About Kealan Fallon:
Kealan holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry and a first class master’s degree in Chemistry, both from University College London (UCL). Before joining the IP profession in 2022, he held postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of Cambridge. He has published over twenty peer-reviewed journal articles and held two patents on his academic research. He is a Fulbright Scholar and a Ramsay Fellow.
I began my career as a trainee patent attorney 12 months ago, after spending nearly a decade in academia. Looking back, I was prepared for working on real cases from day one and for a steep learning curve that is often discussed on careers websites – actually, these exciting challenges attracted me to the job in the first place.
But what I wasn’t quite prepared for was the breadth of the work I’d see in my first year as a trainee.
In the past 12 months, I’ve worked on almost every stage of the patenting process – inventor meetings, drafting, filing, prosecution, grant, opposition, and appeal, including oral proceedings before the European Patent Office. I’ve particularly enjoyed working on patent oppositions, something that not every trainee gets the opportunity to experience, but I’ve been fortunate to have worked on four so far.
Whilst European and UK cases naturally form the bulk of a UK trainee’s work, I’ve really enjoyed working with our foreign associates all over the world – especially in the US, China, and Japan. Learning how each of these patent systems works and how they compare to European and UK practices has been very interesting.
Thanks to my interdisciplinary background I’ve been able to work across several traditional sectors, on cases from fine chemicals and compositions to knee drills and computer-implemented methods. Whilst it’s more common to work in a single subject matter team (e.g. chemistry, or mechanical) many trainees at Appleyard Lees work across these traditional boundaries, reflecting how modern innovation is increasingly interdisciplinary.
I also sat my first foundation exams in October, the content of which aligned excellently with my day-to-day job. The support and training provided by the firm prepared me very well for these exams. The worst part of it all is the long wait (until March) for results!
Interested in becoming a trainee patent or trade mark attorney?
If you’re interested in the prospect of a career in IP, visit our careers page for a list of roles we are recruiting for, or send your CV to recruitment@appleyardlees.com.
