Trainee Patent Attorney Life Sciences London

CMS UK Greater London, England, United Kingdom

About The Role

We are recruiting Trainee Patent Attorneys to join our market‑leading Intellectual Property team in London, in Autumn 2026. You will be provided with ongoing training and development whilst studying for your Certificate in Intellectual Property and subsequently, your UK and/or European Patent exams. You will work alongside experienced colleagues and leaders in their field who will guide you through the varied aspects of international patent law and how to apply these to meet your clients’ needs.

Responsibilities Will Include

• Assisting in the drafting and filing of patent applications;
• Patent prosecution at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO);
• EPO opposition and appeal work;
• Involvement in freedom to operate opinions, IP due diligence and litigation.

Our Intellectual Property group is one of the largest teams in Europe for patent and trade mark work. Our qualified patent attorneys work alongside our IP, litigation, corporate and commercial lawyers. This offering makes us a rarity in the market as we are a full-service law firm able to provide a fully integrated service for all stages in the IP life cycle. Our IP clients include global pharma and biotechs as well as numerous SMEs and start‑ups.

About You

We are looking for candidates with a strong academic record in Life Sciences (Biotechnology), particularly biochemistry, biology or bioinformatics.

In Addition, the Ideal Candidate Will

• Have a Masters and/or PhD in a relevant field and/or have industry experience;
• Be self‑motivated and interested in further developing their knowledge of IP law and patent prosecution work;
• Be proactive in undertaking a wide range of work, across diverse technical and legal areas;
• Have excellent attention to detail and organisational skills, with experience working under pressure towards tight deadlines whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy;
• Be flexible in their attitude and an effective team player, willing to collaborate and build professional relationships across all levels;
• Have excellent communication skills, both verbally and in writing.

Please ensure you include a cover letter explaining why you are attracted to the role and what you will bring to it, should you be successful.

What’s in it for you?

Benefits

• Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
• Flexible, hybrid working policy
• Generous bonus scheme
• Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
• Holiday exchange scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced parental leave
• Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits, please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.

Please note that we have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.

Seniority level

Internship

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Legal

Industries

Law Practice