IP / TradeMark Attorney

Key skills/talents

To be an effective IP Trademark solicitor in the UK, one needs a comprehensive skill set that covers both legal expertise and practical business acumen. Here are the key ten skills required:

• Legal Knowledge: Deep understanding of IP law, including trademarks, patents, copyrights, and designs, as well as familiarity with relevant legal procedures and regulations.

• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse complex legal issues, assess risks, and devise strategic solutions to protect clients' intellectual property rights.

• Organisational Skills: Not least of your own diary and working practices, but being able to manage client timelines and expectations.

• Attention to Detail: Precision in reviewing and drafting legal documents, ensuring accuracy in the registration process and in legal arguments.

• Research Skills: Proficiency in conducting thorough legal research to stay updated on the latest developments in IP law and to support case preparation.

• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication to clearly explain legal concepts to clients and to advocate effectively in negotiations or court.

• Negotiation Skills: Expertise in negotiating settlements, licensing agreements, and other legal contracts to benefit clients' interests.

• Problem-Solving Skills: Creative and practical approach to resolving legal disputes and addressing clients' concerns.

• Client Management: Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their business needs, and providing tailored legal advice.

• Project Management: Efficient handling of multiple cases and tasks, prioritising workload, and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced legal environment.

• Ethical Judgement: Commitment to upholding high ethical standards and maintaining confidentiality and integrity in all professional dealings.

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​Qualifications required

To become an IP Trademark solicitor you typically need an upper second class (2:1) degree or higher, or a postgraduate qualification, in order to secure a training position with a company. 

 

While most academic subjects are acceptable, having a background in law, science, engineering, or languages can provide an advantage. After completing your university education, you would begin as a trainee either in a private practice of trademark attorneys, or within the intellectual property department of a large company. During this period, you would study for professional exams and acquire the necessary two years of work experience to qualify.

 

You can progress to becoming a trademark attorney by starting in roles such as a trademark administrator or paralegal. To pursue this route, a solid general education is essential, including GCSEs in English and Maths at grades 8/9, and 3 A-Levels, A/B grades. Typically, around five years of experience in such roles is required before you can apply for professional training to qualify as a trademark attorney.

 

Alternatively, if you are already a qualified solicitor or barrister, you can directly apply for professional training with a firm to become a trademark attorney, which is the route Gemma took.

UCAS holds a wealth of information regarding all university courses available in the UK. They also have information relating to apprenticeships within law firms: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/all?query=solicitor

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Rules and regs

All IP Trademark solicitors need to register with IPReg Pro (Intellectual Property Regulation Board): https://ipreg.org.uk/pro/getting-qualified

 

IPReg also have a lot of information regarding all regulations that need to be adhered to: https://ipreg.org.uk/sites/default/files/Rules-of-Conduct-July-2019_0.pdf

 

The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA), is a professional membership organisation with the power to shape law and practice: https://www.citma.org.uk

 

In terms of insurance, The Law Society states the following: Professional indemnity insurance (PII) covers civil liability claims, usually professional negligence, in private legal practice. Solicitors are obliged under the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Indemnity Insurance Rules to have PII in place at all times: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/professional-indemnity-insurance/professional-indemnity-insurance

 

Most insurance companies offer PII, so here are a couple of examples:

https://www.miller-insurance.com/what-we-do/solicitors-professional-indemnity-insurance

https://global.lockton.com/gb/en/products-services/solicitors

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Remuneration framework

In the patent profession, you could earn up to £45,000 before you’ve even finished your exams. Qualification increases your worth further, and can be used as a passport to international opportunities.

 

At the bottom of the page is a rough guide on salaries, but geo variations and firm sizes (i.e. smaller law firms pay less, as Gemma found out the hard way) always apply:

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In addition to the base salary, patent attorneys often earn bonuses and receive other financial benefits to complete their remuneration package. The ratio of additional benefits, predominantly bonus, to base salary tends to be the same across technical specialisms except for Chemistry & Pharmaceutical positions which generally have a lower base salary with a higher proportion via other benefits compared to others.

 

Patent Attorney average percentages of additional benefits add to a base salary:

 

Trainee – 6.9%

Part Qualified – 11.6%

Finalist – 14.8%

Newly Qualified – 8.9%

2-3 Years Post-Qualified – 14.6%

4-5 Years Post-Qualified – 16.2%

Partner/Partner Designate – 18.2%

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How to get started

We have stated educational/qualification requirements above, so in addition to that, the first step for most aspiring Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys (CTMAs) is to be taken on as a trademark trainee at a legal firm, as Gemma did. Your firm will then usually pay for your studies, as Gemma’s did.

 

Now Gemma was already a qualified solicitor before she joined the CITMA team at a law firm and before she undertook her CITMA qualifications and training. BUT, this isn’t necessary, as we have already explained, and as the links below further explain.

 

Year one

In your first year of training and qualifications you can take one of the following courses:

 

• The postgraduate certificate course in trademark law at Queen Mary in London: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/coursefinder/courses/trade-mark-law-and-practice-pgcert

• The postgraduate certificate course in intellectual property law at Queen Mary in London: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/coursefinder/courses/intellectual-property-law-ip-reg-pgcert

• The Postgraduate Certificate Intellectual Property at Bournemouth University: https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/study/courses/pg-cert-intellectual-property

• The postgraduate certificate intellectual property law at Brunel University in London: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/Intellectual-Property-Law-Postgraduate-Certificate

 

All courses give you a firm grounding in IP law that you will need in your career as a CTMA. 

 

The Queen Mary trademark law course is delivered on Fridays and Saturdays every few weeks between October and April, following an intensive two-week stint in September. 

 

The Queen Mary intellectual property law course is a 13-week programme. Trainees who successfully complete this programme will gain professional accreditation from IPReg.

 

The Bournemouth University qualification runs from January to June. 

 

The Brunel University intellectual property law course runs from the end of September to the end of March and is delivered on Wednesdays from 1pm to 5pm. It will take eight months to complete.  

 

Year two

The professional certificate in trademark practice at Nottingham Law School is the course you will take in your second year. It is specifically designed to develop your knowledge base and professional skills needed to be a CTMA. 

 

The course runs from October to July and is delivered in intensive spells of a few days every four to six weeks. 

 

Two years’ experience

As well as the two stated qualifications, you will need to complete two years’ work experience in trademark legal practice to qualify as a trademark attorney. 

 

You would normally do this while you are studying at the firm who has taken you on as a trainee and under the guidance of an experienced mentor.

 

However you want to train/get qualified, The Chartered Institude of Trademark Attorneys (CITMA) has a wealth of links on how to get started: https://www.citma.org.uk/jobs-careers/how-to-become-a-chartered-trade-mark-attorney/trade-mark-attorney-qualification-route.html

 

UCAS also has some great info: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/all?query=solicitor

And, of course, The Law Society has lots of information: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/becoming-a-solicitor

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Associations or official bodies to register with

Intellectual Property Regulation Board: https://ipreg.org.uk/pro/getting-qualified.

The Law Society:https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/membership/

The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys: https://www.citma.org.uk/member-homepage/apply-online.html

The FDA is the trade union representing professionals and managers in public service: https://www.fda.org.uk/

The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA): https://www.cipa.org.uk

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Job site links

Many of the aforementioned institutes have job links, along with the usual online job sites, such as Indeed.

 

Below are a few:

CITMA:https://www.citma.org.uk/jobs-careers.html

CIPA: https://www.cipa.org.uk/job-vacancies

The Law Society Gazette - Jobs: https://jobs.lawgazette.co.uk

 

And of course, LinkedIn is always a good place for professional jobs, like this: 

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=3914120999&distance=25&geoId=101165590&keywords=ip%20attorney&origin=JOB_SEARCH_PAGE_KEYWORD_HISTORY&refresh=true

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Progression pathway​

The progression pathway is pretty transparent in all fields of law, and is fundamentally linked to experience and therefore, pay, so if you haven’t yet, re-read the remuneration section above.

 

Beyond that, there are choices about how and where you practise, and you have the option to flit between these in order to progress your career, your skills, and your pay. Generally speaking, there are 3 career routes to flit between:

1. Working in the IP department of an established law firm

2. Working as a sole IP Attorney or within an IP attorney team for a large corporate, like Virgin, Sky, Apple etc

3. Running your own IP practice, which is what Gemma does, having spent most of her career in the first career route. She is currently a sole-trader, but her business is growing and she plans to take on other IP attorneys soon.