The application process

The application process was simple. I sent a covering letter and my CV to HR and was invited to attend an interview. The first impression of the firm on the day of the interview was forward-looking, friendly and gave me the confidence that this firm is dedicated to training technical assistants to become excellent patent attorneys.

Why did you choose Maucher Jenkins?

Maucher Jenkins stood out with their well-established international presence (in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and China), giving me potential opportunities to explore working in different countries and with different clients. I have had the great opportunity to work in London, Farnham and Munich in the ten months that I have worked at Maucher Jenkins.

What’s it like working at Maucher Jenkins?

Working at Maucher Jenkins is opportunistic, positively challenging and supportive. The training is individual and the work you get depends on what you enjoy and what you seek out to do. My colleagues from all sides (fellow trainees, associates, partners and staff) are approachable and are there to support me throughout. A good balance of independent work and team-work creates an environment which allows me to learn much quicker and more than I could have imagined ten months ago.

What’s your day like?

My day begins with a cup of coffee and planning my workload for the day which generally includes prosecuting patents (i.e. reading a patent application and arguing why it is new in comparison to similar patent applications) and discussing my argument with the supervising attorneys/partners who guide me in the right direction. An important part of my weekly schedule includes socialising with my colleagues to discover what work everyone is involved with and to offer a hand where I can. This allows me to get work experience in different sectors, such as more recently performing background research on a potential opposition law suit.

What skills have you found to be particularly useful in this profession?

• Analytical skills – reading and analysing a variety of inventions is a big part of my role at Maucher Jenkins;
• Time management and organisational skills – keeping a spreadsheet/diary to track progress on tasks;
• Ability to take a positive approach to everything – mistakes will happen and are part of the learning curve;
• Being proactive – Maucher Jenkins has a large variety of different IP work and, from my experience, having an open mind and approaching partners/attorneys allows you to take part in any or all of the work.