Associate (1-3 PQE)

The firm

Bristows is a market leading law firm with a global client base across our core sectors of life sciences and technology. The firm has maintained its high standing in the market with the exceptional quality of our lawyers, the strength of our scientific and legal expertise and our unique firm culture driven by our values.

The team

Consistently ranked in the top tier in all major directories, the patent litigation practice combines technical expertise covering all the major scientific and engineering disciplines, with an unrivalled depth and breadth of litigation experience.

Comprising 12 partners, around 30 other UK qualified lawyers, and a further 20 fee-earners, the patent litigation team is probably the largest dedicated patent litigation group in the UK. We also work regularly with other groups within Bristows, notably the life sciences regulatory group and the competition group across a range of issues from life sciences to telecoms, for example in relation to Standard Essential Patent disputes.

We deal with all types of patent disputes, infringement and validity cases, entitlement (ownership) disputes, SPCs, employee compensation, exhaustion of rights, and threats of patent infringement. We are regularly the leading firm in respect of case numbers before the English Patents Court and are increasingly active in the UPC. Many of our cases are international in nature, often requiring the coordination of litigation outside the UK. The team also deals, often in conjunction with colleagues in the commercial & technology disputes group, with licensing disputes which may involve arbitration or other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

The role

The Patent Litigation department at Bristows is looking to recruit a patent litigation associate (PQE 1-3). Candidates should be accustomed to working in partner-led teams whilst assuming high levels of responsibility. They should be able to demonstrate an enthusiasm for business development and the wider aspects of the role of an associate, such as knowledge management and, depending on level of seniority, the delegation to and management and mentoring of more junior lawyers.

First rate legal skills and experience are essential, as is an enthusiasm for getting involved in their cases, the department and firm as a whole, and the sectors mentioned. Candidates should be ambitious and self-motivated yet able to fit naturally into the distinctively collaborative, mutually supportive and friendly culture that exists at Bristows. The candidates should have excellent interpersonal skills as the position will involve client contact and participation in business development activities, often in collaboration with lawyers in other teams at Bristows.

Our values & culture

With around 300 staff and partners in total and one UK location, we are able to maintain a friendly atmosphere where everyone is able to get to know each other and many policies and practices can operate on a trust basis. We also have much smaller offices in Brussels (opened post-Brexit) and Dublin (opened to coincide with the UPC).

We are based in modern offices at Blackfriars and very much value face to face collaboration and the social element of working relationships. We have introduced a Remote Working Policy which enables staff to work in an agile way – we do not monitor attendance but simply ask that everyone spends on average across the year more time in the office than out of it – typically three days a week for a full time employee.

Our firm values, which we very much “live”, are Ambition, Bravery, Curiosity and Friendliness. These underpin all that we do across both our client work and our internal strategic decision making. We are signatories to the Mindful Business Charter and take our commitment to staff welfare and work life balance very seriously.

None of our lawyers have billing targets which means we can focus on doing the best for our clients while also having the time and capacity to assist each other in a genuinely collaborative working culture. No one is competing for hours and everyone knows they can enjoy downtime when it arrives.

Training & career progression

We aim to have a coaching culture with regular informal feedback to supplement the formal appraisal process. Mentoring schemes are available for fee earners while members of the HR team can provide personal coaching and guidance in non-legal and personal management skills.

Personal and professional development is much valued at all levels so we have a generous budget which enables us to meet most ad hoc requests for additional training.

Reward & benefits

Our salary and bonus structure reflects our lack of billing targets and collaborative culture and any bonus is paid as a simple percentage bonus across the whole firm. We have a flexible benefits package that is kept under regular review and is designed with the wellbeing of our staff and their families.

Diversity & inclusion

At Bristows we are committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion for all, and we are a proud signatory of the Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter. As a firm, and as individuals, we do all we can to treat people fairly and with mutual respect. This commitment enriches our work and our working lives and has played a key part in our success over the years.

We have an active, partner-led Diversity & Inclusion group which runs awareness raising and educational initiatives in addition to ensuring that our policies and procedures remain inclusive. Our Charities Committee is equally busy and puts on a range of events from sporting to baking to our Christmas Craft Shop, all in aid of our Charity of the Year. Our Wellbeing Programme is championed at partner level and is structured around the pillars of Physical, Mental, Financial and Community wellbeing with an annual programme of events, educational activities and support.

It is our policy to provide equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants in relation to recruitment, selection, pay, training, working conditions and promotion opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender, gender affirmation, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation. For more information about EDI policies and practices at the firm, please see here.

For more information on our firm values, see here.