My Summer of IP: personal stories #6

When I arrived, I was immediately taken by how welcoming the staff were. Depictions of law firms within the media had me expecting people in suits and ties rushing around, too busy to entertain the notion of answering an undergraduate’s questions. I was pleased to discover that Reddie & Grose had eschewed this stereotype – the partners that I spoke to were down-to-earth and enthusiastic to answer our questions, and a smart-casual dress code had worked wonders for making the office feel inviting.

Within a few hours, we had had a full introduction to patents as well as IP protections in general: What do they cover? When do they apply? Why do they exist? With qualified associates delivering the presentation, I felt free to ask all of the questions that I hadn’t been able to find an answer for; as quite a niche profession, there are only so many questions that the internet can answer satisfactorily. The highlight of the day was a claim-writing exercise, wherein we were given a bottle opener and asked to write a patent claim for it. On its face, describing a simple object should be straightforward enough, but this exercise gave me an appreciation for the creative element of this; being broad in my descriptions but not overly so, all the while keeping in mind the intricacies of the syntax and language required. Utilising this creatively-inspired logic was incredibly enjoyable and convinced me that this was the career path for me.

While I had previously been on the fence with respect to applying for jobs in IP, this taster day really gave me a push in the right direction. I felt that it had given me a good idea of what working in patents actually entails, as well as the kind of environment that I’d be working in. In this sense, I feel ready to hit the ground running with a career in IP. Moreover, the advice on applying for trainee patent attorney positions and the claim-writing exercise really were invaluable in preparing me for interviews and have made me feel a great deal more confident in submitting job applications. Overarching all of this, I won’t forget how welcoming and healthy Reddie & Grose’s culture felt – from the moment that I entered the building until the moment that I left, I really felt like this was somewhere that I could imagine myself working. I’m very grateful to Reddie & Grose and IP Inclusive for this opportunity and I am greatly looking forward to 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 Reddie & Grose for organising the open day that Ted so enjoyed.