I was particularly drawn to Carpmaels by its reputation as one of the leading patent firms and their expertise in contentious matters.

Having qualified as a European and Chartered UK patent attorney at another private practice in London, I was looking for a new challenge. From day one at Carpmaels, I’ve been involved in a wide variety of projects for exciting, innovative clients. The firm really invests in training their attorneys, even after qualification, and the partners have gone out of their way to make sure I’m getting experience of all the different types of work I’m interested in.

What has surprised me most about Carpmaels is how friendly and approachable everyone is.

Despite being a large firm full of hardworking people, there’s a very welcoming culture. Everyone is encouraged to voice their opinions and join in with discussions and debates, whether they’re a new trainee or an experienced attorney.

One thing I particularly enjoy about Carpmaels is that I get to work with lots of different people within my team. This is quite unusual in the profession and means I’m able to draw from everyone’s different styles and experiences. It also means I felt like part of the team very quickly, despite having started at the firm during a national lockdown!

There’s an internal forum where everyone shares questions and ideas, such as developments in case law, and when you don’t know the answer to a question there is a whole community of people willing to help out. Now that we’re able to work in the office again, the lively in-person meetings have returned and it’s even easier to see the Carpmaels’ ‘hive mind’ in action.

The busy Carpmaels’ social calendar is also back in full swing, with a society/club to suit everyone.