We’re looking for bright and curious minds to join our expanding Engineering group. Our team works across a hugely diverse span of technologies, from medical devices, motorsport, oil and gas exploration, vehicle transmission to off-highway vehicles and sporting goods and more. The clients we work with and the places we work in are just as diverse. You will find us in the US, Japan, the EU, Malaysia and Australia, partnering global businesses, start-ups and SMEs. We also work with a number of UK universities.
The ideal candidate will have an excellent academic background with a strong degree in Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering (or similar, such as Material or Civil Engineering) and excellent verbal and written communication skills. But most importantly a genuine passion for engineering technology that goes well beyond the merely academic.
We give our trainees real responsibility early on, and you should expect to be making a significant contribution to client work within the first year. We have a well-deserved reputation for supporting our employees through the CPA and EPA qualification process along with extensive personal development opportunities, delivering commercially focused attorneys who offer sound strategic business advice to our clients.
Qualification as a Chartered UK & European Patent Attorney involves passing several sets of examinations. Withers & Rogers provides a comprehensive package of support for trainees sitting exams. We will pay for you to attend courses, lectures and tutorials which are organised by the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys. In addition to this, we have our own in-house tutorial system which is aimed at preparing trainees for both the UK and European qualifying exams. The main focus of training, however, is exposure to a great variety of work on actual live cases under the supervision of a qualified attorney. Each trainee at Withers & Rogers is assigned to a qualified attorney responsible for their progression to full qualification as a UK and European Patent Attorney. All of our qualified attorneys devote considerable time to developing trainees and this is the best way for you to develop the skills you need to pass the professional exams, and also for you to absorb the culture and working practices that have contributed to the success of our firm.
Whilst we expect a lot from our people, we believe in a healthy work-life balance; realistic business targets mean that you will have time for a life outside of the office.
You will have a minimum of an upper second class degree with excellent English language skills and the ability to grasp new technical concepts. You should also feel confident communicating effectively with clients and staff of all levels.
The Firm
Withers & Rogers is one of the leading intellectual property (IP) law firms in the UK and Europe, specialising in the protection and enforcement of a wide range of IP rights. These include patent protection for inventions, trade mark registration for brands and design rights for products. With our support, enterprising businesses can bring their ideas to market and maximise the commercial value in their IP.
Around 170 staff and more than 60 specialist experts work in our offices in London, Bristol, Leamington Spa, Sheffield and Munich. Their focus is on building strong partnerships with clients – visiting them regularly, getting to know their business, seeking to understand how best to protect the fruits of their developments and how to ensure that IP protection genuinely adds value to their organisation.
It’s an inventive and inspiring environment that is as diverse as it is intellectually challenging. This is a place for ambitious and curious people who are passionate about the new. About making today’s pioneering inventions tomorrow’s lifechanging reality.
Benefits
A competitive salary is offered. Additional benefits include a pension scheme, interest free season ticket loan, discretionary Christmas bonus, generous holiday entitlement rising to 28 days per annum with length of service, holiday trading scheme (buying/selling up to 5 days), cycle to work scheme, flexible working week, childcare vouchers, and a healthcare cash plan after 3 months service.