I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at 10 years old. I have always found it difficult to understand others and fit in. I have improved with age and experience but I still feel less adept at socialising than most people. I studied Biological Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge with a view that I wanted to be a research scientist. I didn’t feel like my disability disadvantaged me in the application process. However, the learning style was quite different to school and I struggled with the change. At this point, I applied for and started receiving extra time in exams. I realised during my time at university that lab work was not for me due to its repetitiveness. I left university after three years not knowing what I wanted to do.

It took me a few months before I thought I might want to be a patent attorney. I was interested because of the scientific and commercial nature of the work, and because of the high variety. I initially interviewed with a range of firms for their graduate schemes but was not successful in my first round of applications. It didn’t help that I had never interviewed for a job before! To make myself look better on paper, I did the Queen Mary University Master’s degree in Intellectual Property. This helped me get a trainee position in 2015. I later became fully qualified in 2019.

I love how my job lets me see some of the most cutting-edge technology, second only to the inventors themselves. I love how cases allow me to work with a deep focus for a few months before moving on to the next thing. The job can be quite intense sometimes and very quiet at others, and the up-and-down nature of that can be quite challenging. As I become more senior, the job is increasingly about legal strategy, winning clients, and training others. Nonetheless, sometimes I still have to do a deep dive into a new technology area and emerge with the expertise to handle a difficult case!

Patent Attorney / EIP Europe

Last Updated: November 13, 2024