Why did you decide to pursue a career in patents/trademarks?

Whilst I loved studying science for my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, I found the thought of going into research quite overwhelming. At the time, it certainly felt that scientific research was the natural next step to follow on from scientific university studies. I did not have a particular area of research that I was passionate about and it felt like too much of a risk to pursue a PhD in a narrow field that I was not sure was a good fit for me. So, knowing that I wanted to continue to use my scientific training in some way, I began to look for careers that I could apply my skills to that existed outside of a lab environment. A career in patents, with its structured career progression, and office-based format, felt like a natural fit for me, and the fact that I would be able to continue to explore broad areas of biosciences was a huge bonus.

What attracted you to Dehns?

The impression I had of Dehns was that it was a very approachable firm with values that seemed to align with my own. Also Dehns’ long history and reasonable size made it feel like a very safe pair of hands to help guide me through my training.

What type of clients do you work for?

I work alongside four different supervisors meaning that I have exposure to a range of clients and fields of inventions. I would say that a large portion of my workload is involved in the European prosecution for overseas agents, especially Korean agents, but that I am also involved in a more intimate way with British and Norwegian life sciences SMEs and universities.

What opportunities are there at Dehns?

There have been a number of webinars on topics not necessarily related to day-to-day work that I have really enjoyed having the chance to go to. For example, there was an inclusivity webinar that I attended which was so thought-provoking and which made me challenge a lot of my beliefs; I appreciate that Dehns offers the opportunity of personal as well as professional growth.

Are you part of any committees/groups at Dehns?

For a long time I was a member of the Charities Committee – it was a great way to meet people within my office (Brighton) and across other offices when I first started. I also enjoyed promoting engagement with the various charities supported by Dehns through creative and fun events and campaigns