The Role
To protect the business interests of HGF’s clients by providing comprehensive professional advice and assistance in the field of trade marks and related rights to a range of clients from large corporate and multi-national companies to SMEs and sole enterprises.
In addition to studying for the professional trade mark attorney qualifications, Trainee Trade Mark Attorneys will be given training and exposure to client work, under supervision, in order to develop the skills over time to perform the following responsibilities:
Advising Clients
- Discussing trade marks and designs with clients and ascertaining whether they are likely to succeed in being granted a trade mark;
- Advising on chances of success and likely legal costs;
- Suggesting modifications or extensions to the trade mark to make a suitably broad claim for monopoly protection;
- Providing updates on the application process;
- Advising on the infringement and enforcement of trade mark rights;
- Advising on whether business activities will infringe someone else’s trade mark rights
Providing Legal Protection
- Working where necessary with solicitors and barristers to defend or enforce UK, EU and international trade marks;
- Mounting challenges to perceived infringements;
- And ultimately supporting or conducting contention proceedings at the UKIPO, EUIPO or in the High Court, including IPEC
Developing a Client Base
- Working with the Head of the Trade Mark Group, London Trade Mark Partners and the Business Development team to identify marketing opportunities;
- Attending and contributing to relevant conferences and client events;
- Extending the levels of billable business with existing clients;
- Obtaining new clients, initially with support and ultimately with little support from others;
Maintaining Professional Skill Levels
- Keeping up to date with legal developments in the intellectual property field;
- Keeping up to date with technical developments in the relevant discipline;
- Studying for and obtaining the professional trade mark attorney qualifications
About You
- Previous exposure to working with trade marks an advantage;
- Alternatively you will hold a minimum 2:1 degree in a relevant discipline, including but not limited to; Law, English, Languages;
- Ability to express complex technical ideas clearly and concisely;
- An eye for detail;
- Ability to structure a precise, coherent argument;
- Excellent communications skills, both written and oral;
- Confidence, tenacity and persuasiveness;
- Willingness to get to grips with legal and commercial arguments;
- Ability to develop successful working relationships with a wide variety of people;
- Ability to work alone without constant supervision;
- Readiness to take responsibility;
- Proactive approach to tasks and problem solving;
- Confidence and personal credibility to represent the firm to existing and potential clients;
- Commercial acumen to develop business from existing and to gain new clients;
- Motivation to study effectively in own time.
Remuneration Package
Highly competitive salary plus bonus and excellent benefits including pension, private healthcare, private dental care, 25 days holiday and a holiday purchase scheme.
About HGF
HGF Limited is one of Europe’s largest intellectual property specialist firms and one of only a few to offer a fully integrated IP solution, bringing over 170 Patent Attorneys, Trade Mark Attorneys and IP Solicitors together to provide a full-service IP solution.
We are a thriving firm with an outstanding reputation for quality of service and initiative in meeting client needs. HGF believes it achieves this by attracting and retaining the best people to deliver exceptional service to our customers.
With 13 offices across the UK & Ireland and 3 offices in mainland Europe, HGF’s Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys provide specialist technical and legal advice to blue chip organisations and small to medium businesses across the world. Many of our clients are household names and the work HGF does allows them to protect and exploit their inventions, new products and branding.