My Summer of IP: personal stories #14

Page published on 23rd November 2023
Page last modified on 23rd November 2023

“The Summer of IP has provided a solid career introduction and allowed me to reach out to individuals on LinkedIn who are more than happy to connect and answer any questions. The Summer of IP is great to stick on a CV and I look forward to starting my own career in the profession.”
– Joanne Fagg, Summer of IP alumnus

During the summer of 2023 our Careers in Ideas team coordinated a programme of outreach activities and events, under the Summer of IP banner. They included introductions to the basics about IP and the careers available here, some more specific events to showcase particular types of career, and opportunities such as taster sessions and work experience placements from IP sector employers.

We asked participants to tell us about their Summer of IP experiences, what they learnt and what they enjoyed the most. We’re publishing the resultant blog posts on our website News and Features page throughout the autumn. Here Joanne Fagg writes about the events she attended as part of the programme. Joanne is a content manager and biopharma catalyst journalist looking for a new career challenge; hopefully Summer of IP will have inspired her to consider joining the IP professions!

Joanne writes:

I came across the Summer of IP from IP Inclusive after considering a career change. I had a basic understanding of intellectual property, and the introductory sessions provided a solid background into the profession. The sessions also introduced me to legal roles that I hadn’t considered before such as paralegals and business support. I took part in several employer events to try and gain as much information as I could as I looked to make the career move.

I was impressed by the variety of formats available from online open days, such as those on offer from Potter Clarkson and Boult Wade Tennant, to shorter webinars. The open days provided an overview of a wide range of subjects with discussions on patents, trade marks, the different roles available, routes into the attorney role and the exams involved. Boult Wade Tennant also included a valuable talk on how the profession is evolving and there was an opportunity to ask questions to a current trainee in a breakout session.

Joanne Fagg

I particularly enjoyed AA Thornton’s virtual “IP Detective” workshop, which split attendees into two small groups to discuss case studies. The example I looked at was Barbie and the different IP protection involved with the brand, which included copyright and design as well as patents and trade marks. The hands-on approach was incredibly helpful and informative.

Mewburn Ellis offered an informal question and answer session after an overview of the attorney profession and the participants emphasised the importance of good communication skills. The open format allowed anyone to ask a question or submit one in advance, and if your question hadn’t been answered then the company were happy to respond on email afterwards.

Lastly, I attended Mathys & Squire’s patent secretary event at the company’s London office. The session included an overview, quiz (with sweets as prizes!), and then a talk from a current employee. The in-person event was a nice change from a virtual setting, and it was helpful to see the types of tasks involved in a secretary position.

The Summer of IP has provided a solid career introduction and allowed me to reach out to individuals on LinkedIn who are more than happy to connect and answer any questions. The Summer of IP is great to stick on a CV and I look forward to starting my own career in the profession.

 

Our thanks to all the IP professionals and organisations who helped to make Summer of IP a success, and in particular to the companies mentioned in Joanne’s report for organising such wonderful events.