Intellectual property (IP) lawyers specialise in protecting, enforcing and managing their clients’ rights over intangible assets.
These include things like inventions, brands, creative works, designs, and confidential information. This helps their clients control, benefit from, and defend their intellectual property.
IP lawyers typically handle matters in the following areas:
Typical day-to-day tasks for an IP lawyer might include preparing licensing agreements or assignments of IP rights, preparing and submitting trademark and patent applications, and working with litigation lawyer colleagues on enforcement matters and disputes.
Intellectual Property lawyers at the leading London law firms can expect to earn between £100,000 - £125,000 at the junior end of the associate scale (up to 2/3 years’ PQE).
Mid and senior-level associates can expect to earn north of £150,000.
We have a list of salaries paid by all of the UK’s top law firms here.
IP law covers several different areas, as outlined above. Some law firms are particularly noted for their expertise in specific areas and not in others so it’s worthwhile spending some time looking into each area in more detail.
Bird & Bird is generally considered to be the UK’s leading IP law firm.
Other leading firms include Bristows, CMS, Mischcon de Reya, Gowling, and Taylor Wessing.
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