What was your first ever job?
Business Development & Support Apprentice at Potter Clarkson!
How did you get involved and what first attracted you to your chosen field?
I had a growing interest in law and was studying the CILEx Diploma in Legal Administration at College. I was eager to put the skills I had learnt into practice and so I searched for apprenticeships within a legal environment.
When did you join Potter Clarkson and why?
I joined Potter Clarkson in November 2014. When I was considering whether to apply, I visited the firm’s website and was intrigued about the world of intellectual property and wanted to learn more about it, so went ahead and applied.
What is your area of speciality and why did you choose it?
In October 2016, I moved to the firm’s trade marks department and began working as a junior secretary. This role was exciting as I was learning something new every day and I was able to put my legal administration skills into practice. I am now working as a fully trained secretary for a Senior Associate, Edwina FitzHugh, and I specialise in supporting Edwina with the administration side of all her trade mark cases. I am also a part of the Inclusivity and Wellbeing Working Group, through which we help employees feel more integrated into the firm and encourage them to lead a healthier lifestyle, both mentally and physically.
What does a typical day in your role entail and what do you most enjoy about it/find most challenging?
The atmosphere in the trade marks department is very fast-paced and high-pressured as we face deadlines set by our clients and trade mark offices all over the world. Within a typical day, I transcribe and dispatch correspondence, prepare reports and presentations, manage incoming correspondence and files, monitor case details and deadlines and take and transfer calls. More recently however, I have been drafting short correspondence and trade mark office forms myself, under the supervision of a qualified attorney, and find this to be one of the most challenging yet enjoyable tasks I carry out in my role.
What has been the highlight of your career at Potter Clarkson so far?
I made it my goal to become a legal secretary and I am proud to say that I have achieved it!
It started with me being accepted onto an apprenticeship scheme at Potter Clarkson and once I completed the apprenticeship, I was offered a full-time position as a Business Development and Support Coordinator. While working in this role, a vacancy became available for a junior secretary in the trade marks Department. I applied for this role, and successfully gained it! After I completed my training, I was promoted and provided secretarial support for a Senior Associate and have worked in this position since.
What advice would you give anyone looking to join Potter Clarkson?
If you have a good work ethic, a positive attitude and are a lifelong learner, then I think you would be a great fit for the firm. And if you are looking for a company that cares about its employees’ health and wellbeing, one that gives to charity and has a modern outlook, then this could well be the perfect place for you!