Trainee Patent Attorney - Tech - London

We are recruiting individuals with a scientific background who are interested in developing an exciting career in the patent profession.   This is a unique opportunity, offering excellent training and career development prospects, to join an international, future facing law firm.

About us

CMS is a Future Facing firm with more than 80 offices in over 45 countries and 5,800+ lawyers worldwide. We combine deep local market understanding with a global perspective. We are passionate about building strong relationships with our clients, our people, and the communities we work in.

We take a bold, dynamic, and agile approach to ensure our clients are able to face the future with confidence. We are driven by emerging technologies such as generative AI and readily embrace the possibilities it opens up for developing new and better ways of working.  Our aim is to inspire, impact and support our clients and our people, helping them to maximize their potential and thrive.

About the role

We are recruiting Trainee Patent Attorneys to join our number 1 ranked patent filing and prosecution team in London, in Autumn 2025.

You will be provided with ongoing training and development whilst studying for your Certificate in Intellectual Property and subsequently, your UK and/or European Patent exams.  You will work alongside experienced colleagues and leaders in their field who will guide you through the varied aspects of international patent law and how to apply these to meet clients’ needs.

Opportunities will include:
- assisting in the drafting and filing of patent applications including dealing direct with inventors;
- patent prosecution at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) including face to face client meetings online;
- EPO oral proceedings;
- involvement in IP due diligence and patent litigation.

- the chance to assist start-ups and scale-ups protect their technology as part of the CMS equIP scheme.

Our Intellectual Property group is one of the largest teams in Europe for patent and trade mark work.  Our patent attorneys work alongside our IP, litigation, corporate and commercial lawyers.  This offering makes us a rarity in the market as we are a full-service law firm able to provide a fully integrated service for all stages in the IP life cycle.  
 

Our IP clients include blue-chip businesses, universities, research institutes, start-ups and spin outs, and growth technology companies across all disciplines.

About you

We will invest in your ongoing training and development to support your professional goals and help you to thrive in your role from day one. Our opportunities are open to all suitably qualified applicants, so to be considered for this role, you must meet the following skills and experience:

We are looking for candidates with a strong academic record in physics, computer science or electrical engineering.  In addition, the ideal candidate will:
- have a Masters and/or PhD in a relevant field and/or have industry experience;
- be self-motivated and interested in further developing their knowledge of IP law and patent prosecution work;
- be proactive in undertaking a wide range of work, across diverse technical and legal areas;
- have excellent attention to detail and organisational skills, with experience working under pressure towards tight deadlines whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy;  
- be flexible in their attitude and an effective team player, willing to collaborate and build professional relationships across all levels; and
- have excellent communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
 

What’s in it for you?

We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, therefore we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name a few, these include:

•    Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
•    Flexible, hybrid working policy
•    Generous bonus scheme
•    Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
•    Holiday exchange scheme
•    Private medical insurance
•    Enhanced parental leave
•    Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits, please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.

Equal opportunities

At CMS, we place diversity and inclusion at the centre of our culture and the heart of our organisation. As a firm we recognise, celebrate, and embrace the diverse talent our society has to offer because we know that to solve big problems, we need the best and brightest minds available to us.  In support of this goal, we commit to actively breaking down barriers which stand in the way of those from diverse backgrounds and play our part in levelling the playing field. 
 
As a Future Facing Firm, we strongly believe that a career in law should be open to people from all walks of life, because not only does diversity of thought and experience make our firm a stronger and more sustainable business, but it also makes it a more rewarding place to work.
 
When recruiting, we prioritise attracting talented people and we actively promote a flexible working environment which enables all our team members to thrive. If you see a role you are interested in, but don’t feel you meet 100% of the criteria we encourage you to still consider making an application. We also welcome applications from those who may be looking to return to the workforce after a career break. 
 
We are proud to say our leadership in creating an inclusive working culture has been celebrated and recognised externally, including being listed for a number of years in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women and the Social Mobility Index.
 
We are a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer, and we actively encourage applications from people with disabilities, whether visible or invisible. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity throughout our recruitment process and in every element of the employee life cycle. If you require assistance, or if you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements or adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please contact a member of the Talent Acquisition team at TalentAcquisition@cms-cmno.com who will be happy to support you.

Ready to apply? Here are the next steps.

We look forward to receiving your application online via the CMS careers site. Please contact our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions. 

Please note that we have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.

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