About the author: James Clegg is a trainee patent attorney in Appleyard Lees’ Manchester office, working towards his UK and European patent examinations.
James holds a first class Master of Chemistry degree (MChem) from the University of York. His masters project focused on synthesis and expansion of medium-sized organic rings. James’ work in industry included significant synthetic contributions to oncological drug discovery projects.
Hi, I’m James, I have been a trainee patent attorney in the Appleyard Lees Manchester chemistry team for about a month and a half now. This blog talks about my first two weeks at an intellectual property (IP) law firm, and provides insight into the journey from trainee to qualified patent attorney.
My first two weeks at Appleyard Lees (AL) were structured around a series of useful inductions to springboard my start at the firm. These inductions covered all aspects of the business, including IT, facilities, HR, our case management system, communications, time-recording, and marketing, as well as introducing IP. These were generally in the form of video calls with the relevant heads of each department, all of whom were lovely, and more than happy to answer questions! There were also some important personal-admin tasks to complete, including registering as a member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA). I was also introduced to the types of clients I would be working with as my trainee patent attorney journey progresses.
Since starting at Appleyard Lees, the tasks I have completed alongside my colleagues have given me the opportunity to observe and better understand the work conducted by a patent attorney. The support of my peers, advice and training has enabled me to quickly get to grips with the daily tasks and responsibilities required when working in an IP firm.
My advice for new trainees is to ask questions! Everyone I have met at AL has been friendly and generous with their time, and they have all been in your shoes at some point.
