The IP Academy

Introduction

At Kilburn & Strode, the work of our paralegals and business support staff is incredibly valuable and important. We believe that we are one of the first firms to offer our very own academy dedicated to training, supporting and advancing our IP paralegals. We run a two-and-a-half year programme for those individuals looking for a paralegal role and a career in intellectual property support. Now in its fourth year, it has proven highly successful with our current IP Academy graduates thriving.

Our paralegals bring another dimension to the relationship between us and our clients. The IP Academy provides a network to enhance and develop the skills required to build these strong relationships. The structure of the programme, as well as the people involved, combine to create a supportive and learning-driven environment for our paralegals to grow and flourish within the world of intellectual property.

Nadirah Miah

Being a part of the IP Academy means you’re never without support. The various teams you work with are incredibly welcoming, patient and always encourage you in pursuit of your development.

Nadirah Miah

IP Paralegal

Timeline of the programme

Year One


In your first year you will typically complete two or three different placements. At least one of these will cover areas of the European patent process to help develop your technical knowledge. You will also complete a placement in our Finance team and/or our Marketing and Business Development team. These will help you develop an understanding of our business.
 
As well as on-the-job experience on your placements, you’ll spend part of your time completing your specific paralegal training through a combination of courses, online and self-guided learning. In this first year this will be focussed on understanding the fundamentals of how we protect our client’s IP in Europe, learning about the financial aspect of our business and becoming an expert in the client experience.

Timeline of the programme

Year Two


In your second year, you will complete two further placements. These will focus on UK and overseas patents as well as building on your European patent knowledge. You will also have the opportunity to learn about trade marks and designs.
 
As well as maintaining your training and self-guided learning from year one, you will also start taking on your own case load and assignments. As you progress through this year you will be given greater responsibility and become more independent by having ownership of your own projects. This will allow you to put your knowledge to the test whilst also cementing yourself as a valued and trusted member of the firm.

Timeline of the programme

Year three: Graduating with a qualification as a K&S IP paralegal!

 

Early in your third year, you will complete the last of your internal training modules.
 
You’ll then be ready to move on to your next role. For this, we’ll work with you to find your strengths and the areas you enjoy most. You’re likely to join our patent paralegal team, perhaps with responsibility for a particular client or alternatively specialising in a particular area of patent procedure or law. If available, you may also elect to take a role in another area of our business, such as in the finance, marketing or trade mark team.
 
Your training will be such that you should slot in easily into whichever position you take, making a full contribution from day one. With the breadth of the paralegal training programme you will also be mobile within the firm, allowing you to move smoothly between teams as work priorities and your own interests change.
 
Your final steps are to complete the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorney’s (CIPA) 'Introductory Patent Paralegal Course' and sit the exam in January. After passing this exam you are now a graduate and a qualified paralegal! From here, the opportunities are endless.

Your contact with the IP Academy won’t end there though – we’ll ask you to help the programme evolve and to assist with training our new round of paralegals.

Paralegal and beyond…

With a track record as a patent paralegal, your next steps await you. You could find yourself becoming the firm’s expert in a particular area of the patent process or heading up a paralegal team. If you really shine, you could eventually end up joining our management team.
 
The application window is now open to join the next IP Academy cohort.
 

Having exams at the end of each rotation gives you an opportunity to both experience the department as well as have ownership of your own study. This also allows you to challenge yourself to find your strengths.

Maisie Norwood

Specialist Patent Paralegal

Robyn Ferguson

I love working with the IP Academy. Our trainee paralegals are such a vibrant group – full of ideas and energy.

Robyn Ferguson

IP Academy Manager

Read more about our trainee programmes and apply here.

Read more and apply now!