Carpmaels & Ransford
IP Transactions Associate
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Permanent, Full Time
Location: On-site (London)/Hybrid Working
We are a leading European intellectual property firm, acting for many of the world’s most innovative and successful companies. Our specialist teams are led by practitioners who have been at the forefront of the industry for years, acting in landmark cases before the EPO, national courts in Europe and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
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 is 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 IP Transactions Practice Group Leader (Partner), the Associate will support IP specialists with transactional work as follows:
- Advising on IP licensing issues, including drafting and negotiating licence agreements and dealing with their recordal at IP offices around the world;
- Advising on legal title to IP rights, including priority and chain of title, consideration of existing assignments/change to ownership documents, corrections and drafting assignments and consents to perfect title;
- Drafting and negotiating various other forms of agreement (primarily where IP is a key element) including: settlement agreements, development agreements, collaboration agreements, distribution agreements, manufacturing and supply agreements, general services agreements and confidentiality agreements;
- Conducting due diligence on target/vendor IP and providing reports and strategic recommendations. Drafting and negotiating IP provisions in deal documentation;
- Advisory work on data protection, artificial intelligence, IT/cyber security and other regulatory matters;
- Managing projects to record changes to ownership of IP rights (or the recordal of third party interests) in the UK and internationally, including preparing and filing recordal applications in the UKIPO, OHIM and the EPO, instructing local attorneys to deal with the work in other jurisdictions, arranging for completion of suitable local assignment and power of attorney documentation, and monitoring the work of the local attorneys; and
- Advising on the restoration of patent rights, including preparation of evidence and arguments in support.
Skills And Experience We Are Looking For
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- Strong knowledge of: (a) substantive IP law across all IP rights, particularly patents, trade marks, designs and copyright; and (b) contract law.
- Excellent drafting skills across a broad spectrum of IP agreements and other commercial agreements where IP is a key element. Knowledge of sector-specific issues affecting agreements in the life sciences and/or energy sectors would be an advantage.
- Experience of dealing with IP offices (e.g. the UKIPO, EPO, EUIPO and WIPO), including recordal formalities, preparing documentation for signature, responding to office actions, dealing with local counsel and general project management.
- Ability to analyse chain of title of IP rights, identify issues and suggest commercial and pragmatic ways to resolve those issues.
- Ability to carry out IP due diligence, report on risks/issues and advise on potential mitigations.
- Business development skills, including maintaining client relationships and contributing to articles/podcasts/presentations.
- A genuine interest in staying abreast of legal, regulatory, and industry developments in this fast-evolving area.
- Be meticulous, accurate, pro-active and willing to learn.
- Take responsibility for work, including monitoring progress and deadlines and finalising work product before it goes out.
- Be a team player, willing to provide help and support as required to other members of the group and the firm.
Previous Experience
- IP transactions Solicitor (England & Wales qualified).
- Ideally zero to five years of Post-Qualification Experience.
- Strong academic credentials.
- Likely to have trained and be working at a top tier international law firm or IP boutique in the UK.
- Experience of working in other practice areas that are complementary to / feed into IP transactions, for example, IP dispute resolution, corporate/M&A, competition law, data privacy and employment law.
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.
Our interview team is likely to be made up of one Partner, one Counsel and two Senior Associates from the IP Transactions team. Typically, there will be two stages of interview consisting of a first round interview with either a Partner or Counsel and a Senior Associate or two Senior Associates and second round interview with the remaining two members of the team (i.e. so that applicants who get to the second round interview will ideally have met all four of our interviewers).
We are 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 are 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.
What We Offer
We offer a competitive benefits package that currently includes the following:
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- 25 days’ holiday, increasing by one 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 five 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 will 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 four times your base salary.
- Income protection, with cover for up to five 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 are passionate about the benefits of corporate volunteering and offer all employees one paid volunteer day per year.
We are 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 have 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 are 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.
Please note that we do not accept unsolicited CVs or speculative approaches from recruitment agencies unless they have been explicitly instructed on this vacancy by a member of our recruitment team.
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