Why I chose to become a patent attorney

After graduating from the University of Leeds with a Master’s in Theoretical Physics, I explored a range of jobs that would apply the skills I acquired throughout my degree. When searching for jobs, I wanted to find something that used the knowledge gained from my degree whilst being able to continue to learning. I knew that staying in academia wasn’t for me and training as a patent attorney allows me to apply my physics knowledge whilst also learning on the job. Not only are you learning the law, you are actively interacting with and learning about new technologies that you will not have encountered before.

Training to be a Patent Attorney requires a strong scientific background that can be applied to a range of areas relating to science and technology. The job allows you to interact with and learn about a diverse range of subjects. So far, I have worked on topics such as driverless cars, accelerator processor architecture and cybersecurity.

Training and Qualification

Page White Farrer offer a mix of external courses and in-house training to help prepare trainees for the qualifying exams. I completed the PGCert in Intellectual Property Law at Bournemouth University in 2023. The course allowed me to learn the fundamentals of intellectual property law whilst building my own network of trainees from different firms that are at the same stage in their career. The next stage is to sit my UK Final Diploma exams later in 2024.

The firm provides guidance and support when choosing which exams to take, there is no pressure to take the exams until you feel ready. Qualified attorneys also provide tutorials in the months leading up to the exams however preparing for the exams requires a lot of self-motivation as the majority of studying for the exams is performed outside of working hours.

The Firm

I find the firm to be very friendly and sociable. The firm is continuously growing, and we have offices in London, Leeds, Munich and a new office in Exeter. We have monthly office socials and as part of the social committee, I am heavily involved in the planning of these socials as well as the whole firm Summer and Christmas parties. Flexible working hours and a mix of working from home and in the office also creates a good work/life balance.