What led you to a career in IP? Marie-Alexis Mezin, one of our trainee patent attorneys, shares how she found a career in patent law and why it is a perfect fit for her.
As a Trainee Patent Attorney at HLK, I am currently completing a compulsory period of practical law training whilst sitting a series of exams to become dually qualified in the UK and European Union.
I was introduced to patent law in secondary school when my science teacher mentioned it during a parent-teacher meeting. "I enjoy science," I said to my teacher, "but I also like literature and languages." He responded by asking: "Have you considered patent law?". Years later, as I was set to graduate with a degree in Mathematics and Physics, I would recall his comment.
During my degree studies, I conducted research on microrobots at CNRS, the largest fundamental science agency in Europe, explored quantum machine learning during an IBM summer program, and created apps in class and as part of a J.P. Morgan hackathon, among other technical pursuits. But ultimately, patent law would indeed reveal itself to be the best fit for me.
Patent law speaks to my desire to engage with a diverse group of people in the scientific and business realms. It satisfies my drive to work on a variety of intellectually challenging and cutting-edge technologies. And it fulfils the humanist in me who likes to advocate, read, write, and study foreign languages.
I made the firm decision to pursue a career in patent law after taking an online course on intellectual property law, conducting a series of informational interviews with patent attorneys and trainees, and interning at a patent law firm in London for a couple of weeks. To broaden my experience and gain an in-house perspective, I worked for PARC, the Palo Alto Research Center, now part of SRI International, on market and IP analysis and recommendations for early-stage technologies and innovation projects.
I am thrilled that patent law allows me to apply diverse facets of my background, including my technical skills in physics, mathematics and computer science honed during my degree course and internships, my business experience gained working on diverse professional teams and projects, and my global perspective and communication skills garnered from living and working in the UK, France and USA.
My science teacher was right: patent law is a perfect fit.
Read more of our 175th anniversary news.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
