American Lawyer/Patent Law Jobs In Thailand?

[Hairy]

I'm wondering if there's much of a job market in Thailand for American attorneys, in particular patent attorneys. I'd like to make the move over, but I can't retire yet. In-house, law firms, for that matter NGOs and government and even private practice.

[CharlieH]

Restricted Occupation

" Legal or lawsuit services "

From the Alien Occupational Control Division, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

[robblok]

Restricted Occupation

" Legal or lawsuit services "

From the Alien Occupational Control Division, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

And how do those sunbelt people who are clearly foreigners fit in ?

[bendix]

Restricted Occupation

" Legal or lawsuit services "

From the Alien Occupational Control Division, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

And how do those sunbelt people who are clearly foreigners fit in ?

There are literally hundreds of foreigners working in law firms in Thailand. Tje firms employ them as consultants.

Being a restricted profession in this regard simply means they are restricted from practicing Thai law. They can consult and get Thai lawyers to implement though.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

A consulting company with partial foreign owners (or fully American owned via the treaty if large enough to justify going that route) can employ Thai lawyers to actually deal with government/court paperwork.

A law firm can employ foreign consultants as advisers.

Regarding the actual question, it would IMO be very very difficult to get recruited from overseas into a position that paid more than say 10% of what you'd be worth back home.

An entrepeneurial attorney could spend years and years developing the connections necessary to get into the game here, but it would be slow and risky.

Not saying impossible mind, but doubtful any progress could be made without coming here and scoping out the territory from the ground for a few months at a time.

[bendix]

A consulting company with partial foreign owners (or fully American owned via the treaty if large enough to justify going that route) can employ Thai lawyers to actually deal with government/court paperwork.

A law firm can employ foreign consultants as advisers.

Regarding the actual question, it would IMO be very very difficult to get recruited from overseas into a position that paid more than say 10% of what you'd be worth back home.

An entrepeneurial attorney could spend years and years developing the connections necessary to get into the game here, but it would be slow and risky.

Not saying impossible mind, but doubtful any progress could be made without coming here and scoping out the territory from the ground for a few months at a time.

If the OP had any gumption at all he would check the US firms in town and approach them direct. There are plenty.

[prefabs]

Ask Drew Noyes in Pattaya. Should be a laugh

[Darrel]

Ask Drew Noyes in Pattaya. Should be a laugh

I hear they have a vacancy.

[Hairy]

<p>

If the OP had any gumption at all he would check the US firms in town and approach them direct. There are plenty.

>expresses interest in moving halfway around the planet to live and work

>no gumption

[californiabeachboy]

The reality is that knowledge of the law does not cross borders very well, unlike some other professions.

Another option is to work as a contract attorney in the US for three months, then spend the next nine months living in Thailand, getting up in the morning, and doing what you want to do. I believe you would earn more in 3 months in the US as a lawyer than you would in one year in Thailand. And you don't have to worry about a work permit, etc.

[arthurwait]

Have a walk around MBK while you decide if there is much of a job market for this sort of thing.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Actually, perfect niche for an ambulance chaser - check out all the recent arrivals from the US, identify those with decent assets and single, and keep tabs on their love life. Once they start sticking with the one girl, approach their teerak and cut a deal, get her to pull out all the stops to make the mark fall in love and bring back to the states. Divorce, she gets half, you get what 40% should be fair?

If the girl wants to wait until she's got her green card, you should get a higher cut, say 60%.

Could probably turn it into a franchise scheme, enough business for a dozen sharks. . .

[kerryk]

<p>

If the OP had any gumption at all he would check the US firms in town and approach them direct. There are plenty.

>expresses interest in moving halfway around the planet to live and work

>no gumption

It's a joke Hairy. Every swinging dick taxi driver from London, Beirut, and Mombasa wants to come to Thailand to enjoy the cuisine and tour the local temples but can't figure out how to do it legally.

One out of a hundred guys who don't have the cash already in the bank make a go of it in Thailand. The rest get scammed, get incarcerated or go home in a bag.

It doesn't take much gumption to want to live in Thailand with a Thai chick as any of the thousands of 70 year olds with more active sex lives than Hugh Hefner on Thai Visa will attest. We already live here. Some of us for a long time. And for a fee will all be willing to give you some great advice.

However, advice (especially on …...) is worth what you pay for it.

[bendix]

The reality is that knowledge of the law does not cross borders very well, unlike some other professions.

Another option is to work as a contract attorney in the US for three months, then spend the next nine months living in Thailand, getting up in the morning, and doing what you want to do. I believe you would earn more in 3 months in the US as a lawyer than you would in one year in Thailand. And you don't have to worry about a work permit, etc.

Ridiculous post.

As someone who works in leading international law firms around Asia - and is at this very moment typing this from the Bangkok office of a large firm - this is simply not true. I have just from shooting the breeze with a UK qualified lawyer who then worked in HK for a few years and is doing very well here now in the Bangkok office.

Overseas lawyers working for international firms in Bangkok are on roughly similar packages that they would receive in their home country.

[bendix]

Have a walk around MBK while you decide if there is much of a job market for this sort of thing.

Plenty of big firms specialising in IP law here in Bangkok. I'm not sure a patent attorney would be in demand though; most IP lawyers here will be advising western companies on IP management and IP disputes.

[bendix]

<p>

If the OP had any gumption at all he would check the US firms in town and approach them direct. There are plenty.

>expresses interest in moving halfway around the planet to live and work

>no gumption

Well, if you had gumption you would be looking through ALB and working out which overseas firms are operating in Bangkok - specifically US firms - and assessing their IP practices and contacting them direct, rather than making a rather random post on a forum where the advice you get will be from people who don't care, don't know or are not interested.

So, yes, no gumption.