INTERVIEW

How did you learn about the Patent Attorney profession and what inspired you to become a (European) Patent Attorney?

My first position after my studies was a post graduate program at a large German company in the automotive business. After the 15-month long program, the participants needed to apply for the open positions within the company. At the time there were many positions that I thought relevant, but the posting from the patent department sounded interesting in particular. I believe what triggered me back then was the combination of working with front line technology and language. Before that, I had a vary vague idea of what a patent was.

If you had to split your role into science, law, and business, what is the proportion of each?

During my last year my role and focus has switched to become much more business oriented, where I am rather a business advisor with science and IP knowledge, rather than a traditional Patent Attorney.

Even though I still have my competence as a European Patent Attorney in the background, I try to keep away from the detailed questions and analysis, to keep a more business-oriented view. Instead I use my colleagues for the detailed case specific analysis. My role becomes that of a translator/guide, where put the strict juridical and technology oriented analysis into the business context of my clients.

In this context my role is 100% business oriented, but I use my understanding of technology and IP, to apply the specific situation into the client’s business plan and strategy, to help them use IP as one tool to reach their business goals.

What does the team structure at your workplace look like?

We have country management, and six sites in different regions of Sweden, where each region has their business team focusing on serving the regional market with our services. The business teams use the resources from the whole firm to allocate the right resources to their local client.

What does your average workday look like?

Maybe the hardest question of all. However, at least an exemplary workday, would be something like this: 2-4 hours of client meetings, 2-4 hours attending to and delegating client work, 1 hour new client sales, 20 minutes business update, 20 minutes general discussions with colleagues, and 20 minutes summing up and planning for the next day. And of course all neatly finished within a normal working day, allowing me to come home to the family in decent time. 

What would a dream workday as a (European) Patent Attorney look like for you?

Best days are when I can spend a lot of time on-site with the clients.  

What is the most exciting aspect of being a (European) Patent Attorney for you?

Have the competence to work in the intersection between business, technology and law is exciting, frustrating and very rewarding. Rewarding, since with the team of expertise I can bring to the clients, we get so much positive feedback on what we bring to them.

Being the hub in a client team and stitching the services together, which gives the client that extra bump forward in their business.

What are your least favourite tasks?

I prefer challenging tasks, where my problem-solving skills are tested. Hence, in the other end of the scale are more routine focused tasks, which I can luckily delegate to a large extent in my current role.   

Does your job allow you to have time for your hobbies? Do you have any side projects related to patents?

It is always a question of prioritisation. I am a convinced that work, family/friends and health are three pillars that all need their fair share of attention, for any of the others to function long term. So, yes I take my time for both family/friends and hobbies, to be able to keep my pace and energy at work. Personally, I love sports, such as running and biking and being out in the nature is always a blizz.

If you could start your career over, would you change anything?

The one claiming they wouldn’t do anything differently, lies! Hence, I really believe that there are always things that I can do different and better, but that is all a part of the learning path. All the mistakes and faulty decisions have led me to where I am today, where I (as everyone else) still struggles to improve and be the better version of myself. With that sad, in each and every moment where things have gone wrong (we all do mistakes) I have wished I had handled that situation differently.  

If the Patent Attorney profession suddenly disappeared tomorrow, what else would you do?

With that sudden disappearance of the profession, I would start a workshop and team-building company, focusing on experiences in the nature.

What advice would you give someone that wants to become a European Patent Attorney?

Be curious about your colleagues and clients and find an environment where you feel comfortable, and are allowed to do mistakes and learn.

What do you think about the future outlook of our profession?

With the always faster pace of development, we all need to change. I believe that IP-related business advice will be the core competence, or at least the competence that makes you attractive to the client, of European Patent Attorneys. When there is more and more computer support for searching, drafting, data analysis, it is the competence to put the output of the data analysis in the business environment of the client that will create the real value.