Job title: Trainee Patent Attorney (Chemical)
Location: Oxford
University: University of York
Degree: Integrated master’s degree in Chemistry
Why did you choose a career in the profession?
When I was in Sixth Form, I wasn’t quite sure what path I would follow. I studied Maths, Chemistry, Latin and Spanish at A Level and always enjoyed the diversity that my choice had brought me. I had always been an all-rounder at school and enjoyed both scientific and more language-based subjects. I eventually chose to study chemistry at university as it was the subject I enjoyed the most. I always knew I wanted to do something which utilised my degree, but after completing an industrial placement year, I felt that a role in a laboratory wasn’t for me. A chance conversation with a friend about the profession led me into thinking that this could be the career path for me. After doing some research, and attending an Open Day at a law firm, I felt that the role would be a good fit for my skillset. I think that training as a patent attorney has enabled me to use both of my interests – my scientific and language-based skills.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
One of the things I enjoy most about the role is being exposed to real cases, and having a level of autonomy over my case load. From day one at Dehns, I was exposed to live cases, and actively encouraged to take responsibility for the cases which I help to handle. Whilst this was challenging at first, I feel that it has helped me to gain confidence in the role.
What skills are useful in this profession?
I think that strong written communication and argumentation skills are useful in the profession. Most of my daily tasks consist of written tasks, such as sending emails to clients and foreign associates, as well as drafting responses to Office Actions. Being able to argue why your invention is patentable is essential! I also think that time-management skills are crucial as a patent attorney. Managing deadlines is one of the key elements of the job and being able to organise my workload and manage my time effectively is very important to ensure all deadlines are met.
A day in the life
One of my favourite things about the profession is that every day tends to be different. However, a typical day usually involves the following: my first task in the morning is usually to check my inbox and reply to any emails which have come in overnight. We often work with foreign associates around the world and hence I often arrive to emails in my inbox. After grabbing a quick coffee with my work colleagues, I tend to start on some case work. This can range from working on a new draft application, general prosecution work (i.e. drafting and filing responses to Office Actions issued by the Patent Office) as well as checking new applications which are ready to be filed with the European Patent Office. Once or twice a week, I will also sit down with my supervising partners to discuss any issues I might be having with my cases. Occasionally, I may also partake in client calls alongside my supervising partners, where I often take notes on what is discussed. My day usually finishes between 5 and 6 pm but this can depend on how much work I have on at any one time.