When I started researching law firms, Bristows immediately stood out because of its mix of interesting clients, high quality work, and its collaborative atmosphere. I studied History and Ancient History at University with the intention of completing a law conversion afterwards but, before deciding on History, I also considered studying Chemistry or Natural Sciences. IP law, therefore, seemed like a perfect combination of my scientific interests with the analytical skills that I developed during my humanities degree.  This meant that Bristows was the ideal firm as it was the only full-service commercial firm that guaranteed an IP seat (Patent Litigation).

The fact that Bristows also offered a wide range of other practice areas was very important as well. The training contract process is about finding out what you do and don’t like by experiencing multiple types of law so I wanted the opportunity to try a mix of broad and niche areas of law across different industries. So far, I have really enjoyed that mix and I have been lucky with the variety of work I have been able to experience.

I found the interview process rigorous and challenging but also fair and engaging. I got the sense that Bristows cared about getting a well-rounded, holistic sense of you as a person which is something that translates into the day to day at the firm. A highlight of my first year has been getting to give office tours to candidates after their final interviews as they were great opportunities to contribute to the rewarding recruitment process.

So far, I have sat in 3 teams: Competition (6 months), Brands, Designs, Copyright (3 months), and now Patent Litigation (6 months). The fact that Bristows offers a mixture of 3 and 6 month seats means that you can experience more areas of law and you can get to know more people across the firm. It is a feature of the training contract that really makes Bristows stand out as a place to train.

I am currently sitting in Patent Litigation, where I will be staying into the first 3 months of my second year. My day-to-day work is very varied and engaging, and I am enjoying the challenge of getting to grips the scientific background of my matters. My first weeks in the team saw me attend multiple court hearings which were great opportunities to see patent law in action from the get-go.

Other seats have been equally as exciting. I have worked for global technology companies, large telecoms providers, and well know consumer brands. An average week has seen me drafting client updates and inter-solicitor correspondence, researching legal and commercial questions, attending litigation strategy meetings, drafting witness statements or other documents, and much more. I even had the opportunity to attend two seizures with training standards as part of a luxury jewellery infringement enforcement programme!

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far. There are few places where you can experience such interesting, impactful work coupled with a truly collaborative and caring environment.