Qualified/Part Qualified Patent Attorney – Pharmaceuticals

Carpmaels & Ransford; London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading intellectual property law firm in London is seeking exceptional part-qualified or qualified patent attorneys to join their Chemistry team. Candidates should have a focus on pharmaceutical work and experience in managing chemical matters. This role offers exciting opportunities in contentious work and a supportive, diverse, and collaborative environment. The ideal candidate will have a strong academic background and excellent problem-solving skills.

Benefits

Excellent remuneration and benefits package

Exceptional training for UK and EQE qualifications

Collaborative and sociable team environment

Qualifications

• Part-qualified or qualified patent attorney with strong focus on pharmaceutical subject matter.
• Ability to think strategically and work collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Support leading pharmaceutical and chemical companies.
• Contribute to contentious work and represent clients in multi-party oppositions.

Skills

Part-qualification in the UK and EQE

Experience in pharmaceutical work

Drafting and prosecuting EPO and PCT applications

Understanding of EPO opposition procedure

Strong command of English

Excellent time management

Aptitude for problem-solving

Education

Excellent academic background in organic chemistry

Job description

Carpmaels & Ransford are a leading European intellectual property law firm. Through our passionate and award-winning team of patent attorneys, litigators, and trade marks and transactions experts we advise many of the world’s most innovative and successful healthcare companies.

We were awarded EPO Prosecution Firm of the Year at the IAM and WTR Global IP Awards 2024, received two Europe Impact Case of the Year awards at the 2025 MIP EMEA Awards and most recently took home Patent Litigation Firm of the Year: Biologics & Biosimilars; and SPC Litigation Firm of the Year at the LMG Life Sciences Awards 2025 EMEA.

We hire talented and passionate people who think creatively and seek new intellectual challenges. Working collaboratively, we share our knowledge and experience across teams, actively learning from each other in a friendly and sociable environment. Our clients trust us with their most complex and important cases, so we get to solve the most interesting problems with a big impact in the real world.

As a firm, we’re passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Diversity of thought is vital to our business; it’s how we approach challenges differently and offer our clients creative and original solutions. Through our work with organisations such as IP Inclusive, Stonewall and Business in the Community via the Race at Work Charter, we are putting the right steps in place to make sure that all our people feel supported and empowered to be themselves.

While we work hard for our clients, healthy work/life balance is very important to us and we run regular wellbeing events in addition to the large number of clubs and social activities that are available to everyone at the firm. We are also enthusiastic supporters of our wider community through partnerships with the Social Mobility Foundation and Holborn Community Association.

The Chemistry team

The Chemistry team is commercially focussed and supports some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and chemical companies. We help protect research on ground-breaking therapeutics and their delivery, as well as exciting technologies in the fields of batteries, nanotechnology, cleantech, consumer products and nutraceuticals, among others.

We have a particular focus on contentious work, not only representing clients in multi-party oppositions at the European Patent Office, but also contributing to national litigation in the UK and around Europe. We have also been breaking new ground at the Unified Patent Court. You will get opportunities to contribute to contentious work from day one.

Who we are looking for

We have ongoing opportunities for exceptional part-qualified or qualified patent attorneys to join our Chemistry team, with a strong focus on pharmaceutical subject matter. We embrace diversity and would like to hear from talented and passionate individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. You enjoy thinking strategically and working collaboratively and are passionate about using your technical excellence to deliver a first-class service to our clients.

Suitable candidates will ideally have

• Part-qualification in the UK and EQE exams through to 3 years of post-qualification experience.
• Management of chemical and/or pharmaceutical work: we will consider a broad spectrum of subject matter experience.
• Experience of drafting, filing and prosecuting EPO and PCT applications.
• Ideally, an understanding of EPO opposition and appeal procedure, and preferably some experience of contentious oral proceedings, although not necessarily in a speaking role.
• An excellent academic background ideally with an emphasis on organic chemistry or pharmaceutical subject matter.
• A sense of commerciality and an understanding of the priorities of IP-focussed clients.
• Ideally, an appreciation of how IP and regulatory data protection impact the life cycle of a pharmaceutical product.
• An excellent command of both written and spoken English, and strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• An innate interest in the world of business as well as the IP profession.
• A passion and aptitude for problem-solving.
• An interest in coaching, guiding and mentoring trainees as appropriate.

Successful candidates will benefit from

• A variety of interesting work for major international chemical and pharmaceutical companies, including EPO opposition and appeal work.
• A significant amount of opposition, appeal and SPC matters.
• Involvement in cases that shape the law before the Technical Boards of Appeal, the Enlarged Board of Appeal, and/or the Court of Justice of the European Union.
• A collaborative and sociable team-based working environment, with a healthy approach to work//life balance.
• A meritocratic and autonomous culture, where you will be responsible for your own case-load and work for multiple partners.
• Sophisticated knowledge management to help you keep up with case law developments, and a collegiate approach to the sharing of knowledge and expertise throughout the firm.
• Exceptional training for UK and EQE qualifications and beyond.
• The opportunity to work across multiple practice groups, subject to project requirements and area of expertise.
• An excellent remuneration and benefits package.
• A range of sports, clubs and charity initiatives sponsored by the firm.

We are proud of our inclusive culture where individual differences are celebrated, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and job applicants. We do not tolerate discrimination either directly or indirectly on the basis of race, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, pregnancy and maternity, socio economic background or any characteristic protected by law. Our approach is embodied in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, as well as our diversity and inclusion programmes.

Please note that we do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment consultants unless specifically requested.

Please mention IP Careers when applying to Carpmaels & Ransford.