There was nothing really out of the ordinary with my route into the profession. I studied law at university and in my final year, I chose IP law as one of my modules. I’ve always had a superficial interest in IP, but I remember being advised to take IP law in my final year rather than my second given its level of difficulty and content-heavy nature. It is a common perception that a law degree often entails a ridiculous amount of time spent reading and writing, and of course, it carries some truth. However, it was only after I started my IP module that I realised it wasn’t an exaggeration. It was incredibly intensive, but it was also an inherently discursive and broad subject which made it fun.

The academic year was split three ways to ensure there was enough time to cover patents, copyright and trade marks, in that order. I began enjoying IP more and more as the year progressed, and evidently, my favourite “type” of IP was trade marks. The standard route after a law degree is to go onto becoming a barrister or  solicitor, but my interest in trade marks nudged me to search for a career in something more IP-specific. That was how I found out about trade mark attorneys (which is quite an underrepresented profession at legal careers fairs) and subsequently applied for a trainee position. I started in October 2022 at Gill Jennings & Every LLP.

Since starting, I have learned and experienced many different sides to the profession. On the procedural side, I have had the opportunity to assist on and be a part of all the stages of the trade mark lifecycle, from filings, to oppositions, to renewals. However, in all these experiences, I have also learned the importance of client care, commercial consideration and communication. Although I am still in the early stages of my career, I have been lucky enough to have already worked with a varied range of clients on a varied range of matters. It really is a steep learning curve, and I have stumbled more times than I’d like to admit, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that training as a trade mark attorney has been incredibly enjoyable. I am halfway through in my journey to qualifying, and I have no doubt that my appreciation for the job will continue to grow with me.

Trainee Trade Mark Attorney / Gill Jennings & Every

Last Updated: October 30, 2024