Kevin Everage

Prior to law school, you spent many years working as a patent examiner. What did you gain from that experience?

I learned a lot about intellectual property law by prosecuting patent applications at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for eight years. While my specific duties only involved patents, I eventually decided on my own to branch into trademarks. Having this unique perspective into how the USPTO operates is a key advantage. Since leaving the USPTO, I have found that employers recognize and value my examining experience. It played a big part in landing internships at UFC and Switch, and my experience is one of the reasons why Switch offered me a full-time position.
 
And now you are working for Switch … how goes that?

Exciting! I enjoy in-house work in the corporate setting. We operate at a fast pace and as a member of the Policy team I help tackle a lot of different issues. We have more than 350 issued and pending patent claims, and over 300 registered and pending trademark class registrations. This summer we received a Notice of Allowance for the first patent application Switch filed back in 2007, for Hot Aisle Containment technology. This was a monumental win and I enjoyed helping get it over the finish line. We are very busy, and Switch is an amazing company. I love it here.
 
What have been your keys to survival as a part-time law student working a full-time job?

Just putting a conscious effort into maintaining my mental and physical well-being. Finding time to work out, eat healthy, and get enough sleep is tough, but it is critical to dealing with the stress we feel every day as part-time students with full-time jobs.