Patent attorneys are essential to the continuous innovation seen in progressive societies. The protection of new ideas allows businesses to reap the full rewards of inventions, encouraging research and development across numerous fields of innovation.
In celebration of this year’s World Intellectual Property Day (26 April), which focuses on youth innovating for a better future, Georgios Margelis and Sheri Jeyakumar, patent attorneys at European intellectual property (IP) firm Withers & Rogers, discuss their career journeys so far.
What was your route into the world of IP?
Georgios (G): I was disillusioned with academia and suffering from imposter syndrome, which meant I was hesitant to make the leap into industry-side work, despite it applying directly to my engineering skills. Coincidentally, while I was out for drinks, I met a patent attorney who explained her career. My interest was piqued, so I investigated how to become a patent attorney and found that it brought together all the elements of academia that I loved, such as learning about cutting-edge inventions, and took away the areas that I didn’t.
Sheri (S): My route to becoming a patent attorney was very obscure. When I first started out, I had limited knowledge about IP, but still managed to get the job and I’m glad I did. I knew I had made the right decision after the very first assessment day. You also get a lot of exposure to different technologies and people across industries.
How easy was it to qualify as a patent attorney?
G: While studying for a PhD means there are a lot of challenges to overcome over a long amount of time, there are no exams. To become a patent attorney, you must take exams, which need a lot of preparation. It’s a career path you must be dedicated to but being with the right firm can make things easier.
S: Through working and studying at the same time, we get qualified under two jurisdictions, so there are separate UK and EU qualification processes. The final exams usually take place within years three and four of the start of your career. Coming from a STEM background also creates the challenge of changing your thought processes from scientific to legal.
How has your academic background been useful in your current role?
G: Despite specialising in a niche area of technology – physical layer security of wireless communications - the skills required throughout my academic career have helped provide a backdrop of information that I can draw from. My academic experience has provided me with problem solving skills and helped me understand how best to break down a technology to its components, which has proven extremely helpful for my career as a patent attorney.
S: Obviously there are transferable skills, but my degree is very specialised in medical devices and equipment. As a patent attorney, you see a range of inventions in a variety of fields, so when there are patents in relation to medical devices it makes the job much easier. Over the last four years, I’ve been lucky enough to have medical innovations re-routed to me as I enjoy and understand them, so my academic and working career has come full circle.
Do you think IP is important to society?
G: It’s important to protect the competitive advantage achieved through investing in research and the only way to protect this properly is through robust IP frameworks. While countries try to jumpstart their commercial landscapes, they will often have weak IP laws which get tightened as their commercial landscape matures and shifts to cutting-edge technology. Think of China, for example, which in the latter part of the previous century had a comparatively weak legal framework for protecting IP, but which has become progressively stronger as the country becomes a leader in many technological domains. More commercially successful states tend to have stricter IP laws to promote innovation.
S: It’s not only important for the economy, but also for inventors too. You don’t want to spend all of your time researching and developing something just for somebody to copy it or take advantage of your findings. Small inventors deserve protection from exploitation, so a protective framework for good ideas is important to offer.
What is the best part of working as a patent attorney
G: My daily work as a patent attorney in a way revolves around solving puzzles. Prosecuting a patent is about finding the least obvious element of the invention and how the technical outcome is different to previous innovations. Discovering how everything works together and finding that key distinction is a rewarding feeling.
S: There is huge potential for personal development. In my experience, IP is a never-ending learning curve, which is exciting. There will never be a point where you know everything, but you feel like you’re truly valued from the first day of work.
What would you say to somebody considering becoming a patent attorney?
G: Of all the avenues I may have chosen, being a patent attorney is the most rewarding. We are lucky enough to work with some of the biggest companies in the world, including industry leaders. Meeting the inventors of the next amazing gadget, or Formula One engine, always brings a unique mix of positive experiences.
S: Don’t let the specialism scare you. Everybody starts out at the same point from an engineering or science background, and you’re taught everything you need to know. I’ve had nothing but support and encouragement from my colleagues, which has made my journey into IP an absolute pleasure. Just go for it!
G: Of all the avenues I may have chosen, being a patent attorney is the most rewarding. We are lucky enough to work with some of the biggest companies in the world, including industry leaders. Meeting the inventors of the next amazing gadget, or Formula One engine, always brings a unique mix of positive experiences.
Photo: Georgios Margelis and Sheri Jeyakumar, patent attorneys at European intellectual property (IP) firm Withers & Rogers
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