Potter Clarkson welcomes applications from highly qualified candidates with a graduate or post-graduate degree level qualification in Electronics, Engineering, Materials, Physics, Computing or related disciplines, to train and qualify as a patent attorney based in our Nottingham office to commence training during 2023.

Candidates will be expected to work towards qualification as a European and UK patent attorney.

The role of a patent attorney is varied. We work with a vast range of clients to secure patent protection, locally and globally, which involves regular client interaction, scoping inventions and determining how they can be best used to gain a strategic advantage.

As a trainee patent attorney, you will be assigned a supervisor and mentor to guide you through the extensive training programme, and you will work with many different qualified attorneys within the Technology, Engineering and Design team to allow you to gain experience across the technological field.

The Firm

Potter Clarkson is one of the largest full-service intellectual property practices in Europe. We have offices in the UK and continental Europe with over 90 patent, trade mark and IP professionals and around 120 paralegals and support staff working together in our Nottingham, London, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Stockholm and Lund offices. In addition to its considerable legal, scientific and commercial strength, Potter Clarkson prides itself on its state-of-the-art IT and communications infrastructure, which enables it to be a fully integrated firm operating on multiple sites.

Award winning, the firm is consistently ranked in the top tier of major legal guides, such as Legal 500 and MIP. Unlike most patent and trade mark firms, we also hold three, independent ISO accreditations which evidence the high level of service provision, information security and environmental awareness that we have. We therefore deliver proven expertise with a top tier service too, enabling clients to benefit commercially from the IP investment. Potter Clarkson acts for many leading household names including AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Lundbeck and Unilever, as well as SMEs and universities.

The formula for our success is simple. We recruit the very best people and invest heavily in their training and personal development to produce outstanding patent professionals. The organisation and infrastructure of the firm and its dedicated support staff equip our patents professionals with all they need to apply their skills efficiently and deliver exceptional service to clients.

Requirements

Successful candidates will be able to work within a team and wish to continuously learn and develop professionally. Together with an interest in science and technology, you will also have a keen interest in the growth of our business and the further development of the services offered to our clients.

Successful candidates will have a strong academic background and, although not essential, research and/or industrial experience is desirable. A high level of attention to detail, exacting standards and fluency in English are essential to success in this role.

Training and qualification as a patent attorney requires hard work and dedication. To excel you need many talents: strong scientific understanding, excellent communication skills and commercial acumen. It may seem daunting, but we can make your training experience varied, challenging and rewarding.

Our comprehensive and highly-regarded training programme delivers remarkable success in professional examinations, with candidates from the firm winning prizes on numerous occasions.

We also run a comprehensive rolling programme of internal professional training seminars, to fully support you not just through your exams but also well beyond.

If you are ready for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!

Benefits

Potter Clarkson offers a competitive salary and benefits package that increases with qualification and experience.