Career Transitions: Engineering background helps Detroit Mercy Law student in problem-solving and communicating

February 23, 2022

Andrew AbdulNour ’22 knew from when he was 10 years old that he wanted to become an engineer. “I grew up in a family of engineers and I’ve always loved to build things or see how they work.” he explained.  

AbdulNour also knew that he would like pursue law school one day. “Now more than ever it’s important to strive for more, innovate, and take an extra step. For some engineers that means a master’s degree or a PhD, for others it means a business-related degree. For me it was a law degree.” 

“I was nervous that none of my main skills would transfer over from engineering to law school, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. Engineers are taught to analyze problems using step by step procedures, meaning they rely on checklists and test methods to achieve results. Very quickly those same skills transferred over,” AbdulNour said.  

“As engineers, we are taught to think and write in a very no-nonsense and organized way, and that method of thinking helped me stick to core concepts and always keep my thoughts focused. Straightforward communication in both engineering and the legal field is key.”  

Law students with engineering backgrounds have the opportunity to combine their skills to pursue intellectual property law. Learn more about intellectual property law at Detroit Mercy Law: https://law.udmercy.edu/academics/Curriculum/specialty-courses/intellectual-property-law.php