The Position

We are looking for an enthusiastic Trainee Patent Attorney candidate to join our Chemistry and Pharmaceuticals team in Manchester, commencing in Spring/Summer 2024.

This is an intellectually demanding, rigorous field where the work is fascinating, and the profession is highly respected and offers a stimulating and structured career path.  The Patent Attorney role requires a unique combination of science, law and business skills to assist a diverse range of clients in protecting their innovations. On the job support will be provided to you each step of the way to help you learn all the necessary law and skills needed to become a first-class patent attorney.

Our Manchester chemistry team work for a mix of UK and overseas clients, including SMEs, multinationals and universities, with a particular emphasis on pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry subject matter.

The training process is a challenging one and we offer exceptional support in helping you get through it. This includes access to your own training budget, an internal tutorial program, access to our in house Learning and Development platform and working with qualified attorneys who have a deep understanding of what it is like to be a trainee, having been there and done it in the not so long and distant past. There is so much knowledge you can tap into, including supervision from experienced partners and senior attorneys, supporting you on your journey to full Chartered UK and European qualification.

A typical working week could include

• Drafting of patent documents for review by manager
• Supporting a diverse range of clients to achieve their commercial objectives.
• Constructing technical arguments with a view to prosecuting or opposing patents
• Working with Attorneys in ensuring that legal deadlines are met
• Liaising with clients and answering queries
• Progressing through UK and European Patent Attorney Qualification exams alongside work

About You

• A passion for a career in intellectual property!
• A degree in chemistry or a chemistry-based discipline. Degrees in related subjects (e.g., pharmacy, materials science, etc.) will be considered if, for example, you possess broad technical experience or have had exposure to an area of chemistry through a further degree (e.g., an MSc or PhD)
• Experience in a professional working environment would be beneficial
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• High level of attention to detail
• A team player who is comfortable working on independent tasks
• Ability to digest and act upon constructive feedback
• Attitude and aptitude to want to develop your skillset
• Personable individual with a client focused mentality
• Awareness and appreciation of commercial impact of IP
• Motivation to study effectively for exams in your own time

About HGF

HGF Limited is one of Europe’s largest intellectual property specialist firms and one of only a few to offer a fully integrated IP solution, bringing over 200 Patent Attorneys, Trade Mark Attorneys and IP Solicitors together to provide a full-service IP solution.

With 24 offices across the UK, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, France, Switzerland & Austria, HGF’s Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys provide specialist technical and legal advice to blue chip organisations and small to medium businesses across the world.  Many of our clients are household names and the work HGF does allows them to protect and exploit their inventions, new products and branding.

HGF has one of the largest and most experienced teams of chemistry and pharmaceutical patent attorneys in Europe.  We have over 45 patent professionals located in the UK, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands and Switzerland, and collectively we have a diverse blend of high-standard degrees and doctorates in specialist areas.  Many of our attorneys also have extensive in-house experience acquired working for large multi-national companies.

We act for a global client base and cover the full spectrum of chemical technologies, including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food science, cosmetics, household products, materials/metallurgy, petrochemicals, catalysis, polymer chemistry, electrochemistry, printing technologies and physical chemistry.

Why move to HGF?

• Fully supported attorney training program with access to internal and external courses, tutorials and more
• HGF takes a transparent and merit-based approach to your career development and you will have the opportunity to shape your long-term progression
• We’re a firm with a focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), with a staff led DEI Focus Group and an DEI Board sponsor
• As a business we have a dedicated Learning and Development team and a digital learning platform for all staff to use
• A competitive salary and benefits package along with a flexible working policy

To Apply:

HGF is committed to promoting an equal, diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applications from all candidates with relevant skills for the role.

If the above sounds like the opportunity for you, please apply by sending your CV and a covering letter (please send as a single document) which outlines in no more than 500 words why you would like to pursue a career as a Patent Attorney and an invention or patent related news story you found interesting & why.