Senior Associate - Patent Attorney
London

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the firm's Life Sciences and Chemistry team in London. We are looking for an ambitious, experienced attorney with 4+ years of post-qualification experience. The ideal candidate will be eager to make their mark and have a genuine excitement for business development. We’re looking for someone who is passionate about innovation and can demonstrate the commercial awareness needed to support and guide our clients in bringing their technology through to market.

Key Responsibilities

- Developing the relationship with our current clients and bringing in new business
- Advising clients on securing appropriate IP protection
- Drafting specifications for complex technical inventions
- Corresponding with clients, Patent Offices and overseas Attorneys
- Researching prior art and working directly with clients to develop creative and persuasive arguments against patent office objections
- Thoroughly analysing and editing existing patent specifications to overcome objections to patent applications
- Attacking and defending patents in EPO opposition proceedings
- Attending hearings at the European Patent Office
- Researching and advising on the status, scope and validity of third-party intellectual property rights
- Giving direction and sharing knowledge with operations staff
- Building a network of contacts, with a view to converting contacts to clients

This is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities, and you may be required to undertake duties outside of this list where necessary to ensure the needs of the business are met. Occasional national travel may be necessary in this role including travel to the other offices.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will need:

- 4+ years post qualification experience
- A track record of building rapport with clients and developing new business
- A strong academic or industry record in biochemistry or biotechnology
- Plenty of experience in drafting claims and responses to office actions for prosecution
- To be skilled in analysing and identifying the novel features and commercial potential of an invention
- Impeccable written English and first-rate communication skills with the ability to express ideas clearly and accurately
- Expertise in their subject matter, with the ability to communicate effectively about technical concepts with the research and development teams of our clients
- A track record of interacting effectively with staff and clients at all levels
- To be an enthusiastic team-player with a proactive approach
- The ability to prioritise workload, manage high volumes of work and meet deadlines

Learning & Development Specialist

About Us

Withers & Rogers is one of Europe’s largest dedicated intellectual property law firms, with offices across the UK, Paris and Munich. Established more than 130 years ago, we remain as passionate as ever about making intellectual property work to our clients’ best advantage. Today, our clients include many renowned, innovative organisations from across Europe, North America, and Asia.

We believe that our patent and trade mark attorneys, support, and operations staff have a breadth of expertise and a depth of specialist sector knowledge that is second to none. Our purpose is building trusting relationships and our vision is to be an independent, responsible, sustainably profitable, and globally focused firm, known for building trusting relationships.

The Learning & Development Specialist is a newly created role working with a small, friendly, and ambitious HR Team who are intent on reshaping our internal service delivery.

The Role

As a Learning & Development Specialist you will be accountable for developing and delivering the Learning and Development strategy that compliments the people plan and Firm’s strategy, whilst working collaboratively with the wider HR team. This role will suit someone who has a passion for learning and development who is innovative, a great influencer and can add value quickly.

Additionally, you will:

- Design, deliver, and evaluate L&D initiatives, to ensure they meet operational and strategic objectives, are focused on the transfer of learning while providing an
outstanding learning experience for participants, and demonstrate value for money.
- Manage the planning and roll-out of L&D programmes, events, and materials to support operational and functional objectives across all areas of the firm.
- Plan and deliver training courses personally to compliment those provided externally or internally by others.
- Monitor and report on activities, costs, performance, etc, as required.
- Develop succession planning to anticipate future requirements, work with the HR team and managers to identify and act upon development gaps, coaching and
mentoring managers on personal development plans, in conjunction with the HR team.
- Take a blended learning approach to L&D solutions (virtual training, e-learning, classroom, on the job).
- Evaluate individual and organisational development needs.
- Develop Apprenticeship Programmes and utilise Apprenticeship Levy.

About you

To join us as a Learning & Development Specialist, you will need:

- Substantial experience in developing organisational L&D strategies, development programmes, initiatives, and interventions both operational and
transformational.
- Experience of stakeholder management across different management levels and a consulting mindset.
- A professional qualification in training / learning and development is essential and ideally in coaching.
- Demonstrable expertise in the design, delivery, and evaluation of learning interventions.
- The ability to role model the organisation’s values and behaviours.

The contractual base for this role will be in one of our locations (Bristol, London, Sheffield, or Warwick) but as we embrace hybrid working, you will have the opportunity to mix days in the office and home. There will be a requirement for you to travel occasionally to our hubs across the UK and rarely to Munich and Paris to deliver training.

Your Rewards

- Competitive salary
- Benefits such as healthcare cash plan and additional holiday purchase scheme
- Flexible working options
- Enhanced Parental Leave options
- Positive and welcoming work environment

We foster a supportive and inclusive culture where employees are encouraged to broaden their knowledge, challenge themselves and share their ideas.

About Us

Withers & Rogers is one of Europe’s largest dedicated intellectual property law firms, with offices across the UK, Paris and Munich. Established more than 130 years ago, we remain as passionate as ever about making intellectual property work to our clients’ best advantage. Today, our clients include many renowned, innovative organisations from across Europe, North America, and Asia.

We believe that our patent and trade mark attorneys, support, and operations staff have a breadth of expertise and a depth of specialist sector knowledge that is second to none. Our purpose is building trusting relationships and our vision is to be an independent, responsible, sustainably profitable, and globally focused firm, known for building trusting relationships.

Diversity and inclusion are integral to our business. Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences, and we’re committed to cultivating an inclusive workplace which reflects our client profile and where everyone is proud to be unique.

The Role

The Diversity & Inclusion Specialist is a newly created role working with our small, friendly, and ambitious HR Team who are intent on reshaping our internal service delivery.

As a Diversity & Inclusion Specialist you will utilise your experience and knowledge to lead and deliver Diversity and Inclusion strategies to help build and nurture a culture where inclusivity is the norm and not an initiative.

Additionally, you will:

- Provide focus, leadership, and expertise on diversity and inclusion across the firm
- Accountable for developing and delivering the D&I strategy that compliments the people plan and Firm’s strategy
- Engage with colleagues to create a culture of belonging and inclusion
- Act as a consultant to underrepresented groups and make sure all voices are heard
- Coordinate and implement D&I programmes, initiatives, and policies
- Collaborate with HR and other teams across the firm to ensure D&I is embedded throughout helping to create and sustain an inclusive culture, for example through training and review of current processes and procedures
- Use D&I data and trends to provide meaningful insight for the business
- Draft regular reports and presentations to provide transparency on D&I work

About you

To join us as a Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, you will need:

- Proven track record in a Diversity and Inclusion role, preferably at a senior level
- Excellent stakeholder management skills
- Experience across all areas of D&I strands
- Strong operational delivery skills as well as strategic thinking
- Strong analytic skills
- Experience working within an LLP
- The ability to role model the organisation’s values and behaviours

This is a permanent, part-time position (up to 25 hrs per week). The contractual base for this role will be in one of our locations (Bristol, London, Sheffield, or Warwick) but as we embrace hybrid working, you will have the opportunity to mix days in the office and home. There will be a requirement for you to travel occasionally to our hubs across the UK and rarely to Munich and Paris.

Your Rewards

- Competitive salary
- Benefits such as healthcare cash plan and additional holiday purchase scheme
- Flexible working options
- Enhanced Parental Leave options
- Positive and welcoming work environment

We foster a supportive and inclusive culture where employees are encouraged to broaden their knowledge, challenge themselves and share their ideas.

Administrator (Part-Time)
London

About Us

Withers & Rogers is one of Europe’s largest dedicated intellectual property law firms, with offices across the UK, Paris, and Munich. Established more than 130 years ago, we remain as passionate as ever about making intellectual property work to our clients’ best advantage. Today, our clients include many renowned, innovative organisations from across Europe, North America, and Asia.

We believe that our patent and trademark attorneys, support, and operations staff have a breadth of expertise and a depth of specialist sector knowledge that is second to none. Our purpose is building trusting relationships and our vision is to be an independent, responsible, sustainably profitable, and globally focused firm, known for building trusting relationships.

We are now seeking an Administrator to join our London office on a part-time basis, working Tuesday to Thursday, 10.00am – 3.00pm.

The Role

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

- Opening, scanning and distributing daily post
- Assisting with archiving legal documents
- Preparing and sending out UK, International and internal post
- Arranging and tracking couriers
- Being the main point of contact for post related queries across the firm

About You

To join us as an Administrator, you’ll need:

- The ability to work autonomously and take ownership of tasks
- A confident, proactive approach to working
- Impeccable time management and prioritisation skills
- Good general IT literacy and the ability to learn new systems with ease
- Experience in an office-based administration or front of house role is desirable

Your Rewards

- Competitive salary
- Benefits such as healthcare cash plan and additional holiday purchase scheme
- Enhanced Parental Leave options
- Positive and welcoming work environment

So, if you think you have the skills to succeed, we would love to hear from you.

1st Line Support Engineer
Bristol

About Us

Withers & Rogers is one of Europe’s largest dedicated intellectual property law firms, with offices across the UK, Paris and Munich. Established more than 130 years ago, we remain as passionate as ever about making intellectual property work to our clients’ best advantage. Today, our clients include many renowned, innovative organisations from across Europe, North America, and Asia.

We believe that our patent and trade mark attorneys, support, and operations staff have a breadth of expertise and a depth of specialist sector knowledge that is second to none. Our purpose is building trusting relationships and our vision is to be an independent, responsible, sustainably profitable, and globally focused firm, known for building trusting relationships.

The firm’s supportive and high-functioning IT department are seeking a 1st Line Support Engineer to join them on a permanent, full-time basis, to help the team provide a first-rate service to our busy intellectual property firm with around 200 users.

The Role

As a 1st Line Support Engineer, you’ll provide helpdesk support, complete PC builds and other general IT duties as required by the business.

You will act as the first point of contact for helpdesk calls, emails and alerts, making sure to log calls promptly and add progress notes to all call logs.

Additionally, you will:

- Assess the complexity of an issue and resolve/escalate it as required
- Monitor the call queue to ensure issues/problems are addressed in a timely manner
- Communicate with users on the status of Helpdesk calls
- Proactively manage problem calls through to completion
- Support users remotely over email and telephone
- Troubleshoot to help resolve issues
- Research solutions to problems and document them on the knowledge base for future reference
- Set up and maintain user accounts on systems
- Provide occasional on-site support at other offices to resolve issues
- Co-ordinate the process of setting up new employees with all necessary IT equipment and system access
- Configure new software for both office-based and remote workers
- Procure hardware/software as required

About you

To join us as a 1st Line Support Engineer, you will need:

- At least one years’ experience in an IT Helpdesk environment
- Experience in prioritising and managing multiple open cases at one time
- Experience of troubleshooting systems and network problems and diagnosing and solving hardware or software faults
- Demonstrable experience of effective communication with users, third party consultants and software vendors
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Windows operating systems, including Windows 10
- Experience with Office 2016 and the Office 365 applications and environment
- A basic understanding of Windows Server and Active Directory
- Solid knowledge of basic network operation including TCP/IP, DNS and DHCP
- An understanding of desktop, laptop and printer troubleshooting
- The ability to provide remote end-user support via remote control tools
- The confidence to take users through a series of actions, either face-to-face, over the telephone or remotely, to help set up systems or resolve issues

An understanding of SharePoint Online is desirable, but not essential.

Your Rewards

- Competitive salary
- Benefits such as healthcare cash plan and additional holiday purchase scheme
- Flexible working options
- Enhanced Parental Leave options
- Positive and welcoming work environment

We foster a supportive and inclusive culture where employees are encouraged to broaden their knowledge, challenge themselves and share their ideas.

Applications will be reviewed as they come in so early applications are encouraged.