Want to make a difference?

Of course you do. And you won’t find a better place to do so than Beck Greener. It’s not just that the quality of our work is so high, though that’s part of it. From early on in your career with us you could be working with some of the world’s most innovative companies, protecting and developing patentable inventions in fields as diverse as household consumer goods, business processes, software, games and complex drug formulations. Or you could be working with individual creators and entrepreneurs, helping to evaluate and safeguard what might be ground-breaking inventions, or even supporting clients through complex High Court litigation. We also have a strong trade mark practice.

It’s also about our culture. With modern offices in the heart of London’s legal district, and a European office near the EUIPO in Alicante, we are big enough to win our share of the most exciting, significant work, but small enough to keep that ‘boutique’ feel clients value so much. At Beck Greener everyone counts; everyone’s voice is heard.

A (Beck) Greener world

Culture is nothing, though, unless it’s founded on principles. So, at Beck Greener we don’t just aim to make a difference to our clients’ businesses with a high quality, distinctive service offering robust, commercial advice. We also try to make a positive contribution to our profession, our local community and the environment. That’s why we launched our ‘Greener Beck Greener’ scheme in 2014, since when we’ve reduced our electricity consumption by 45%, winning the Camden Climate Change Alliance’s ‘Cutting Carbon’ mark of achievement ever year.

It’s also why, in association with STEM Learning UK, we developed our award-winning STEM: Branching Out project, which seeks to inspire and encourage young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to consider careers in STEM sectors. Beck Greener’s ‘STEM Ambassadors’ attend science fairs and careers events, mentor students and work with schools to assess the patentability of science and engineering projects, all of which can result in large rises in the number of students considering a STEM career.

What we can do for you

We value our trainees very highly. Training is taken very seriously, and all trainees are directly supervised by partners in a supportive and friendly environment. A number of our most recent patent partners started their careers at Beck Greener.

As a trainee patent attorney at Beck Greener, you will be given full training and support to qualify as a Chartered Patent Attorney and European Patent Attorney. This includes mentoring and supervision from partners, in-house tutorials, external lectures and attending one of the courses to obtain the relevant postgraduate certificate.

And what we need in return

We seek to recruit only the very best graduates who will work to our exacting standards. Obviously this means that, for patent attorneys, we expect either a first or a 2:1 degree (or postgraduate qualification) in an appropriate technical discipline, such as chemistry, biochemistry or biotechnology, physics, electrical or mechanical engineering, electronics, or related disciplines. Trade mark trainees are usually selected from candidates with at least a good first degree and a legal qualification. Most of all, though, we are looking for enthusiasm – the desire to learn about clients’ businesses and inventions, to provide high quality commercial advice, and to make a difference. If this sounds like you then we’d love to talk.

Firm history and structure

Barker Brettell is a modern limited liability partnership. It has expanded significantly in recent years and a full range of academic backgrounds is represented. There is a high level of client contact, with strong emphasis on providing the most appropriate attorney and service for each client’s requirements.

Clients

Barker Brettell has a high proportion of UK based clients, which means there is a high level of original drafting work. The firm also has a significant international presence with an extensive portfolio of international clients. Although many clients are medium to large multinational enterprises, the firm provides services to many single inventors, universities and small to medium-sized manufacturers in the UK.

Services

Barker Brettell is committed to providing a personal service by building strong relationships with clients to better understand their needs.

The firm’s focus is to provide advice to clients on all aspects of using and protecting intellectual property. Our attorneys also regularly advise on contentious matters and attend hearings before the European Patent Office and the UK Intellectual Property Office.

Recruitment and professional development

Barker Brettell is always interested to hear from high calibre graduates as well as qualified, or part-qualified attorneys who are looking for a career move within the profession. Regular firm-wide training events take place, including discussions and presentations, together with question and answer sessions. Every trainee is provided with study leave and a personal training budget to assist in the preparation for the many exams required to achieve the European and UK qualifications.

Adamson Jones is a growing firm of patent and trade mark attorneys. We are part of Gateley, a legal and professional services group employing over 1,400 people at offices around the UK. We work alongside Symbiosis IP, who are also part of Gateley and a specialist life sciences practice.

Adamson Jones and Symbiosis IP are unique in the UK patent and trade mark attorney profession, being patent and trade mark attorney firms operating within a diverse legal and professional services group. Our attorneys have the opportunity to work closely with other professionals in the group, such as solicitors and other business advisers, in a wide range of areas including corporate transactions, IP litigation and international investment.

Our patent attorney practice is managed through a number of practice groups, which encompass most technical areas, and cross-disciplinary collaboration is common. An enthusiasm for technology is a must, as is an understanding of the commercial and legal issues faced by our clients.

Our clients range from small start-ups and established private companies to large corporations. The majority of our work is for UK-based clients, which provides trainees with experience in all areas of attorney practice, including drafting and filing of new applications and freedom-to-operate work. We also receive instructions from overseas firms of attorneys across the world.

We are committed to excellence in our work and we have a strong team ethos, with everyone at Adamson Jones, Symbiosis IP and elsewhere in Gateley being led by our purpose to deliver results that delight our clients, inspire our people and support our communities. The working environment is fast paced and rewarding.

We look for high calibre individuals with a record of academic achievement, who have the potential to develop the commercial knowledge and legal skills that set our attorneys apart. Our preference is to train new entrants to the profession and to instil our values in them. When we find the right people, we aim to retain them. Long term prospects for those who join our firm are therefore excellent.

The firm and client services

We are a long-established, medium-sized firm, widely respected for the quality of our training, with thriving offices in London, Cardiff, Bath and Delft. We are large enough to provide a full suite of IP services across all subject matter areas, and work for a wide range of blue-chip clients. Yet we are small enough to retain our ability to customise our services to each individual client’s needs whether they are a start-up, which is new to IP, or a sophisticated in-house IP department. The firm punches above its weight as evidenced by our impressive portfolio of clients. We are planning for continued, steady and sustainable growth in the coming years and are regularly on the look-out for fresh new talent.

Academic and other requirements

We recruit outstanding graduates from a range of technical disciplines as required. Candidates will have top grades in English at GCSE or equivalent. Academic talent aside, we look for candidates who will be able to advise on the commercial relevance of IP to our clients and be the sort of people who will win business for our firm. Candidates should have an aptitude for logical analysis of problems, the ability to communicate with clear and concise English, and have the social skills to get on with client personnel of widely different status, ranging from company chairperson to laboratory assistant. We value equal opportunities for all and are a founding member of the ‘IP Inclusive’ scheme.

Professional development policies

Considerable importance is attached to the training, supervision and mentoring of our recruits. Our in-house training is supplemented with external lectures and courses, including the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Law Certificate course. Our trainees have an excellent record in the various professional examinations and our firm is recognised within the profession as being one of the best training firms in the country.

We offer an open and friendly working environment, clear routes for career progression, and an emphasis on getting the work/life balance right, which we believe is why so many attorneys choose to continue their careers with us after qualification.