What IP jobs are available to 2L Summer students in Vancouver?

[thefunlawyer]

A friend of mine will be looking for a 2L summer position in 2023 and was hoping to stay within the boutique IP space, but we're having a hard time narrowing down how many boutique IP firms participate in the recruit for Vancouver 2L students. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will my friend have to apply to IP at a full-service firm if they want to be in Vancouver, or is there a large enough number of boutique firms? Any guidance/experience is appreciated. 

[CleanHands]

18 minutes ago, thefunlawyer said:

Will my friend have to apply to IP at a full-service firm if they want to be in Vancouver, or is there a large enough number of boutique firms?

How could anyone answer this?

If they have top of the class JD grades and a biochem PhD they can probably afford to be pretty choosey and apply selectively. If they are an average student, it's probably smarter and safer to apply broadly. One the one hand a candidate only needs one offer; on the other it's not like one of these boutique jobs is guaranteed for anyone who wants one.

If the IP boutiques and full service firms with IP practices are both participating in the same recruits, with the same timelines for offers, why not apply broadly and prioritize the IP boutiques if they get an offer while having the full service firms as backups? What is the downside to applying to the full service firms? Pure laziness and not wanting to write a few more cover letters and do a few more interviews?

I'm not trying to be rude, I'm genuinely perplexed over what could be the underlying logic behind the question.

Edited March 1, 2022 by CleanHands

[Darth Vader]

http://ultravires.ca/2021/11/vancouver-2022-2l-summer-recruitment-numbers/

Google every single one of these employers and see which ones have IP practices. 

https://www.lexpert.ca/rankings?listing_type=firm&product=DIR&practice_area=G3&province=British Columbia&search_text=

Search Intellectual Property -> British Columbia 

The IP market in BC seems very small. Your friend should apply to everything IP-related and see where he can land. There is nothing wrong with doing IP at the full-service firms. These are some of the best firms to practice IP law in. 

[thefunlawyer]

Thanks @Darthvader! She has had her eye on the boutique firms because she has been told by friends/lawyers that their practice focuses more on the innovation/tech side of IP, rather than an IP practice at a full service firm which she has been told largely supports the other practice areas. Maybe she has been misled somewhat, but I really appreciate the assistance and will send the resources over to her!