I had considered a role in the legal profession however I was particularly interested in engineering. I discovered as a patent attorney I could use my engineering knowledge in a legal setting, this is because it takes a good knowledge of engineering/scientific principles and law to draft and prosecute patent applications in order to obtain the best patent protection for clients, and to advise clients on legal matters related to their patents and patent applications.
During my masters, I applied for the graduate scheme. I was then invited to an initial interview in the London office with a partner and a member of the HR team. This initial interview involved a brief writing task which required describing how a bottle opener worked. The initial interview also involved competency-based questions in addition to determining whether I was a fit for the firm’s culture and, importantly, whether Reddie & Grose was a fit for me. After the initial interview, I was invited to a second interview in the Cambridge office. This second interview was a technical interview to determine whether I had the necessarily technical background in order to be a patent attorney. This second interview also involved determining what I knew about the patent profession. I was then offered a trainee role in the Cambridge office.
My role covers a variety this can be from drafting, prosecuting, corresponding with clients and advising them on legal matters, supervising trainees, and attending events to promote Reddie & Grose.
Moving from an engineering/science background or role to the patent profession can be quite a big change and may require new skills. There are also a number of quite challenging exams to pass. Therefore, it is important that any prospective candidate thoroughly researches the patent profession and determines what it involves and whether it is right for them before committing to the profession. It is also important that prospective candidates seek a firm that is right for them. For example, what is the firm’s training like? What is the firm’s work life balance like? What type of technologies does the firm work with? What type of clients does the firm have?