Looking back at 2016, it becomes clear that the year marked an important moment in the evolution of the intellectual property profession. The articles we published during that period reflect a market undergoing structural change, with firms reassessing their hiring strategies, attorneys reconsidering their career paths, and the profession beginning to embrace greater transparency around remuneration and progression.
Our 2016 content focused on three core areas: detailed market analysis, commentary on recruitment behaviours, and practical guidance for attorneys navigating career decisions. Together, these pieces offer a clear snapshot of the issues shaping the profession at that time.
The 2016 Salary Survey: A Detailed Examination of the Profession
The centrepiece of our 2016 output was the Salary Survey of the Intellectual Property Profession, a comprehensive review of compensation, benefits, working practices, and career sentiment across the UK and internationally. The survey was one of the most detailed analyses of its kind at the time, drawing on data from patent attorneys, trademark attorneys, and IP support professionals at all levels of seniority.
The survey explored:
- Salary ranges by qualification level, from trainee through to partner
- Differences between private practice and in-house roles
- Variations across technical specialisms, including life sciences, chemistry, engineering, electronics, and trademarks
- Regional disparities, particularly between London and major UK cities
- Bonus structures, benefits packages, and working hours
- Attitudes toward career progression, supervision, and training quality
- Views on relocation, international opportunities, and long-term career planning
It also included commentary on emerging themes such as gender pay gaps, the increasing importance of flexible working arrangements, and the growing expectation of structured career development frameworks.
The 2016 survey provided firms and attorneys with a clearer understanding of the market, and helped establish a more data‑driven approach to recruitment and career planning.
Recruitment Commentary: Examining Hiring Behaviours
In June 2016, we published an article titled “Are UK Patent Attorney Firms Being Too Picky?”, which addressed the challenges firms were facing in attracting suitable candidates. Despite clear signs of a tightening talent market, many employers continued to rely on restrictive hiring criteria that limited their access to strong applicants.
The article highlighted several issues:
- Overly narrow academic requirements, particularly in STEM disciplines
- Rigid expectations around technical background, even when candidates demonstrated strong aptitude
- Unrealistic demands placed on partly qualified attorneys, including expectations of near‑qualified capability
- Limited willingness to consider candidates with non-traditional experience or international backgrounds
- A reluctance to adjust salary structures, despite increasing competition for talent
The piece encouraged firms to adopt more flexible and pragmatic recruitment strategies, emphasising that the profession was changing and that hiring practices needed to evolve accordingly.
Career Guidance: Addressing Attorney Concerns About Mobility
Another key article from 2016, “When moving jobs what concerns do Patent Attorneys have and are they legitimate?”, focused on the questions and anxieties attorneys faced when considering a move between firms. Many were unsure about the implications of changing roles at different stages of qualification, and the article sought to provide clarity and reassurance.
It addressed topics such as:
- Whether moving before qualification would affect long-term prospects
- The impact of training cost clawback clauses
- Concerns about how mobility might be perceived by employers
- Uncertainty around workload, supervision, and culture at a new firm
- The importance of aligning career moves with long-term goals rather than short‑term fears
The article encouraged attorneys to take a measured and informed approach to career decisions, emphasising that mobility was becoming a normal and constructive part of professional development.
A Year That Marked a Turning Point
Taken together, our 2016 articles reveal a profession at a moment of transition. Firms were beginning to recognise the need for more adaptable hiring strategies. Attorneys were becoming more proactive in shaping their careers. Salary structures were evolving, and the profession was starting to embrace greater transparency and flexibility.
The themes we explored in 2016, like candidate shortages, remuneration trends, mobility, diversity, and shifting expectations, were not isolated observations. They were early indicators of broader changes that would continue to influence the intellectual property profession in the years that followed.
Stay tuned to see what our 2026 salary survey results will reveal…
-Pete Fellows