What is it like working at Forresters?
Forresters is very welcoming, supportive and close-knit. I was able to start working on real cases straight away with the support of my supervising partner who adopts a more hands-on approach in training, which I vastly prefer over the approach in university where it is considerably less personal. This hands-on approach has helped me to quickly gain knowledge regarding the lifetime of a patent, from drafting an application all the way up to the successful grant of a patent, and much more. There are always opportunities to work with different fee earners in the firm to receive more guidance and ensure a varied workload. Forresters has a wide range of clients, from multinational companies to sole inventors. Therefore, I am exposed to a plethora of new inventions in different fields – there is never a dull day at the office.

What challenges have you come across and what support have you received?
The biggest challenge that I have faced so far is the transition from being at university to working in an office. This is the first job I have ever had, and I find myself liking my job much more than being at university. Even though the transition was difficult at the beginning, my colleagues at Forresters, particularly my supervising partner, were very patient. Another challenging aspect of being a trainee patent attorney is to balance study time with my workload, since I am taking exams every year to work towards becoming fully qualified. Forresters supports my progress during exams by providing the opportunity to attend training courses which I have found to be very helpful. My colleagues are always available to provide advice on difficult topics, so I always feel fully supported.

What skills have you found to be particularly useful in this sector/profession?
I often work on cases regarding totally different inventions, including some technologies that I am not familiar with. Therefore, it is essential to be able to absorb information quickly to understand the invention described in applications/patents. Sometimes the success or failure of a patent application only depends on minute details, so being meticulous is fundamental to success in this role. Furthermore, communication skills are imperative; I need to be able to communicate effectively with both the client and the intellectual property offices, this means drafting letters with different styles to suit the appropriate reader.