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John Oliver III

Law

John Oliver III(he/him)

Intellectual Property Administrator · Goodwin Proctor

Their story

Law Careers without a law degree

12 min

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Key quotes

“You gotta stop complaining about that job and start dressing for the job you want.”

John's father (quoted by John T. Oliver III)

“I've got more opportunities from saying yes than I ever have from saying no.”

John T. Oliver III, IP Practice Team Specialist

“I think that's why it's important to know your destination even before you get there.”

John T. Oliver III, IP Practice Team Specialist

“I'm comfortable being black. I'm proud to be black. I'm proud of my heritage.”

John T. Oliver III, IP Practice Team Specialist

“We can't leave our careers and even our life up to anyone else. This is our life. This is my career. And I just refuse to let anybody stand in the way of me getting what I set my mind to do.”

John T. Oliver III, IP Practice Team Specialist

Career highlights

Start at the ground level and treat every role like it matters — people notice.

John started as a janitor and then an office assistant. He began ironing his clothes and greeting people warmly, and the firm he was cleaning floors for offered him a position because of how he carried himself.

Say yes to opportunities even when you're not fully ready — you can figure it out.

John said the firm created a new role and came to him. He told them he'd love to try it, and reflected: 'I've got more opportunities from saying yes than I ever have from saying no.'

Know your destination before you arrive — having a clear goal keeps you moving even when the path is hard.

John says he chose a legal career in high school and kept that vision in mind even while working as a janitor. That clarity is what helped him recognize and seize every opportunity along the way.

You don't need to go to law school to have a well-paying career in law — explore paralegal and legal specialist paths.

John describes patent paralegal and specialist salaries starting at $60,000 and going up to $120,000, and explains how specialized IP legal work commands even higher value in the market.

Get comfortable being exactly who you are — that confidence will protect and propel you in corporate spaces.

John opens up about code-switching, racial self-doubt, and the journey to becoming proud of his identity as a Black man. He says arriving at that comfort level also made him better at addressing issues when they came up at work.

Connect with people in the roles you want and self-educate — don't wait for someone to hand you a roadmap.

While working in the mailroom, John read books about what paralegals do and made deliberate effort to connect with the legal professionals around him. That self-directed learning is what made him stand out.

Student summary
John T. Oliver III is an Intellectual Property (IP) Practice Team Specialist at Goodwin Procter, one of the top law firms in the country. He works alongside patent attorneys — people who hold science doctorates AND law degrees — helping them file patents at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and bring in new clients. What's wild about John's story is that he didn't start here. He started as a janitor vacuuming floors at night for $6 an hour, with no four-year degree and no clear roadmap. He built his career one step at a time: office assistant, then legal assistant, then foreign filing specialist, then the role he's in now — a position the firm literally created for him. John's path is a masterclass in being intentional about where you're headed even when you're not there yet. While cleaning floors, he kept his eyes on the paralegals and legal professionals around him. He read books about what paralegals actually do. He introduced himself, stayed positive, and made himself visible. When an opportunity came, he said yes — even when he wasn't 100% sure he was ready. That pattern of showing up, learning on the fly, and saying yes repeated itself throughout his career and kept opening new doors. One of the most honest parts of John's story is how he talks about being a Black man in corporate America. He shares real feelings — worrying people would always see him as 'the janitor,' navigating code-switching, questioning whether he was being treated as John or as a Black guy. He doesn't sugarcoat it. But he also talks about arriving at a place of confidence and pride in who he is, and how that inner shift changed everything. His dad's advice — 'dress for the job you want' — wasn't just about clothes. It was about carrying yourself with purpose, even while scrubbing toilets. For students thinking about law, legal careers, or even IP specifically, John's story shows there are many ways into this field. You don't have to go to law school. Paralegals and legal specialists are essential to how law firms run, and the salary range he mentions — $60,000 to $120,000 — reflects real earning potential. John also encourages getting some college education because of the doors it opens, but he's living proof that drive, curiosity, and willingness to learn on the job can take you further than a degree alone. If you're a first-gen student, a student of color figuring out your next move, or just someone who doesn't fit the 'traditional' mold, John's story is for you. He built a career in a specialized legal field starting from scratch, while raising a family, working two jobs, and pushing through self-doubt. His message is clear: know your destination, even before you get there — and don't let anyone, or any version of yourself, talk you out of going after it.