Your patent career starts here, with a leading light in patent and trade mark law.

Based in: our Bath office

Start date: flexible, but ideally Autumn 2023

We live in exciting times, when innovations in fields such as science, engineering and technology are changing the way we live and work. At Abel + Imray, it’s our job to protect many of these ideas so they can flourish. And you could be a major part of that.

We’re seeking two of the brightest minds to become trainee patent attorneys in our Physics, Engineering, Electronics and IT team – joining a firm with a reputation for the highest professional standards and winning client relationships.

You will have an academic background in an engineering discipline such as mechanical, aerospace or automotive engineering or classical physics.

Inspired by pioneering inventions and ideas, you’ll be ready to offer up your technical expertise. In return, we’ll drive your career forwards (and upwards), making the best of your talents and focussing on exam success – all within a dynamic, inclusive working culture.

The opportunity

You won’t sit still here. This is a fast-paced, varied role where each day brings fresh challenges and exciting opportunities. It’s also the first step in a career with a forward-thinking firm that will constantly look at how you can help shape our future – and how we can further yours.

As a graduate, we’ll support you with thorough training. Mostly this will be in-house, but we’ll encourage you to explore the wider industry by attending lectures and taking external courses – in particular the 13-week Intellectual Property Law Certificate with Queen Mary, University of London. You’ll be working towards the examinations needed to qualify as a Chartered Patent Attorney and European Patent Attorney.

The role will focus primarily on serving clients in engineering fields, including aerospace, renewable energy, medical devices and contact lenses, automotive, defence and hydraulic systems.

Who we’re looking for

You’ll like nothing more than a diverse workload that allows you to flex your intellectual talents. Being a patent attorney demands a blend of scientific and technical expertise, and specialist legal knowledge, so you’ll be a high-calibre graduate with a curious streak – and a problem-solver at heart.

• Ideally, you will hold or be aiming for a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree (or the equivalent) in mechanical engineering or a related discipline (e.g. automotive or aerospace engineering) or physics (with an emphasis on classical physics rather than quantum physics).
• As a clear and concise writer, you’ll ideally have a grade A English Language GCSE, Scottish Standard or corresponding qualification.
• Being a clear communicator is essential, because you’ll be talking to everyone from the Chairman of an international corporation to a laboratory assistant from a niche scientific field.

Along with academic success and technical expertise, we value strong managerial and administrative abilities.

More about us

Put simply, we safeguard ideas. Specialising in patents, trade marks and registered designs, we counsel clients in intellectual property protection – from brand new start-ups to well-known conglomerates. That sees us dealing with IP offices in the UK, Europe and beyond.

With offices in London, Bath, Cardiff and Delft, we’ve been growing steadily. That’s set to continue, with a varied list of innovative, international clients spanning design, technology and manufacturing:

Ours is a firm with a prestigious history, but one eye always on the future. From longstanding attorneys to brand new trainees, everyone who works here has a part to play in defining that future – and that will include you.

We’re proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. And while we treat everyone we work with – and for – fairly, we respect diversity. That means nurturing each employee’s particular talents and supporting all to reach their personal goals. We also work hard to promote equality, diversity and inclusivity within the wider legal community we’re part of, as members of IP Inclusive. We are also members of WISE and Working Forward.

How to apply

Please click below to complete our application form.

The closing date for applications is 19 May 2023, but we expect to begin interviewing before the closing date, so we would encourage applicants to apply early. The successful candidates would begin work in Autumn 2023, but we’re flexible on the starting date if necessary.