We are looking for an IP Associate (1 yr PQE +) to join our highly regarded team.
You will handle a mixture of contentious and non-contentious IP matters across the full range of IP rights and in a variety of sectors. We'd also be keen to hear from lawyers with experience of or an interest in Trade Mark matters - litigation, licensing or filing.
You will work closely with the Partners on top quality work in a positive and supportive environment. As your career develops, you might start to specialise in either transactional IP or in IP litigation, but even at a senior level our lawyers remain flexible in supporting clients throughout the lifecycle of their IP rights, whether on complex collaboration agreements or in multi-jurisdictional dispute resolution.
Our lawyers are pragmatic and innovative – they put the client at the centre of everything they do and they are continually seeking to develop and advance. We believe you should be honing your skills for communication and client service excellence at the same time as your technical knowledge and we will provide you with opportunities to do both.
We get numerous requests for secondees from our clients so if you join us you may get the opportunity to experience life in-house at some point. We place great value in this experience and think it will enhance your profile and skills.
To be suited to this role you’ll ideally have experience of working on R&D and collaboration agreements, IP licences and assignments and IP due diligence as well as experience litigating IP rights in IPEC and the High Court. You will already be an IP lawyer with a commitment to your subject and a desire to develop your skills in a collaborative law firm. We operate a meritocracy and encourage career progression so your efforts will be recognised and rewarded.
We have some flexibility regarding where the role could be based in our national office network (outisde London) so do get in touch to let us know your location and what works for you.
The team
Our national IP team includes lawyers in Birmingham, London and Manchester. The team is led by five Partners, with National Head of IP Andy Brennan based in Birmingham. As well as specialist IP lawyers, the team also includes two Trade Mark attorneys, who provide trade mark filing services to give our clients a one-stop shop for IP services from creation to enforcement.
The team’s core areas are brands, technology and life sciences. Within these the team assists clients with the full range of IP rights including trade marks, patents, designs and copyright, as well as trade secrets and breach of confidence. They work with diverse clients from start-ups to multi-nationals across a variety of sectors including telecommunications and digital technologies, biotech and medtech, automotive, advanced manufacturing, retail and universities. Aside from the trade mark filing services, the rest of the team’s work is split fairly equally between non-contentious IP work – including varied IP agreements and advice on wide-ranging issues – and contentious IP work involving pre-action resolution and litigation of the full range of IP rights including trade mark disputes, copyright and breach of confidences cases, and major high-tech patent litigation.
Part of the Commercial Group, the IP team works alongside Privacy & Data, TMT, Commercial Contracts, Financial Services and Projects & Infrastructure specialists. We are proud to have a number of leading practitioners in our teams. We are ranked in the top tier of Legal 500 for most of our practice areas, although our intention is to have top rankings across the board.
We work in partnership with our in-house clients and we drive advancements in our technology and services in line with this. We pride ourselves on trying to do things differently and lead the way on product innovation such as Resource Solutions and Matters+ to provide best-in-class legal services to our clients.
The firm
We are a top 50 law firm with over 200 partners and around 1,600 staff in total. We have 13 locations in the UK and a significant international network. Our clients include some of the largest financial, automotive, and technology businesses in the UK.
We champion diversity and inclusion, and our mission is to attract and nurture a diverse group of people and to create an environment and culture that is genuinely inclusive, in which every member of staff feels valued for their contribution. We have been awarded Gold status in the Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Charter in recognition of our commitment to this. We were also the first major law firm to achieve “Gold Standard” Investors in People.
We are a values-driven business – our values are at the core of the firm and we evaluate how we behave in accordance with these values through a competency framework. This role is considered to be at competency Level 2 in our internal framework.
If you have any queries about this prospect or life at Shoosmiths before deciding whether to apply, we are always happy to have a confidential discussion with you so please get in touch with Rachel Charlton in our recruitment team (Rachel.charlton@shoosmiths.co.uk). |