What was your first ever job?
Delivering newspapers when I was 14 years old!
How did you get involved in intellectual property and what first attracted you to the field?
After my post-doc, I was sure that I wanted to read and write about science more than be in the lab in a narrow field. I started to work as a research promoter and science communicator. I liked working with different fields in science but was feeling that I was missing something. That is when I started to freelance as a science journalist. I was in charge of “translating” the language of scientists and was able to be up to date with the current science. But I was still missing something. That is when I started to read about working as a patent attorney and realised it entailed everything I was looking for.
When did you join Potter Clarkson and why?
I joined Potter Clarkson in 2019. The job was recommended to me on LinkedIn. I was not very confident I would pass the recruiting selection but applied anyway. I was so happy to hear back from HR telling me I was invited for an interview.
What is your area of speciality and why did you choose it?
I have a PhD in organic chemistry. I have always been fascinated by chemistry. I like how you need to find a route to make the compound you are interested in. You try different ways and you fail (often) but feel amazing when you succeed and get the desired compound. I also worked on chemical biology when I was a post-doctoral fellow. I really like the field as it combines biology and chemistry. As a chemist, your job usually finishes when you have obtained the desired compound. You deliver it then to the biologist that runs the biological experiments. But as a researcher in chemical biology, you do both the chemistry and the biology experiments. You are able to see the outcome of your compound and the effect it has on organisms.
What does a typical day in your role entail and what do you most enjoy about it/find most challenging?
My day entails drafting letters, reading about new discoveries, drafting patents, finding arguments for objections raised by examiners and proofreading. Consecutive days are rarely the same and I like the fact I am learning something new every single day.
What has been the highlight of your career at Potter Clarkson so far?
When the first letter I drafted was sent out to the client.
What advice would you give anyone looking to enter the field?
I entered the field quite late and was afraid I was “too old” for it, but I really do not think that now. No matter what you have done before entering the IP field, your background is always appreciated and can be useful in this job.