Why did I choose a job in this profession?

During the course of my studies at the University of Sheffield it became increasingly clear to me that a career in a laboratory wasn’t going to be for me. As such, I started researching other career paths that a physics degree can take you down. One of the great things about a physics degree is that it can take you down a broad variety of career paths, however I found that there were so many options it was difficult to know where to start.

I reached out to the physics careers advisor at my university who made me aware of the patent attorney profession. This immediately sparked my interest in the role as it is a career that would take the technical knowledge and skills I had developed throughout my degree and use it in a professional environment.

What does a typical day look like?

One of the main things that I find particularly enjoyable about the role is that no two days are the same. The job comprises a broad range of components and you can be working on a variety of these over the course of a day. As a first-year trainee, some of the tasks that I am regularly involved with include performing searches for existing patents and prior art, preparing responses to official communications from the patent office during prosecution of a patent application and communicating with clients. Each task provides it own unique set of challenges to overcome and learning opportunities.

I work closely with a number of partners and associates who provide support and assistance with each piece of work I do. Regular communication between myself and my supervisor is valuable for gaining a better understanding of both the law and of the practical skills it takes to do the job.

Working at Wilson Gunn means that I am regularly exposed to a range of clients from different industries. This provides great opportunities to work on patent applications relating to different fields of technology which is something I find makes the role particularly interesting. So far, I have had the opportunity to work on patent applications relating to mechanical, electronic and algorithm inventions.

What skills are useful in the profession?

The role of a patent attorney is unique; one task may involve gaining an understanding of a complex technical subject whilst the next task may require an intricate understanding of the law. Therefore, being able to adapt to different scenarios and quickly gain an understanding of complex technical ideas and the law is very useful.

Since the role involves adhering to deadlines, whether that be a deadline set by the patent office to respond to an examination report or a deadline set by a client, time management and the ability to prioritise work are particularly important skills.