My background is in Chemistry, and having enjoyed my research experience at undergraduate level, I then completed a PhD. During my PhD, I began to think about pursuing a long-term career outside the lab, but I still wanted something intellectually stimulating, varied and closely connected to innovation. A career in law, particularly within the life sciences and technology sectors, seemed like an ideal fit.

I was interested in Bristows because of its reputation for high-quality, interesting work in IP and life sciences combined with a supportive training environment and friendly culture. I attended a Bristows STEM IP Workshop and applied for a training contract shortly afterwards. The application process was clear at every stage, and the interviews gave me a feel for what working at the firm would be like.

I began my training contract with a three-month seat in the Commercial IT, IP and DCL team, followed by three months in Real Estate. I am now in IP Litigation, where I am spending much of my time working on a life sciences patent litigation matter. I feel like my research background has helped me to quickly pick up certain aspects of the work. For example, I have been involved in researching and reviewing scientific literature on particular topics and discussing this with the wider team. Although the subject matter is unrelated to anything I have done previously, I have really enjoyed learning about a new industry and understanding the challenges faced by inventors, both scientific and commercial. Other day-to-day tasks include taking attendance notes for expert witness calls, drafting letters, and carrying out general bits of legal research.

The culture at Bristows is as friendly and supportive as its reputation suggests. Across all of my seats, I have found everyone to be very generous with their time and always willing to explain new concepts to me. There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved in firm-wide activities and social events. I play for the Bristows netball team and also drop into the run club (weather permitting!).