“My first brush with IP was a chance encounter. During the final semester of my dual degree program (B. Pharm and MSc. Biological Sciences) in India, I was considering pursuing a PhD abroad. My plans however changed when Evalueserve Pvt. Ltd. came to recruit on campus, looking for a Pharma/Life Sciences student for their “patent analytics” team. Intrigued by the unusual job description, I googled the new words “patents” and “IP”, applied for the job and got selected. So, that is how I was catapulted into the world of IP – and I haven’t looked back since!
After a couple of years’ training on the job, I had learned to conduct various types of patent searches and use different IP tools. I worked for several multinational clients, including Fortune 500 companies, and subsequently became a project manager. A few years later, destiny brought me to London (UK), and I got a job with GE Healthcare as a lead patent analyst, supporting their Life Sciences business. Unlike the previous companies I had worked for, which provided IP services to external clients, in GEHC I was part of the in-house IP team, collaborating directly with patent attorneys and scientists.
Working with patent attorneys led to the desire to become a patent attorney myself. So, I took the plunge and enrolled for the part-time PG Cert IP Law course at Brunel University London. This interesting course convinced me to continue on the path to becoming a patent attorney. Fortunately, the IP team in GEHC was extremely supportive and happy to train me in-house.
I find my role as a trainee IP counsel very interesting, challenging, intellectually satisfying and one which offers a great mix of science and law. Being in-house also allows me to work on IP strategy and 3rd party matters in addition to the typical “prosecution” work, and this combination gives me a well-rounded grasp of the commercial aspects of IP.”
Patent Attorney / GE Healthcare / Buckinghamshire