Trade Mark Attorney

The role

We are looking for an experienced Chartered Trade Mark Attorney to join our IP & Commercial team.  Working within a team of 4 Partners you will have the opportunity to work directly with clients, supporting them in protecting their intellectual property rights in the UK and internationally.

It is a hybrid role with three days (Tuesday to Thursday) in our London Bridge office with enviable river views. 

The role requires a high degree of personal organisation, reliability and accountability. You must be able to manage matters proactively, meet deadlines without close supervision and communicate clearly with both colleagues and clients. You will be expected to keep fee earners updated on progress, flag risks early and take ownership of tasks from start to finish.

This is a broad role with opportunity to get involved across a range of trade mark issues in a variety of sectors. You will have the opportunity to develop both your technical expertise and client relationship and business development skills, while providing consistent, constructive support to more junior members of the team.  

The team:

We support well-known UK and international brands with the protection and enforcement of their IP rights. 

Our clients include individuals, entrepreneurial businesses and large corporates at the forefront of innovation within a variety of sectors including:

• Retail, leisure and hospitality 
• Media and entertainment, including interactive entertainment
• Advertising and marcoms
• Fashion and beauty
• The arts 
• Technology, including fintech
• Consumer electronics

Our trade marks practice focuses on clearance, prosecution, portfolio management and trade mark disputes. 

We provide our clients with advisory services covering the adoption, clearance and registration of trade marks and registered designs in the UK, EU and internationally by way of our trusted network of IP specialist firms. 

We regularly enforce our clients' rights by way of actions in the IPO, domain name proceedings (including UDRP), Company Names Tribunal proceedings, infringement litigation and other forms of dispute resolution. We are also co-ordinate international disputes and are experienced in anti-counterfeiting matters, in particular, the handling of customs seizures for global brands.

Our recent experience includes advising;

• A US based technology company on a long running trade mark dispute with a telecoms company, including acting in multiple cancelations and oppositions.
• An internationally recognised sculptor on a trade mark infringement claim against a global manufacturer.
• International computer games corporation on the clearance, filing and enforcement of trade marks in the UK, EU and internationally.
• A sustainable home and personal care brand offering refillable, plastic-free products on a trade mark dispute with an identically named business that was also focused on resolving the problems associated with plastic waste.

Role responsibility

Case management and communication 

• Managing your own caseload and ensuring all trade mark deadlines are monitored and met. 
• Proactively updating instructing partners and clients on progress, next steps and any emerging issues.
• Ensuring accurate time recording and prompt billing support.
• Liaising effectively with other team members to ensure smooth coordination on active matters.

Technical and formalities work

• Advising on trade mark and design filing and strategy;
• Overseeing all aspects of trade mark and design portfolio management including: preparation of costs quotes; trade mark and registered design applications; recordals and renewals; citations, examination reports, watch notices and status reports.
• Preparing clearance search reports;
• Drafting trade mark specifications, including technically correct limitations when required;
• Drafting confirmatory trade mark assignments; 
• Preparing filing particulars and opposition particulars for instructing counsel internationally;
• International prosecution of trade marks and designs in national registries and at WIPO;
• Managing opposition and cancellation actions and assisting with settlement negotiations;
• Managing the collection and collation of evidence in support of oppositions and cancellation actions;
• Drafting Statements of Grounds, Defences and written submissions for use in UKIPO opposition and cancellation actions;
• Drafting witness statements for use in UKIPO opposition and cancellation actions;
• Drafting inter partes correspondence in relation to the withdrawal or amendment of trade mark applications or registrations. 
• Ensuring all work is checked carefully before circulation and maintaining high standards of accuracy, completeness and presentation.

Teamwork, supervision and internal processes

• Working collaboratively with colleagues and contributing positively to team culture.
• Using internal tools such as document automation, the precedent bank and/or process guides.
• Supporting the supervision of junior colleagues, ensuring they receive clear instructions, constructive feedback and timely guidance.
• Following internal procedures, maintaining orderly and up to date file management, and ensuring compliance with professional and regulatory obligations.

About you

Ideally you will be able to demonstrate:

• Post qualification experience in a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney role, with experience in trade mark and design portfolio management
• Experience in dealing with all aspects of trade mark formalities, including experience of having dealt with various trade mark registries.
• A thorough understanding of trade mark law and procedure.
• The ability to work with the rest of the team to help solve complex technical problems
• Thoroughness and attention to detail
• Willingness to embrace technology and new ways of working. 
• A consistent, reliable and proactive approach to workload management, with the ability to prioritise effectively and seek input early where needed.
• The ability to work independently and take ownership of tasks while also recognising when to seek partner sign off and how to escalate issues.
• Strong organisation skills with the ability to manage client deadlines
• A commitment to clear, timely communication with colleagues and clients, including providing regular updates without being prompted.
• A clear and effective written communication style
• Good communication skills and confidence in dealing with both internal and external stakeholders
• A collaborative mindset and positive contribution to a collegiate team environment.
• Exceptional client facing skills and the ability and drive to develop long standing client relationships
• A commercial approach to problem solving and providing innovative solutions
• Eagerness to actively participate in business development and profile-raising activities

At Howard Kennedy we believe that everyone deserves the space to thrive. We’re committed to creating an inclusive recruitment experience that reflects the diversity of both our people and our clients.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities, and we’re committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and accessible to all.

We understand that every candidate’s needs are different If there’s anything we can do to make your application journey more comfortable— whether for interviews, assessments, or onboarding—please let us know. We’ll work with you to remove any barriers and ensure our recruitment process is comfortable for you. 

Contact our recruitment team at recruitment@howardkennedy.com to discuss any support you might need.

Agency Introductions

Please note that we are not accepting applications via agencies for this role at this time. Before sharing any named candidate CVs, please contact your recruitment representative. If any named CVs are sent from agencies without approval from our recruitment team, they will not be deemed valid introductions, and no agency fee will be paid.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual holiday
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Interest free Season Ticket Loan
• Private Healthcare
• Pension Scheme
• Staff Introductory Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

About us

With almost 200 lawyers in one location, we ensure our clients have the right team to help them get from where they are to where they want to be. We advise major corporates and institutions as well as entrepreneurial, ambitious enterprises which are often privately or family owned, or private equity backed. As well as our significant business law capability, we are one of only a few London-based law firms with a large private wealth offering. Our clients find our straightforward approach a compelling alternative to larger, less personal firms.

Whether you are an ambitious and talented individual wanting to hit the ground running from day one, or an established professional looking for a new opportunity, Howard Kennedy is the firm where you can really make it happen.

We have earned a strong reputation for our exceptional and uniquely talented people who between them deliver outstanding results for clients. In a firm of our size, our strong team dynamic creates a thriving culture of creativity and entrepreneurialism. Howard Kennedy is a pragmatic and non-hierarchical environment where success is shared, and you are proactively encouraged to thrive at your own pace.

Our distinctive culture is built on fairness and respect. Guided by the firm’s values of talk straight, think smart and be yourself, everyone in the firm holds equal value, and everyone plays their role in supporting, encouraging and inspiring colleagues to do their best work.

At the same time, we recognise and reward individualism, celebrating the diversity of our people and supporting them to grow their practice and drive their own career advancement.

As well as client work, there is opportunity to broaden your horizons at the firm with fulfilling pro bono and charity projects. We have a regular social calendar full of wellbeing activities, charitable and social events too.