Qualified​/Part Qualified Patent Attorney – Pharmaceuticals

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 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.

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.

• 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…