better​ ​results.​ ​Mr.​ ​Siebman​ ​is​ ​an​ ​incredibly
experienced​ ​and​ ​well​ ​spoken​ ​professional;​ ​he​ ​offered​ ​me​ ​a​ ​precious​ ​insight​ ​that​ ​allowed​ ​me​ ​to
jump​ ​start​ ​my​ ​ISM​ ​research​ ​process.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​thankful​ ​that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​with​ ​me​ ​and​ ​look
forward​ ​to​ ​applying​ ​his​ ​feedback​ ​to​ ​my​ ​research​ ​pursuits​ ​in​ ​the​ ​days​ ​to​ ​come.
Questions​ ​and​ ​Notes

1) How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​get​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​the​ ​legal​ ​field?

a) Knew​ ​since​ ​eighth​ ​grade
b) Similar​ ​program​ ​to​ ​ISM​ ​in​ ​high​ ​school
2) Were​ ​there​ ​any​ ​specific​ ​courses​ ​during​ ​your​ ​education​ ​that​ ​proved​ ​especially​ ​helpful​ ​to
your​ ​current​ ​practice?
a) Took​ ​Business​ ​Administration​ ​in​ ​college
b) Clerkship​ ​after​ ​law​ ​school​ ​more​ ​helpful​ ​to​ ​learning​ ​the​ ​law
3) What​ ​does​ ​law​ ​school​ ​consist​ ​of?
a) “Law​ ​school​ ​teaches​ ​you​ ​how​ ​to​ ​think”
b) Learn​ ​skills​ ​you​ ​must​ ​try​ ​to​ ​apply​ ​in​ ​mentorship/internship​ ​after​ ​graduating
4) How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​find​ ​the​ ​bar​ ​exam?
a) Absurd​ ​and​ ​arbitrary,​ ​every​ ​lawyer​ ​knows​ ​this
b) Vague​ ​questions​ ​with​ ​obtuse​ ​scenarios
5) How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​find​ ​the​ ​LSAT​ ​in​ ​comparison?
a) Much​ ​more​ ​straightforward
6) What​ ​experience​ ​did​ ​you​ ​have​ ​after​ ​finishing​ ​law​ ​school?
a) Clerkship​ ​with​ ​a​ ​judge​ ​on​ ​fifth​ ​circuit​ ​court
b) Got​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​“end​ ​product”​ ​in​ ​legal​ ​system
c) Highly​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​clerkships​ ​after​ ​law​ ​school
7) So​ ​why​ ​specifically​ ​do​ ​you​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​clerkships​ ​over​ ​directly​ ​joining​ ​a​ ​firm?
a) Story​ ​about​ ​being​ ​better​ ​equipped​ ​for​ ​joining​ ​a​ ​firm​ ​than​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​colleagues
8) You​ ​mentioned​ ​briefs,​ ​what​ ​exactly​ ​is​ ​a​ ​brief?
a) Introduction​ ​to​ ​case,​ ​arguments,​ ​analysis​ ​of​ ​arguments
9) So​ ​it​ ​is​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​career-related​ ​opportunities​ ​in​ ​law​ ​school​ ​itself?
a) Yes,​ ​as​ ​long​ ​as​ ​you​ ​are​ ​persistent
b) Story​ ​about​ ​working​ ​with​ ​law​ ​school​ ​students​ ​on​ ​a​ ​case​ ​as​ ​an​ ​undergraduate
10) How​ ​do​ ​the​ ​initial​ ​years​ ​of​ ​practice​ ​differ​ ​from​ ​later​ ​on?
a) Don’t​ ​really​ ​know​ ​how​ ​law​ ​works​ ​when​ ​you​ ​first​ ​start​ ​off
b) Have​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​experience
11) Do​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​intellectual​ ​property​ ​law​ ​practice​ ​finds​ ​more​ ​success​ ​in​ ​larger,​ ​metropolitan
cities?
a) Yes,​ ​I​ ​would​ ​say​ ​so.
b) Primarily​ ​stay​ ​in​ ​East​ ​and​ ​North​ ​Texas
12) What​ ​role​ ​do​ ​you​ ​think​ ​artificial​ ​intelligence​ ​will​ ​play​ ​on​ ​intellectual​ ​property?
a) Necessity​ ​for​ ​IP​ ​law,​ ​always
b) Demand​ ​will​ ​continue
13) What’s​ ​your​ ​take​ ​on​ ​the​ ​so​ ​called​ ​“deteriorating​ ​patent​ ​system”?
 a) Problems​ ​with​ ​recent​ ​changes​ ​to​ ​American​ ​Invents​ ​Act
b) Problem​ ​with​ ​overworking​ ​of​ ​patent​ ​reviewers
14) How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​the​ ​attitudes​ ​towards​ ​patent​ ​law​ ​will​ ​evolve​ ​over​ ​time?
a) Two​ ​schools​ ​of​ ​thought:​ ​Patents​ ​hinder​ ​vs​ ​Patents​ ​bolster
b) Big​ ​corporations​ ​versus​ ​“little​ ​guy​ ​in​ ​the​ ​garage”
15) How​ ​often​ ​do​ ​you​ ​go​ ​to​ ​court​ ​for​ ​litigation​ ​matters?
a) Maybe​ ​twice​ ​a​ ​month
b) Not​ ​as​ ​much​ ​in​ ​court​ ​as​ ​you​ ​would​ ​think
c) Judge​ ​usually​ ​conducts​ ​hearing​ ​over​ ​trials
16) Does​ ​your​ ​firm​ ​primarily​ ​specialize​ ​in​ ​IP?
a) Yes,​ ​but​ ​occasionally​ ​other​ ​civil​ ​litigation​ ​matters
17) How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​handle​ ​conflicts​ ​with​ ​clients?
a) Clients​ ​usually​ ​write​ ​most​ ​of​ ​their​ ​case,​ ​I​ ​advise
b) Some​ ​clients​ ​will​ ​ask​ ​lawyer​ ​to​ ​do​ ​everything
c) Ethical​ ​matters​ ​I​ ​always​ ​must​ ​advise​ ​on
18) How​ ​often​ ​do​ ​you​ ​work​ ​for​ ​clients​ ​outside​ ​the​ ​firm?
a) Never​ ​really,​ ​most​ ​lawyers​ ​stay​ ​in​ ​their​ ​firm
b) Sometimes​ ​will​ ​offer​ ​legal​ ​advice​ ​to​ ​those​ ​attending​ ​same​ ​Church
19) What’s​ ​the​ ​difference​ ​between​ ​junior​ ​and​ ​senior​ ​lawyers?
a) Boils​ ​down​ ​to​ ​experience
20) I​ ​just​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​clarify​ ​the​ ​general​ ​career​ ​progression​ ​of​ ​a​ ​lawyer?
a) Undergraduate,​ ​law​ ​school
b) Clerkship​ ​or​ ​straight​ ​to​ ​firm​ ​after
21) What​ ​surprised​ ​you​ ​the​ ​most​ ​when​ ​you​ ​first​ ​began​ ​practicing?
a) Not​ ​really​ ​surprised​ ​per​ ​say,​ ​but​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​much​ ​after​ ​graduating​ ​law
school
b) Need​ ​to​ ​apply​ ​skills​ ​to​ ​practical​ ​legal​ ​situations
22) What’s​ ​the​ ​typical​ ​hiring​ ​process​ ​of​ ​a​ ​firm?
a) Recruiters​ ​will​ ​go​ ​to​ ​law​ ​schools
b) Competitive​ ​interview​ ​process​ ​within​ ​firms,​ ​as​ ​well
23) I’ve​ ​also​ ​heard​ ​about​ ​“clinics”​ ​law​ ​school​ ​students​ ​go​ ​to,​ ​what​ ​do​ ​those​ ​consist​ ​of?
a) Law​ ​school​ ​students​ ​advise​ ​and​ ​help​ ​write​ ​real​ ​cases​ ​with​ ​clients​ ​and​ ​firms
b) Also​ ​regular​ ​clinics​ ​not​ ​affiliated​ ​with​ ​law​ ​school​ ​students​ ​that​ ​offer​ ​advice​ ​to​ ​low
income​ ​individuals
c) Gave​ ​a​ ​contact​ ​to​ ​North​ ​Texas​ ​Legal​ ​Aid​ ​Clinic
24) How​ ​much​ ​pro​ ​bono​ ​work​ ​do​ ​lawyers​ ​typically​ ​do?
a) Varies​ ​depending​ ​on​ ​lawyer​ ​and​ ​practice
b) 50​ ​or​ ​so​ ​hours​ ​throughout​ ​career​ ​in​ ​general
c) Offers​ ​pro​ ​bono​ ​work​ ​to​ ​Church
25) Do​ ​you​ ​have​ ​any​ ​advice​ ​to​ ​young​ ​professionals​ ​starting​ ​out?
a) Persistence​ ​is​ ​key​ ​for​ ​young,​ ​aspiring​ ​lawyers
b) Abused​ ​client​ ​story,​ ​how​ ​efforts​ ​paid​ ​off​ ​and​ ​what​ ​really​ ​mattered​ ​at​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of
the​ ​day