With my background in physics, a career as a Patent Attorney feels a perfect combination of my academic work, writing acumen and language skills.
I work with a range of clients on patents in the UK and internationally. There’s a real variety in my client base, from small companies to large international clients across the telecoms, computer software, solar power, semiconductors and mass spectrometry industries.
Drafting specifications and preparing arguments to the Patent Office, including responses to EPO Examination Reports and Written Opinions, is a real highlight of the job. I find crafting a case for our clients’ inventions – to convince the EPO they are novel and not obvious – to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.
My scientific background provides me with an understanding of all sorts of inventions – even if I didn’t directly study that particular discipline during my degree. It means I’m familiar with figuring out how things work, so I’m not afraid to come across something new and am able to get to the heart of what makes a client’s invention different from anything that’s come before. Writing persuasive arguments is also a skill I’ve carried forward all the way from my Philosophy A-Level. Casting the client’s invention in the best light to enable a smooth process to grant makes great use of my written communication and language skills and I love the challenge it presents.