There’s so much more to IP than being an Attorney
It is no secret that a career in Intellectual Property is incredibly competitive. The profession requires candidates seeking a career as a patent/trade mark attorney or solicitor to demonstrate an extremely strong academic background and, more recently, the ability to adopt a highly commercial and client facing approach. However this doesn’t necessarily apply to all of the roles in the sector and, for those looking to work in Intellectual Property, there are actually more professions available than one may first think.
As a business we have always made a point of attending the larger international conferences such as the INTA Annual Meeting and AIPPI Congress, as well as (more recently) smaller events such as IP Service World. It is a crucial element of our business model, allowing us to build our network of contacts both internationally and in the UK (yes it seems odd, but we do sometimes manage to secure business with UK based firms over a glass of wine at a US networking event). As a consequence of attending these events we now have a fairly substantial contact base of professionals working for IP service providers, and have built up a rather successful recruitment arm dealing with positions within this particular area of the IP industry.
The service provider sector is growing rapidly with many companies who originally offered one service now diversifying to include a myriad of outsourcing options to IP firms and in house departments. The opportunity to externally delegate administrative and support functions can be
extremely appealing as it allows firms to focus on tasks that will be of more commercial benefit to them, such as billing and pursuing potential new business. As a result there are now an ever increasing number of opportunities available for those wanting to work in the IP profession, but who aren’t able to secure a career as a patent attorney, trade mark attorney or IP lawyer.
Careers within IP service providers are extremely varied and require a number of different skill sets and backgrounds; however they allow for immersion in the sector and access to networking opportunities often not available to attorneys in their early career. There is every opportunity to experience each step of the IP lifecycle. There is commonly a natural restriction on the number of international industry conferences you will attend as a trainee attorney (something UK firms in particular are guilty of), due to firms keeping the number of attendees they send limited and usually preferring to give the opportunities to go to Partners and senior associates. Working for an IP service provider in a sales or business development focused role, the opportunity for travel to events and client meetings will actually present itself fairly quickly as a comparison.
The very nature of an IP service provider being an outsourced arm of private practice or corporate IP department allows them to be based anywhere in the world and, as a consequence, enjoy a very international client base. Larger providers will have regional offices to service the local clients in that area, however more often than not you will be dealing with an extremely eclectic mix of clients which is sometimes not the case early on in your career within private practice (and especially in industry when you are commonly limited to one business unit). The segregated technical disciplines within firms may also restrict your exposure to a range of different technologies, whereas an IP service provider will service (and give you access to) clients originating from a whole host of industries.
Working in a support role in a firm of patent and trade mark attorneys can be (depending on the firm and working environment) fairly isolating and somewhat monotonous with little opportunity for career progression. IP service providers who employ in-house paralegals and other support professionals to perform outsourced tasks are able to offer a much more varied work load including the direct filing of applications, validations, search and analysis, translations, and trade mark registration. The internal hierarchy will also allow for more definitive and structured career progression, with paralegals working within teams with varying levels of seniority compared to a very linear track from paralegal to supervising patent attorney.
Those with a software background could join one of the many companies who have capitalised on firms’ need for more efficient and streamlined work processes by developing IP specific management software. IT professionals working within a firm are only looked to for help when the system is not functioning as it should or to troubleshoot user error, and are very much a ‘support’ role. However IP software companies present the opportunity to develop the programmes before they have been implemented and employ teams of individuals in a collaborative environment, as opposed to a single Super User operating within a firm. The opportunity may also arise to be seconded to a firm to help integrate the software into the clients’ system allowing for some travel and a change of scenery.
Let’s not forget about those who were successful in starting a career as a patent attorney, only to discover that it wasn’t for them (because let’s face it, it’s not for everyone). They may want to stay in the profession but leave the endless days of drafting and/or prosecution behind them. Opportunities as an IP manager within industry still require the technical know-how and a level of IP knowledge, however the majority of drafting is outsourced leaving you to concentrate on the fun part – the more commercial and strategic side of the role. Another route would be as a consultant within a service provider, lending your knowledge of IP to act as a liaison between them and the client.
So in summary, there are plenty of opportunities in IP beyond a career as an attorney. Roles within IP service providers are still broadly able to offer similar access to the profession but with a different focus, an alternative career path and (in many cases) more exposure to the commercial side of the industry from early on.
If you want to learn more about alternative careers in IP then send an email to [email protected] or call us on +44 207 903 5019.