Venner Shipley is looking for a first rate trade mark attorney to join its busy trade marks team. This a great opportunity for someone who is at least two years qualified and who has a proven track record in dealing with high profile clients and developing business.   The ideal candidate will be tenacious and enthusiastic in their approach and will surpass the expectations our clients have in terms of quality and service. You will also have a good business sense and be able to develop strong client relationships. You will be working with a team of dynamic partners and associates and the work will be varied, complex and often international in nature.   Your role will involve providing clients with the service for which Venner Shipley is known, supervising more junior members of staff and working with the head of the department in developing and handling the department’s growth.   As a senior trade mark attorney your skills and qualifications will ideally include:

  This is a key role within the firm and as such remuneration and prospects for this position are excellent.   Contact Information: If you want to apply for this position or discuss it, please contact Kate Széll on 020 7600 4212 or kszell@vennershipley.co.uk or Alan Blake 020 7600 4212 or ablake@vennershipley.co.uk.  

 Lewis Silkin LLP is well respected and progressive law firm which prides itself on being a 'rather more human law firm' with a strong emphasis on quality of life. Due to recent client wins there is now a vacancy for a trainee / part qualified trade marks attorney within the trade mark practice within the Media, Brands and Technology Department. The expertise of the MBT Department is recognised in the legal directories in a number of fields including trade marks, IP litigation, advertising, publishing, defamation, sports and computer games. We represent clients across a wide spectrum of industries including retail, fashion, automotive, publishing, advertising, media, entertainment and telecommunications. The trade mark practice offers a full service from search, application and prosecution to litigation and transactional advice and manages the worldwide portfolios for a number of high profile clients. We are looking for a good 'team player', with excellent interpersonal and IT skills who would enjoy a varied workload. Potential candidates will need:

• to be educated to at least degree level, preferably with a background in law or modern languages.
• to have had some experience in dealing with trade marks
• to be prepared to work in other areas of IP
• to be commercially focussed and have a problem solving approach.
• to be keen to study for the ITMA professional exams
• to be computer literate and familiar with Microsoft Applications
• experience of online searching using Marquesa or Saegis and the IPPO management software would be an advantage.

The firm provides a full range of benefits. Salary will be dependent upon experience and qualifications. Potential applicants should in the first instance send their C.V's to recruit@lewissilkin.com or write to Nipa Patel, HR Officer, 5 Chancery Lane, Clifford’s Inn, London, EC4A 1BL 

Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys & The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys

Background

As Approved Regulators the two Institutes must separate the regulatory functions they currently undertake from their representational activities. In addition, they will take on some regulatory functions currently undertaken by the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office. The Joint Regulation Board (JRB) will be the regulatory arm of both Institutes and responsible for the regulation of the Patent Attorney and Trade Mark Attorney professions, both of which are providers of legal services. Regulation will cover educational and training requirements for entry into the professions and subsequent professional development, the standards of conduct for the professions and the circumstances in which disciplinary action will be taken. In addition the board will be the body responsible for setting and monitoring high standards of service users of the profession should expect. In order to ensure independence of direction from the existing Councils of both Institutes, the Regulatory Board will have lay members and representatives of both Professions under a lay Chairman.

The Job

The Chairman will be appointed to the interim JRB for 2 years, with appointment then expected to the established JRB for a further 3 years. He or she will be responsible for ensuring that the regulatory arm is set up and ready to take over the regulation of the professions by October 2009, working with an Acting Chief Executive and “Shadow Board Members”. This will involve working with the Institutes, the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Services Board (and liaising with other Approved Regulators) to determine the rules and regulations which will govern the professions.

In the longer term the Chair will establish a staffing structure (and transfer resources from the two Institutes or establish new posts), as well as establish a budget and financial monitoring arrangements to meet on -going responsibilities, appoint a permanent Chief Executive, sit in on the appointment of Lay Members of the Board and establish the Committee structure and membership which will support the work of the JRB in regulating the professions. In addition, the Chair will be required to provide continuing strategic direction to the Board, to ensure that it provides the governance arrangements and support for the professions which match the expectations of all stake holders.

Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Applicants should be graduates or have equivalent professional qualifications, but no legal qualification will be required. Applicants should have:

A track record of leadership and delivery, particularly in the area of change management;

An understanding of regulation and its application;

An appreciation of the roles of executives and non-executives and how to maximise the contribution of both.

In addition, applicants will have to show:

Strong intellectual ability and sound judgment to get to grips with and apply complex primary and secondary legislation (and regulations set down by the Ministry of Justice and the Legal services Board);

The inter personal skills to work with the two professions and their Institutes, and other stakeholders to ensure sound and practical regulation;

The ability to command the trust and respect of colleagues and outside contacts in line with the role of a regulator;

The representational skills to represent the JRB externally and at senior levels in Government, industry and commerce.

The rewards

This is a high profile post in a regulated environment with a great deal of personal responsibility. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to bring a wealth of experience to bear and be able to visibly measure their contribution to the regulation of these legal professions.

The role of Chairman, when the JRB is up and running will normally occupy the post holder for about 3 days per month, for which a fee of £10,000 pa will be payable. In the first instance, during the setting up phase, the role of the Chairman will occupy more time and therefore for each the first two years an additional fee of £3,000 will be payable. The post will be non pensionable.

Travel and subsistence will be paid in respect of all official travel within the United Kingdom and overseas.

Contact Information

Applications are invited from applicants who consider they have the experience, skills and time to undertake the job. Candidates should provide a CV, together with evidence (including examples) of as many as possible of the knowledge, skills and experience requirements listed above.

The closing date for applications will be 21 March, 2008 . Interviews will be held in London in as soon as practicable afterward.

Enquiries

Any questions can be directed to the Acting Chief Executive, Mike Knight, initially via e-mail:-

mike@mbknight.co.uk

This position is also advertised in the The Times/Sunday Times. Click here for the full advert.

The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys and the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys have been designated as Approved Regulators under the Legal Services Act 2007 and are looking to appoint a Chairman of the interim single regulatory arm which will serve both Institutes as a “common service”

Bates Wells & Braithwaite is a long-established law firm servicing a wide range of commercial, statutory, charity and social enterprises.  With over 150 staff and partners, we are large enough to provide a complete range of commercial services but small enough to provide a personal service to every client.  We are proud of our reputation as the leading firm in the Charity & Social Enterprise field and we handle trade marks for many well-known charities.  We encourage staff to take on responsibilities and develop new areas of expertise that may be of interest to them, within a supportive and friendly working environment. 

A vacancy has arisen for a Trade Marks Formalities Assistant to assist with our rapidly expanding trade marks practice.  We are looking for an experienced person who is comfortable working autonomously and has the drive and ambition to devise and implement new systems and procedures.  You will be involved in transferring our existing records onto a new database and your day-to-day duties will include maintaining a central diary, preparing and filing UK-IPO, OHIM and WIPO forms, managing our deposit accounts, instructing overseas filing and handling all aspects of renewals.  You will ideally have completed the ITMA Formalities course or otherwise be able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the topics covered in that course.

You will have a genuine interest in working for our charity and social enterprise clients and will have a positive, can-do attitude.

To apply for this position, please send a covering letter and CV by email to Peter Bennett, Partnership Executive Officer: p.bennett@bwbllp.com.  The closing date for receipt of applications is 21 March 2008.  Applications received after this date will be considered only at our discretion.

William A. Shepherd & Son, part of the Novagraaf Group of companies, is an established trade mark practice based in central Manchester. We advise an array of blue chip clients in the protection and maintenance of their global trade mark and design portfolios across a wide range of disciplines.

The practice has a requirement for a fully qualified Trade Mark Attorney to advise existing and new clients on trade mark, design and ancillary IP matters. The successful candidate will have a firm understanding of  trade mark/design law and practice and the ability to translate that understanding into sound commercially astute advice. You will have good communications skills, an aptitude to work unsupervised and a keen interest in expanding the current client base.

A competitive salary and package awaits the right candidate together with the opportunity to work in Manchester which benefits from a vibrant city centre, affordable housing and good transport links. Relocation package will also be provided if necessary.

The Novagraaf Group of companies boasts several offices in European capitals and an enviable client base serviced by some 350 dedicated Trade Mark and Patent Professionals assisted by an experienced and dedicated team.

If you are interested please send your CV by e-mail to gary.johnston@novagraaf.co.uk or by mail to Gary Johnston, William A. Shepherd & Son, 1st Floor, 42-44 Fountain Street, Manchester, M2 2AX

Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business, with an unrivalled collection of brands including SMIRNOFF, JOHNNIE WALKER, J&B and BUSHMILLS. Diageo’s global IP team sits naturally at the heart of our agenda for constant evolution and growth.

We have recently reorganised our team to more closely mirror the overall global business structure, and now have a greater focus on regional growth and opportunities, as well as Diageo’s crucial Innovation agenda. Through this restructure a number of new roles have been created and we are looking for an experienced, energetic Trade Mark Manager to join us. You will come from a ‘brand-rich’ environment where decisions are taken at a fast and furious pace and where your ability to prioritise and multi-task has been the key to your success to date.

London based, supporting five Global Brand Teams and the Asia Pacific region, you will have responsibility for the enhancement and enforcement of Diageo’s IP Portfolio consisting of its trade mark, copyright, patent and trade secrets rights. Essentially you will be the lynchpin for this geographically dispersed team, providing a vital point of communication and consistency.

Reporting directly to the relevant Senior IP Counsel, you will manage a small, highly motivated team of 3 individuals, delivering all aspects of trade mark prosecution and administration including filing applications, oppositions, registration, renewals, other disputes, etc. Handling the trade mark aspects of acquisitions and divestments, you will also draft and negotiate prosecution related contracts as well as other matters such as advertising sign-off and domain name issues.

Your infectious enthusiasm, adaptability and organisational skills will be second to none and these attributes will be essential as you lead your team to even greater levels of delivery and support. You should have the ability to give professionally robust advice in a positive and persuasive manner – this is not a role for someone who prefers to sit on the fence! We are seeking either a Trade Mark Attorney, dual qualified Attorney/Solicitor or a Solicitor with extensive IP portfolio management experience.

This is a demanding yet highly rewarding opportunity for an experienced individual who wishes to combine first-rate legal work with team management and first hand commercial interaction. This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining one of the world’s foremost IP teams to work on brands that are truly globally recognised.

Global IP within Diageo is changing – be part of it!

If you are interested in exploring this opportunity please email your CV including current salary details to our exclusively retained consultants, Torres and Partners, to consultancy@torres.co.uk quoting Ref. 9783R. Alternatively you can speak to Alison Diamond at Torres & Partners on 0208 332 1333.

Torres and Partners are retained exclusively and all CV’s and enquiries will be directed to them.
www.torres.co.uk www.diageo.com

Taylor Wessing is considered one of the leading advisors for companies doing business in Europe. We are a full service firm that is particularly focussed on clients in IP rich industries. Nestled within the wider IP practice sits the Trademark, Copyright and Media (TCM) Group. The size and strength of Taylor Wessing's European trade mark group and the variety of the brands represented across all business sectors means we have outstanding experience in all aspects of trade mark law.

We are looking to add a third trade mark assistant to our team to provide further specialist trade mark support for our very substantial trade mark management practice. Our trade mark assistants, working closely with our lawyers at all levels, provide our clients with a service that fully integrates the broad skills of trade mark prosecution, licensing and enforcement. Supervision will be provided by the two existing senior assistants and/or the 20 other associates and partners in the TCM Group. Exceptionally, we also have one of the Appointed Persons as a consultant in the team. Secretarial, formalities and paralegal support is also provided.

Responsibilities will include assignment as a key contact for one or more of the major international portfolios we manage globally, handling a large number of UK, CTM and foreign prosecution files, including dealing with registry and third party objections, advising on watch notifications, conducting and reporting trade mark availability searches online and through search agents, advising clients on registrability of trade marks and filing strategies, advising on oppositions and other registry procedures, negotiating co-existence terms, managing assignment or licensing projects and subsequent recordals.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
The following experience/skills are relevant:

• Some UK and foreign trade mark portfolio and clearance work experience essential, ideally including involvement in disputes (co-existence/oppositions).
• Strong written and oral communication skills essential, preferably with experience drafting licences, assignments and/or co-existence agreements – (anonymised) examples will be requested.
• Strong academics and technical ability, with a genuine interest and enthusiasm to learn more (part-qualified ITMA trainee attorney desirable). • Proven ability to build confidence and relationships with clients and colleagues
• Previous responsibility for multiple client files, tested time management skills of daily and weekly prioritisation.
• Some US trade mark prosecution experience desirable.
• Some experience working in private practice preferable but in-house trade marks team experience also valuable.
• Knowledge of domain name management and/or anti-counterfeiting helpful.

To succeed in this role, you will be a confident self-starter who will relish the opportunity to work in a growing, fast-paced environment. This is an exceptional opportunity to work with a great team of people within our highly regarded Trade Marks, Copyright and Media Group.

If you are interested in discussing this opportunity then please send your CV via email to Kate Gravelle at k.gravelle@taylorwessing.com

As a global patent and trade mark firm Marks & Clerk has a unique ability to deliver an integrated, quality service to clients wherever they are located.

Our Midlands Group has enjoyed considerable success of late. Due to continued growth in our client base, we are looking to recruit a qualified or part-qualified trade mark attorney, or a solicitor with trade mark experience wishing to qualify as a trade mark attorney. Although based in Oxford, work in our other Midlands offices may be required.

The trade mark practice has a wide-ranging client base and undertakes a full portfolio of work, including contentious matters. The successful candidate will have good business sense, an excellent appreciation of trade mark law and practice, and the ability to develop strong links with their clients. They will work as part of a small team under the direction of a trade mark partner.

The role offers excellent opportunities for career advancement and the salary and benefits package are excellent and will reflect the experience of the candidate.

About Marks & Clerk

Marks & Clerk is the UK’s leading and largest firm of patent and trade mark attorneys. With an expanding network of offices in the UK, Europe, Canada and the Far East and an associated law firm, Marks & Clerk Solicitors, we are able to meet clients’ IP needs globally and locally.

Marks & Clerk recently merged with Lloyd Wise, giving us an even stronger presence in the UK and the Far East.

Our trade mark attorneys advise clients worldwide in a full range of industry sectors, including fashion, food and drink, retail, sports, luxury goods, financial services and FMCG.

Marks & Clerk is consistently ranked a top tier firm in the UK for both patents and trade marks in the Managing Intellectual Property World IP Survey and in the Legal 500 legal directory.

Should you wish to discuss the role further, please contact Peter Hillier on 01242 524520 or apply to him by email: phillier@marks-clerk.com

www.marks-clerk.com

The growth of the trade mark practice of our Leeds office means that we now need to appoint a further part or recently qualified attorney to join the trade mark team.

The practice has an excellent blue chip client list, including several US as well as other overseas attorney clients. There is a mix of trade mark and design advisory, prosecution and contentious work.

The successful candidate will be given full support in qualifying for any outstanding examinations and encouraged to pursue further studies. They will also be expected to engage in local marketing and participate in professional conferences and Institute affairs.

The Leeds office forms part of our Northern region (Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester), comprising a team of over 20 fee earners supported by a combined records and accounts group.

Leeds is a highly regarded location in which to work and is the largest financial and legal centre outside of London. It offers excellent lifestyle options and a wide choice of affordable accommodation. A generous relocation package will be available if necessary and the office itself will be relocating to larger city centre premises shortly.

The salary, pension and benefits package are excellent and the professional training and career opportunities within the firm are second to none.

About Marks & Clerk

Marks & Clerk is the UK’s leading and largest firm of patent and trade mark attorneys. With an expanding network of offices in the UK, Europe, Canada and the Far East and an associated law firm, Marks & Clerk Solicitors, we are able to meet clients’ IP needs globally and locally.

Marks & Clerk recently merged with Lloyd Wise, giving us an even stronger presence in the UK and the Far East.

Our trade mark attorneys advise clients worldwide in a full range of industry sectors, including fashion, food and drink, retail, sports, luxury goods, financial services and FMCG.

Marks & Clerk is consistently ranked a top tier firm in the UK for both patents and trade marks in the Managing Intellectual Property World IP Survey and in the Legal 500 legal directory.

If you would like to discuss this role further, please contact Keith Hodkinson at our Leeds practice, either by calling him on 0113 389 5600 or by e-mail: khodkinson@marks-clerk.com

www.marks-clerk.com

We are a long established European Patent and Trade Mark firm with a reputation for the highest quality of professional advice coupled with commercial acumen. These strengths have contributed to an increasing portfolio of clients in many areas.

We are now seeking to grow our Trade Mark practice and are looking to recruit a qualified and experienced Trade Mark Attorney, preferably with a legal background, who can demonstrate a real aptitude for contentious work. The candidates we are interested in will have the skills to meet the needs of our already impressive client base and be able to demonstrate capability to grow the portfolio. Someone who can bring with them a significant client portfolio would be particularly attractive.

We can offer remuneration, prospects and an environment commensurate of the candidates we are seeking.

If you think that you have the qualities we are looking for and would relish the challenges on offer, please contact Roger Herrington, HR Director, on 020 7269 1560 for a confidential discussion or send your CV to rherrington@mathys-squire.com