Signs of Business Growth in the UK Intellectual Property Sector

In a recent review of the UK Intellectual Property sector, recruitment consultancy Fellows and Associates, reports that 2011 should be a better year for UK private practice firms of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys.

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Pete Fellows, Director

“As a specialist recruiter for Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys I feel there is sometimes very little reflection on the market by recruitment firms and we could be a valuable source of information."

(PRWEB) August 18, 2010

The ‘Review of the UK Private Practice Intellectual Property Sector, August 2010’ by Pete Fellows, Managing Director of Intellectual Property specialist recruitment firm Fellows and Associates reports that, “If the amount of work that a recruitment company has could be considered an indicator of market conditions then there is cause for positivity.” and “The firms now recruiting include some that made redundancies or cut back recruitment budgets last year. Competition for candidates is going to get more intense which could push up salaries in the coming year.”

All of this is positive news in a sector that felt the impact of recession more than perhaps was anticipated with a number of UK firms making well documented redundancies last year. The impact of economic circumstance was not universal however and the report also indicates that “A few of our clients actually continued to grow throughout 2009 and 2010 perhaps based on a foundation of strong entrepreneurial principles and a good direct client base.”

Jerome Spaargaren of Patent and Trademark firm EIP has commented on the review:

“I feel Pete has given an accurate reflection of what market conditions have been like over the last year or so. Some firms such as EIP have managed to weather the recession very well with a reduction in revenue from some clients replaced by an increase from others, or, because of a sound business development strategy, new work entirely. However, a number of our competitors have not been able to cope as well with a dramatic fall in income from their key client relationships and hence have had to make cutbacks”.

Pete is optimistic about the prospects for the Intellectual Property Sector in 2011.

“As a specialist recruiter for Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys I feel there is sometimes very little reflection on the market by recruitment firms and we could be a valuable source of information. Given the number of recent instructions Fellows and Associates has received I believe there is real cause for optimism in the next year.”

The review also suggests a potential spirit of entrepreneurialism in the UK Intellectual Property Sector indicating that there have been a number of newly created firms over the last 12 months.

Pete still believes it will be tough for university graduates however.

“It is only implied in the review but finding a career as a Patent Attorney is tougher than ever for university graduates with a 1st class degree and a PhD almost the minimum requirement”.

As a consequence Fellows and Associates have produced a video in conjunction with Patent Attorney, Matt Dixon, aimed at graduates entering the profession. The video covers the selection criteria but also outlines what one might expect from a career as a Patent Attorney.

For regular news from Fellows and Associates join their group on Linkedin.

About Fellows and Associates
Fellows and Associates recruit Patent Attorneys, Trade Mark Attorneys, IP Lawyers and other Intellectual Property professionals globally. The firm offers a diverse range of recruitment services including search, advertised selection and managed campaigns. Fellows and Associates' management consultancy division provides targeted strategic advice to firms within the Intellectual Property sector on a range of issues from marketing to financial strategy. See fellowsandassociates.com for more or phone +44 207 903 5019.

Fellows and Associates' Managing Director, Pete Fellows has over a decade's experience in the recruitment industry and has recruited positions in locations such as Russia, Australia, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States.

Jerome Spaargaren is the founder of EIP, UK Patent and Trademark Attorneys, who have enjoyed tremendous growth over the last few years. EIP is a niche firm with a strong practice in electronics, telecoms, computing and software. EIP has recently opened a new biotechnology practice group, EIP Life.

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