I came into the profession having studied law at the University of Manchester and then going on to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the University of Law. At both undergraduate and postgraduate level, I studied modules on Intellectual Property law, and this is what initially sparked my interest in IP.
Like most law students, I had never heard of, or considered becoming a Trade Mark Attorney whilst at university. I naturally assumed that if I wanted to pursue a legal career I would have to qualify as a solicitor. That said, I had some doubts about whether that was the right fit for me – I didn’t like the sound of working in 6-month seats in multiple different practice areas – I knew I wanted to specialise in IP.
With this goal in mind, I joined Mewburn Ellis in 2019. Initially, I started out as a Client Service Administrator in Mewburn Ellis’ Manchester office, assisting one of the patent teams. It was whilst working in this position that I first learned about the role of a Trade Mark Attorney.
After speaking to some people in the firm and doing some reading about what the role entailed, I knew that this was the job I had been looking for. As soon as the position became available, I applied as an internal candidate and, not too long afterwards, I was on my way to London to start my new career. The training scheme at Mewburn Ellis involves working closely with different Partners on the Trade Mark Team, typically for a year at a time.
The opportunity to spend time with and learn from a number of different Partners in the firm is an invaluable training experience. It allows you to get a close look at different approaches to the work and, as you grow in confidence and experience, you can take the best bits you have learned from each of the supervising Partners and to come up with your own style; something that is definitely encouraged.
Right from my first day, I was working on real cases and helping to advise real clients. This was a little daunting at first as, although I had some background knowledge of the law, I had never attempted to apply that in practice.
However, the support and guidance from the team is great and this quickly put me at ease. Although you are encouraged to undertake research and to utilise the various online resources when you are unsure of a point, there is an environment where you can freely and openly ask questions whenever you are stuck.
The work I did as a Trainee is extremely varied and no two days are exactly the same. The nature of the work means that there are often a number of deadlines to keep on top of, both from clients and from trade mark offices. It is therefore important to be organised and to be able to manage your time effectively. You will also need to be able to understand and explain difficult concepts, both in writing and in oral communication. Alongside the work, there are also a number of exams to sit before qualification. It can sometimes be a challenge to juggle work and preparing for exams at the same time, but the firm is always happy to help as much as possible to make sure you are in a position to pass!
Overall, if you are interested in language and you like the sound of a career where can use your writing and critical thinking skills, I would highly recommended training as a Trade Mark Attorney.
