Junior Patents Administrator (Patents Team)

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.

The role

Reporting to the Patents Team Manager, this is a key role within the Records department. You will be undertaking a broad range of administrative duties, docketing official deadlines and liaising with clients and Carpmaels’ Associates for patent related procedures. You will gain an introductory level of intellectual property knowledge for European patents.

Principal Responsibilities

• Entering new cases on Inprotech (patent management system).
• Processing incoming post from patent offices and clients.
• Updating Inprotech, e.g. with official deadlines and response dates.
• Handling queries sent to the team’s central inbox.
• Checking and filing submissions at the European Patent Office (EPO).
• Liaising with fee earners to ensure that deadlines are met.
• Carrying out initial checks on official post.
• Filing new patent applications.
• Reviewing due date (prompt) lists and sending reminders as appropriate.
• Handling internal KPIs.
• Opening and scanning incoming post.
• Reporting basic communications to clients.

Skills And Experience We’re Looking For

• IP experience, or a strong legal administration background.
• Team player.
• Diligent and thorough, with good attention to detail.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Able to multitask and prioritise workload.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work to deadlines.

The recruitment process

Applicants can expect a welcoming two-way interview process, where there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions about the opportunity and to discover more about life at the firm. Typically, there will be two stages (both in person) with a role related exercise to complete. We’re committed to ensuring 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, or via your recruitment agency. 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.

What We Offer

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

• 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, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, pregnancy and maternity, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our approach is embodied in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, as well as our diversity and inclusion programmes.