After 18 months working as a consultant, I realised I wanted to pursue a career that aligned more closely with my academic background. Becoming a trainee patent attorney has provided me with the opportunity to apply my technical knowledge, whilst still involving the client-facing work I had enjoyed.

I joined Mathys & Squire earlier this year and have spent my first months immersed in on-the-job training. There is a steep learning curve, but the firm offers ‘enrichment sessions’ to learn the basics of patent law, and practice claim drafting. In addition to this, I am fully supported in my development by the Partners I work for, including one-on-one sessions which have assisted with the progression of my work. I am looking forward to building on this foundation through formal training at Queen Mary University of London during the PGCert Intellectual Property Law course.

So far, I have been involved in drafting responses and contributing to the technical descriptions of newly drafted patent applications. The subject matter of work has been varied – sometimes directly related to my specialism, and other times more broadly mechanical in nature. This has been both challenging and engaging, and it really does feel like I am learning new things every day!

One of the highlights has been joining a large cohort of trainees, who are friendly and supportive and make Mathys & Squire a great place to work. Across all levels of experience at the firm, people are willing to help you learn and answer questions, which has made a real difference in my early experience. There is also an active social calendar including casual pub trips, bake sales, and more formal Summer and Christmas parties!