Bazsi Takacs did not have a traditional path to law school. He graduated with a JD from Oregon Law in 2018, but originally planned to go to graduate school to pursue an MBA. In fact, he didn’t plan on becoming a lawyer at all. “I began law school with the notion that the JD would be a supplement to an MBA,” said Takacs.
However, after taking a series of elective classes during his second year, Takacs says he began to realize the potential that lay in practicing law. And it was in his third year that he participated in Oregon Law’s Portland Program and interned for the Columbia Sportswear Company. Takacs says that these experiences solidified his desire to become a lawyer.
Today, Takacs works in Portland as an attorney with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC. With more than 175 attorneys, Schwabe is one of the largest Pacific Northwest regional law firms. Takacs focuses his practice on intellectual property licensing, trademark prosecution and enforcement, advertising and marketing law, and business transactions.
He recently spoke to Oregon Law about his legal journey and shared how his career path became clearer after branching out and of making meaningful and lasting connections through the Portland Program.
What are the reasons you chose Oregon Law?
Oregon Law has great connections to sports and local companies, and the Portland Program.
In what ways did Oregon Law support your goals while in the Portland Program?
The Portland Program allowed me to spend my 3L year in Portland and intern at Columbia Sportswear Company (CSC). I was involved with a wide variety of legal work at CSC ranging from marketing and advertising law to corporate filings. In-house counsel duties also included some fringe legal work, such as revising corporate policies. I enjoyed the opportunity to be involved with many different projects, though I definitely preferred the marketing and advertising law work. Fortunately, I get to practice marketing and advertising law today as a complementary practice to intellectual property. Participating in the program also allowed me to make the impressions and connections I needed to secure my dream job. If any current or prospective student plans on practicing in Portland, I strongly encourage students to attend Oregon Law and participate in the Portland Program.
What Oregon Law clinics or student groups were you involved with, and how did these experiences lay the foundation for your legal career?
I was and am interested in sports law, so the International Sports Law course and the Sports and Entertainment Law Forum (SELF) had great appeal. The sports related courses and participation with SELF were helpful in allowing me to affirmatively cross out certain career paths in those industries that had lingered in my mind as options after graduation.
Describe a project that you worked on where you relied heavily on an Oregon Law experience or class to pull knowledge from.
Every day I rely on the knowledge I learned in law school for trademark prosecution and enforcement. For example, when responding to an office action denying registration of a client’s trade dress, I first turned to my recollection of principle case on point taught in Professor Priest’s Trademark Law and Professor McCormack’s IP Licensing courses. I also took a contract drafting class in Portland, from which I apply principles and teachings on a daily basis.
What advice can you give law students who are still discovering their career path?
Take advantage of externship opportunities so that you can practice in the areas of law that you are interested in. Not only will they help you decide what to practice, but they allow you to make meaningful and lasting connections.
By Rayna Jackson, School of Law Communications
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