Job Description

What we will offer

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We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.

Team Structure

At Stephenson Harwood, our Intellectual Property team is a vibrant, multidisciplinary group that brings together specialists in trade marks, designs, patents, commercial agreements, brand management, and litigation. This collaborative environment means you’ll work alongside leading professionals from diverse backgrounds, gaining exposure to the full spectrum of IP law.

We provide a one stop shop for trade mark matters. Our trade mark management function sits within our IP practice. This is crucial to ensuring that we provide a fully comprehensive service with strength, depth across all areas.

Our Brands team advises clients across the full 360° spectrum of trade mark, copyright and design matters, providing practical, commercially focused advice, in relation to:

Portfolio Management and Strategy; Clearance; Filings; Renewals and recordals; Watch services; Designs & Copyright; Audits; Anti-counterfeiting programmes; Customs collaborations; Online Enforcement; Licensing and commercial exploitation; Domain Names; Litigation; Registry Disputes (oppositions and cancellations) and much more…

You’ll be part of a team that goes far beyond simply advising on trademarks—we place portfolio management at the core of our offering, ensuring our clients’ brands are not only protected, but also add real value to their business and are strategically positioned for growth. From developing brand strategies and conducting audits, to managing global portfolios, prosecution, and renewals, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our clients’ brands.

At Stephenson Harwood, you’ll find a supportive, ambitious team that values your ideas and encourages early responsibility. Here, you can take ownership of your career, develop your skills, and make a real impact, both for our clients and for your own professional growth.

Main Responsibilities

• Advise clients on trademark protection, enforcement, and strategy, both domestically and internationally.
• Manage trademark portfolios, including filing, prosecution, renewals, and recordals for clients in various industries.
• Conduct trademark clearance searches and provide strategic advice on brand selection and risk assessment.
• Draft, review, and negotiate trademark-related agreements, such as licences, assignments, and coexistence agreements.
• Monitor and report on developments in trademark law, ensuring clients are informed of relevant changes.
• Support business development activities, including preparing client pitches, articles, and presentations.
• Action complex instructions directly and effectively manage relationships with clients.
• Build relationships both externally and internally with existing and/or new contacts/clients.
• Lead on legal projects to deliver matters profitably.
• Work collaboratively with others including coaching, supervising, and developing junior colleagues.

Attributes/Skills Required

• Qualified Trademark Attorney with proven experience in trademark law, with a strong understanding of UK, EU, and international trademark systems.
• Extensive knowledge of trademark prosecution, enforcement, and dispute resolution.
• Relevant experience in managing trademark portfolios and handling both contentious and non-contentious trademark matters.
• Ability to build and maintain strong client relationships, demonstrating commercial awareness and client focus.
• Effective team player, able to collaborate across practice areas and jurisdictions.
• Able to leverage existing network of contacts and having an internal and external profile.
• An aptitude and responsibility for all aspects of financial management on matters with a business savvy and commercial approach.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to deliver clear, practical advice.

About the Firm

Stephenson Harwood is an international law firm, and we're committed to creating 'positive partnerships' with our clients. We represent listed and private companies, institutions and individuals, building lasting relationships to help them succeed in a complex and ever-changing world.

Our focus is on five core sectors: Energy Transition, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Private Capital and Funds, Technology, and Transportation and Trade.

With more than 1,500 people, including 250+ partners, across eleven offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we combine deep legal capabilities and broad commercial expertise. We have also forged close ties with high quality law firms around the world, blending local knowledge with global savvy for clients in over 100 countries.

We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.

• 220+ PARTNERS
• 11 OFFICES
• 45+ LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY OUR PEOPLE

Offices in Al Khobar, Athens, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Paris, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and associated office in Guangzhou

Our brand strengths:

GO FAR, GO TOGETHER

EXPERTS IN MORE THAN LAW

CAN DO PERSONALITIES

ALWAYS READY