How did you get here?

I joined Appleyard Lees’ Manchester office in 2022 after completing my chemistry master’s degree in 2020, followed by two and a half years working in a lab-based oncological drug discovery role. As a chemistry graduate, lab-based roles are ubiquitous and, while I enjoyed the hands-on nature of being research scientist, searching for a new challenge led me to consider the option of working as a Patent Attorney.

Prior to joining the profession, my first exposure to Intellectual Property (IP) had been a single lecture during my degree. However, during my time in industry I came to appreciate that IP served as the foundation for most projects I worked on, and is a primary asset for many companies, large and small. Upon researching the patent profession further, it became clear that it represented an exciting conflux of technical scientific knowledge, legal expertise, and commercial awareness that really appealed to me. I started looking for roles more seriously and soon had the good fortune to find and join Appleyard Lees.

What is a day like and what sort of work do you do?

Days are variable and work tends to be guided by deadlines. However it can also be unpredictable, with an email or conversation potentially changing the direction of your entire day. The “bread and butter” of the job is built around guiding clients’ patent applications to grant. This involves preparing and filing carefully considered arguments and/or amendments to patent applications, to navigate the various hoops and hurdles of securing patent protection in different countries, while maintaining a fair scope of protection for your client.

You will also find yourself working directly with inventors to draft and file new patent applications, as well as attacking and defending granted patents in direct contention with other Patent Attorneys. The breadth and depth of technological areas covered is very compelling, and relatively unique to the patent profession.

That sounds great! Are there downsides or things to be aware of?

The job involves lots of reading/writing (and rereading/rewriting!) complicated technical language. It takes a long time to learn how to “read like a Patent Attorney”, and an ability to grasp and translate complex concepts into straightforward ones is essential. Newcomers to the profession usually start with zero legal experience or knowledge which contributes to a lengthy training process of around 4 to 6 years, dotted with numerous exams, which you will prepare for whilst working full time. It is a competitive profession to enter, and a challenging one to train for, so perseverance and determination are key. Nevertheless, the rewards are great and you are likely to encounter and work with countless interesting people (especially at Appleyard Lees!) across a dynamic and engaging career. Good luck!