My “Summer of IP”: unveiling the IP professions

 

Page published on 24th September 2024
Page last modified on 24th September 2024

 

Jessica Anderson interned with us during June 2024, funded through a scheme run by her future employers Clifford Chance. She joined us again, as an IP Inclusive team member, for twelve weeks from mid-July to early September 2024. In both cases, her work focused primarily on Careers in Ideas projects, in particular its Summer of IP campaign. Here she tells us about her role in the IP Inclusive team, and the things she most enjoyed about her internship.

This was Jessica’s first glimpse of the world of IP, and we are grateful to the professionals who made her feel so welcome and supported and who – as you’ll see – have inspired her to work in the sector in the future.

Jessica writes:

 

Introduction

Hello, I’m Jessica. I have been interning with IP Inclusive since June 2024, initially through my future employer Clifford Chance. I have predominantly been working with the Careers in Ideas team on the Summer of IP campaign to promote IP careers to students, graduates and career-changers. Contributing my efforts to promoting diversity and inclusion within the industry has been incredibly fulfilling.

After spending a wonderful month interning with IP Inclusive, the team kindly asked to keep me on for another eight weeks! I didn’t anticipate spending three months interning here, but I couldn’t be more grateful to have taken such a fantastic opportunity in my stride. I’ve had many valuable experiences, connected with amazing people and gained a plethora of skills.

 

Networking and industry insights

Before my internship, I had limited knowledge of the IP industry, having followed some IP litigation cases within the music industry. However, this internship has allowed my initial interest to grow drastically through exposure to inspiring professionals and helpful resources.

Networking has certainly been one of the most rewarding aspects of my internship. The opportunity to connect with professionals from various backgrounds and roles has been essential to developing my understanding of the IP industry. Through networking and attending IP Inclusive’s webinars, I have learned about the diverse career paths available within the industry and have been offered a breadth of useful advice on the skills required to thrive within these roles. It was particularly exciting to learn about the breadth and diversity of work across the industry, from working on patents for pharmaceuticals like the Covid-19 vaccine to working on copyright with music artists and social media influencers within the entertainment industry. IP is everywhere!

There have also been wonderful in-person experiences as IP Inclusive host a range of events in collaboration with their volunteers. Notably, I attended the IP Futures summer networking and drinks event in August. It was lovely to finally meet some familiar faces away from the computer screen and it was a great opportunity not only to learn from IP professionals but also to connect with aspiring IP professionals.

I have appreciated how candid everyone has been in sharing their experiences, backgrounds and general perspectives. This sentiment was particularly strong in the webinars I attended, such as IP & ME’s “lunch-&-learn” with Sadia Salam on the topic of tackling your “inner critic”. The webinars were edifying and I appreciate IP Inclusive’s focus on helping the community in this way – unpacking challenges that we all face and illuminating important conversations about wellbeing that can get so lost in the hustle and bustle of working life. It was great to see that among those I connected with in the industry and IP Inclusive, there was a general warmth and willingness not only to learn about others’ experiences and struggles but also to take active steps to help make the industry more inclusive. It has been incredibly encouraging for me and I’m sure that it will be for others in highlighting that the industry reflects and represents people from all walks of life.

 

Marketing the Summer of IP campaign

 

My core role has been leading the marketing efforts for the Summer of IP campaign on the Careers in Ideas Instagram account. I enjoyed having an abundance of creative freedom to create a variety of graphic and written content. This allowed me to develop my design and communication skills to a significant extent as I carefully crafted content for our target audience. I am very proud that the campaign was successful in increasing awareness of the opportunities available within the IP professions and attracting a growing audience.

Overall, I learned valuable skills in social media marketing, content creation and audience engagement. I particularly enjoyed delivering a presentation on effective social media marketing at the end of my first month. It was great to share all that I had learned and achieved with an audience of industry professionals.

 

EDI video project

Another highlight of my internship was working on the EDI video project. This project showcased the importance of diversity and inclusion within the IP industry and highlighted the impact of volunteering with IP Inclusive. I was responsible for collating video contributions from volunteers, designing and editing the video, and ensuring that the final product effectively conveyed our message.

This experience was especially gratifying because I had no previous experience in video editing! It was an exciting challenge, and I am very grateful for being entrusted with this project. I am very proud of the final product, and I am happy to have acquired a new skill in video editing, and simultaneously developing my project management skills.

 

Conclusion

It has been a pleasure working with the team at IP Inclusive. My internship has been incredibly enriching, and I am grateful to have made valuable connections, developed a variety of skills, and contributed to meaningful projects that promote diversity and inclusion. The support of Andrea Brewster, Anne Burgato and Helen Smith has been central to the rewarding and memorable experience that I have had interning here for the past three months. This experience has positively influenced my aspirations for my career. I look forward to exploring the specialism of intellectual property law further upon entering legal practice.