University of Bristol, Bsc Chemistry.
Daniel joined a boutique IP firm in Jan 2012, obtaining his foundation qualification before joining Marks & Clerk in 2013. He has been a senior associate since Aug 2021.
"If I’m honest, I stumbled my way into the profession after university. I assumed I would go into a career in science, but after three years of undergrad labs I’d concluded that it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I was fortunate enough to attend a number of careers talks while at university, including a housemate dragging me to one from a patent attorney based in Bristol.
I was attracted to a career which used my university education, but which would be far more varied than an academic or scientific career. Being an expert in a relatively niche topic appealed, but I’d be lying if I said the salaries on offer didn’t help. If all of this sounds familiar to you, then it would be well worth seriously considering a career in IP."
"For my first role in the industry, I was incredibly lucky to have some friends who worked in a related business and who provided an initial introduction. The application to Marks & Clerk was far more conventional and was through a recruitment agent specialising in IP.
The application process usually involves a number of tests to ensure you’re able to handle both the technical side and the communication aspects of the job. Expect written tests alongside your interviews."
"In the early years, it’s not even close! You’ll be studying in your own time alongside your day job. In the run up to exams I just accepted that I’d need to write off any social life for a month or two prior. That’s hardly unique to IP – you’ll likely hear similar stories from trainee solicitors and accountants etc.
Once qualified, it certainly can be much closer to a 9-5 job, but that requires a much higher level of organisation than I have. Workloads naturally fluctuate - that does sometimes affect evenings and weekends but tends to average out over the long run."
"The obvious technical skills and education are the bare minimum, but there are two personality traits which I think would make you an ideal candidate. Firstly, curious minds who like knowing how things work are ideal. Being able to take apart a prototype (or more commonly, CAD model) and understand inherently how a device functions is critical. Obviously, this depends on the technology, but the underlying curiosity remains.
Secondly, if you’ve ever been described as a Grammar-Nazi, then you’d fit right in! The job revolves primarily around written communication, but your audience changes all the time. It’s almost like translation – you’ll be going back and forth between legal speak and technical language. You need to be clear and persuasive in your writing, and have a very keen eye for detail. A well-placed comma can significantly change the meaning of a patent claim."
"All the normal rules apply: an error free CV, a strong academic record, and being personable are all essential. Experience outside of academia is a bonus too, so don’t think that your chances are ruined simply because you didn’t land a trainee role fresh out of university. It’s not uncommon for people to switch careers to IP later on.
Most importantly though, the two skills in the previous section have no qualifications, so don’t be put off if you meet a lot of other candidates with PhDs - that’s just a matter of supply and demand. Communication and curiosity are what really matters.
Lastly, be persistent. It’s a small profession, and the number of trainee places are limited and oversubscribed. Once you’ve got a foot in the door, it becomes much easier."
