Trainee Patent Attorney

Are you looking for a career outside of academia, whilst still putting your science degree to good use?

Or would you like to apply technical knowledge gained from your engineering degree in a legal and commercial environment?

If so, a career in intellectual property law may be for you. 

Why Carpmaels & Ransford?

We are a leading European intellectual property firm, advising some of the world’s most innovative and successful companies. Together, we help to improve lives by supporting innovation.

We hire talented and passionate people who think creatively and enjoy a challenge. Working collaboratively, we share our knowledge and experience across teams, actively learning from each other in a friendly and sociable environment. 

 We are passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Diversity of thought is vital to our business; it’s how we approach challenges differently and offer our clients creative and original solutions. Through our work with organisations such as IP Inclusive, Stonewall and Business in the Community via the Race at Work Charter, we are putting the right steps in place to make sure that all our people feel supported and empowered to be themselves. Further information on our commitment to diversity and inclusion is available on our website. 

A healthy work/life balance is very important to us, and we run regular wellbeing events in addition to the large number of clubs and social activities that are available to everyone at the firm.  We are also enthusiastic supporters of our local community through partnerships with the Social Mobility Foundation and Holborn Community Association. 

What you’ll be doing

Each year, we recruit a number of exceptional STEM graduates, supporting them through to qualification as a UK and European patent attorney. As a new trainee, you’ll join a practice group relevant to your subject of study. Opportunities exist within our Chemistry, Biotechnology and Engineering & Tech practice groups.

This is a fantastic opportunity put your degree to good use in a rewarding and intellectually stimulating profession. With a renowned training programme, we offer exceptional support for obtaining professional qualifications and beyond.

Candidates need to possess, or be working towards, a strong first degree (minimum 2:1 or equivalent) or PhD in a relevant technical discipline. Further information on specific degree requirements can be found on our careers website and on our individual practice group adverts. 

Your degree will be complemented by strong A Levels. Our typical minimum requirements are three at grade A or equivalent, including two STEM subjects.

In addition to your technical skills, you will have an excellent command of both written and spoken English. You enjoy analysing and conceptualising complex matters and have a passion and aptitude for problem solving. With strong time management and organisation skills, you are a strong communicator, both verbally and in writing.

We are proud to be using Rare Recruitment's Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) which allows us to consider your achievements in the context in which they were gained. We understand that not all candidate’s achievements look the same on paper – and we want to recruit the best people, from every background. 

The recruitment process

Our recruitment process is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your interest in a career within IP. If successful following the completion of our brief online application form and submission of your CV, you will be asked to complete a short, pre-recorded video interview. 

Our aim is to ensure all candidates are treated equally and fairly, allowing them to perform at their best during the recruitment process. If you have a disability, if you're neurodivergent, or if you have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during our recruitment process, we encourage you to share your requirements for any adjustments in the relevant section of our application form. A member of our recruitment team will be in touch to discuss how best we can support you during each stage of the process.

Examples of adjustments may include:

• allowing extra time for assessments.
• providing some extra information about what to expect.
• additional rest breaks.
• adjusting room setup.
• a time of day that works for you.

We review applications on a rolling basis prior to our closing date. Please do not worry if you don't hear from us straight away. We consider all applications closely and will be in touch either before or after the closing date.

Successful candidates will be invited to a two-stage interview process. Please see individual practice group adverts for specific timeline information.

Please note that some practice groups may make offers prior to our closing date, and we therefore encourage early applications.

What we offer

We offer a competitive benefits package that currently includes the following:

• An annual base salary of approximately £50,000.
• 25 days’ holiday, increasing by 1 day per year up to our maximum of 28 days.
• Employer pension contribution of 5% in your first year, with a minimum 3% employee contribution, increasing to 10% employer contribution after one year’s service.
• Holiday buy scheme, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.
• Holiday bonus, starting at £400 per year, increasing each year up to a maximum of £2,000.
• Private medical insurance via Bupa, where you’ll be eligible to join the month following your start date. You will also have the option to add dependants, subject to a monthly cost.
• Free confidential access to 24/7 medical, mental, legal and financial wellbeing support via Health Assured and WeCare from your first day of employment.
• Access to internal Mental Health First Aiders, all of whom have completed the Mental Health First Aid England accredited training programme and champion wellbeing across the firm.
• Life assurance of 4x your base salary.
• Income protection, with cover for up to 5 years and compensating for up to 75% of your base salary.
• Cycle2Work scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Access to Payroll Giving or Give As You Earn (GAYE) which allows you to donate to charity through your monthly pay.
• We’re passionate about the benefits of corporate volunteering and offer all employees 1 paid volunteer day per year.

We’re very proud of our collegiate culture and the value that working together brings. Through our commitment to enabling everyone to do their best work, we offer a range of family and life-friendly policies.

This includes competitive enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, surrogacy and shared parental leave schemes, if you’ve been with us for at least 26 weeks. Furthermore, our fertility policy aims to assist employees with both the logistical and emotional aspects of undergoing fertility treatment. This includes paid leave of up to five days for fertility treatment.

We also recognise the needs of balancing home life around the requirements of your role. Depending on the work you do and your team, we offer informal arrangements such as hybrid and agile working, as well as more formal arrangements such as flexible hours and part-time working. We’re very happy to discuss flexible and life-friendly working options during the recruitment process and upon joining us.

We are proud of our inclusive culture where individual differences are celebrated, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and job applicants. We do not tolerate discrimination either directly or indirectly on the basis of race, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, pregnancy and maternity, socio economic background or any characteristic protected by law. Our approach is embodied in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, as well as our diversity and inclusion programmes.