GJE welcomes Sutton Trust work experience students

Last month, we had the pleasure of welcoming a brilliant group of A-level students to GJE for our annual work experience programme in partnership with The Sutton Trust.

Across three interactive days, students were introduced to the breadth of intellectual property law and the many career paths within it. The programme began with the fundamentals of IP, before taking a deep dive into trade marks – from registrability to real-world strategy – alongside practical advice on routes to becoming a trade mark attorney.

The focus then shifted to patents and designs, where students explored the life cycle of a patent, tackled drafting and infringement scenarios, and worked in teams to develop and protect their own product concepts. In addition to meeting our attorneys, students also spent time with GJE’s business support teams, gaining insight into the wide range of professionals whose work is essential to the firm’s success.

On the final day, students had the opportunity to debate current ‘hot topics’ shaping the sector and were joined by a panel of guest speakers who shared their own experiences in the industry. GJE would like to thank to Darrin Shaya of Stanley Black and Decker, Emily Dyer of VWV, and Ben Longstaff of Hogarth Chambers for joining us in supporting the students, and providing their insight into the breadth of roles available in IP.

It was a truly rewarding few days for us, and the students told us that they found the experience equally insightful.

GJE is proud to support The Sutton Trust in its mission to promote social mobility and open doors to ambitious young people. We hope this year’s cohort left feeling inspired about the career possibilities within IP.