Clair Curran

"Clair works as Patent Attorney, which is a like a cross between a scientist and a lawyer, assessing new inventions and protecting people’s ideas.In her job, Clair needs to be inventive and questioning which fits well with the ‘Investigator’ and ‘Developer’ types. As you might expect of someone working in the law field, Ruth is also methodical and organised. When assessing new inventions to make sure they are truly innovative and that nobody has already patented the design, and when writing up patent applications, she demonstrates the ‘Quality Controller’ type. "

"Clair works as Patent Attorney, which is a like a cross between a scientist and a lawyer, assessing new inventions and protecting people’s ideas. When people have a design or invention they register it, or patent it, so that nobody can use the design without their permission.Clair’s job involves drafting and registering patent applications for new inventions. She may be investigating and registering a new design idea for a client or she could be in court prosecuting someone for using her client’s idea or invention without getting their permission or paying them a fee. She communicates with clients, foreign attorneys and Patent Offices. One focus of her practice is working with patent applications relating to medical devices and she thinks it's great to see the advances in medicine! The most exciting part of her job so far has been qualifying as a European Patent Attorney and the European Patent Office is based in Munich and The Hague, so there is the opportunity to travel. Clair also attends scientific and legal conferences, and this year she went to the Bio International Conference in Boston, USA. "

"Clair originally undertook scientific qualifications, including a PhD in Biochemistry. While she was studying for a Post-Doc, she met a patent attorney who was working on a patent application for her university and this inspired her to enter the patent profession. She then trained on the job to become a Chartered UK Patent Attorney and then a European Patent Attorney, to reach the role she is in now. That is the standard route to being a patent attorney. The starting salary for a trainee patent attorney is about £27,000 but as you work through your training, you could earn up to £55,000 before you’ve even finished your exams!"

"In her spare time, Clair loves gardening and walking. In her job, people working in private practice can have a career progression path from trainee to equity partner, and if they are working as an ‘in-house’ lawyer then they have the potential to be head of a Patent Department. In the future, Clair would like to continue in her role and to help train future patent attorneys."