Harrison
Lee

The course

I studied the Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice at Nottingham Law School (NLS) because it was the only provider of the course, and I needed the qualification to become a qualified Trade Mark Attorney. I knew from colleagues that the University has a good reputation for legal practitioner courses.

I found the course to be particularly beneficial for practical “lawyering skills”, and it was very beneficial to learn from experienced practitioners. I liked that thought had been given to a more innovative / interactive style of teaching. Given that the cohort had all done numerous degrees by the time they attended the course, it did take some adjustment i.e. learning style, but overall it was a positive experience.

It is a good course and good opportunity to learn from outside your firm. It is also beneficial for introducing many of the students to at least some scenarios that they will yet to have encountered in practice. The course is a necessary step for me to become a qualified attorney and, therefore, improved my skills and value to the firm.

Before studying at NLS I had an LLB Law Degree (De Montfort), Masters of Law (University of Nottingham) and a Certificate in Trade Mark law and Practice (Queen Mary, University of London).

Current job role

At Potter Clarkson LLP, I am involved in every aspect of trade mark advice and portfolio management for client’s. This includes everything from filing applications to advising on infringement matters. I also assist client’s in relation to other aspects such as domain name protection and IP strategy.

The variety of work in my current job role is very interesting, yes there are ‘run of the mill’ tasks, but on a weekly basis I encounter a case or scenario which brings a new challenge.

I think education is a very significant factor with regards to challenges in my profession. Whilst the public generally know that Intellectual Property (IP) exists, they often know little about each type, and do not fully appreciate the value of IP to a business, and the necessity of protecting IP. Hopefully, with more education the public will appreciate the importance of protecting their Intellectual Property.