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Access to IP professions, Careers In Ideas, Outreach, Summer of IP

 

Page published on 3rd October 2023
Page last modified on 3rd October 2023

 

“I particularly enjoyed participating in the patent claim drafting and the CV and application form drafting workshops.”
– Sanya Sethi, 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’ll be publishing the resultant blog posts on our website News and Features page throughout the autumn. This one is from Sanya Sethi, an LLM candidate (Intellectual Property and Information Law) at King’s College London. She explains what she learned from the various taster events and workshops she attended in the patent and trade mark sector.

Sanya writes:

I wanted to reach out to thank you for organising the Summer of IP campaign and share my experience about the same. Below are my thoughts –

As an international student in the UK coming from a diverse racial and ethnic background, I was extremely excited to learn about IP Inclusive’s Summer of IP campaign 2023 from their website. I developed an interest in IP during my undergraduate degree in law, which guided my decision to pursue an LLM specialising in IP from King’s College London. The campaign provided the perfect opportunity for me to learn more about the profession and the opportunities that it advances.

For instance, the taster day organised by Abel & Imray at their London office not only allowed me to know about the various roles that the firm offers but also to hear about the first-hand views of its current trainees about the firm’s culture. In this regard, talking to one of its current trainee trade mark attorneys was an insightful experience. I particularly enjoyed participating in the patent claim drafting and the CV and application form drafting workshops. The latter also gave me an idea about what the firm looks for while shortlisting its candidates.

Photo of Sanya Sethi

Sanya Sethi

Similarly, the panel discussion on the profession and application tips at Potter Clarkson’s open day was predominantly led by the women in the firm, which demonstrated its commitment to diversity. Moreover, the open day at Marks & Clerk made me realise the importance of support roles in the profession. In this regard, one of the members of the firm quoted – “paralegals were created because lawyers need help,” which stood out for me. It also made me realise the tremendous importance of cover letters in differentiating one’s application and ensuring that there are no errors in the same. Additionally, it was insightful to know what a typical day in the life of a trainee looks like and some of the interesting cases that the firm has dealt with in the past.

While the opportunity to attend these events in-person was an enriching experience, I also enjoyed participating in the virtual events conducted by some firms. For instance, the “IP Detective” workshop organised by AA Thornton provided an opportunity to participate in interesting discussions on multiple areas of intellectual property via virtual break-out rooms. Moreover, the virtual open day organised by Boult Wade Tennant was another opportunity that widened my horizons through multiple presentations by various members of the firm. Given that it was virtual, it was also possible to hear from its members across its different regional offices.

Overall, taking part in these events has further strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in IP.

 

Our thanks to all the IP professionals and organisations who helped to make Summer of IP a success, and in particular to Abel & Imray, Potter Clarkson, Marks & Clerk, AA Thornton and Boult Wade Tennant for organising the events that Sanya describes.

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Comments: (1):

3rd-10-2023

It is great to hear how positive these events have been for the attendees, and that this has only strengthened their interest in IP like with Sanya.

Jill Wilson

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