Case study: Tom Woodhouse - from trainee to partner

Name: Tom Woodhouse

Location: London

Universities: Oxford and Queen Mary's University London

Degree: MPhys Physics & MSc Computer Science

Role: Partner

 

Timeline

2011 - Joined Page White Farrer as a graduate

2012 - Started studies at Queen Mary University of London

2014 - Qualified as a UK patent attorney

2016 - Qualified as a European patent attorney

2017 - Became a partner

2018 - Qualified as a Higher Courts Patent Litigator and became director

 

Tom joined Page White Farrer in late 2011 straight out of university. A few months later, he was asked, as a fresh-faced trainee, to give his perspective on the firm and life as trainee patent attorney. For those who may be considering a career in IP today, this was Tom’s take back when he has just embarked on his:

 

'Having decided against pursuing academia, by the time graduation came around I had nevertheless given scant thought to the future and knew next to nothing about the patent profession when embarking on what would later turn out to be a career within it.

To my good fortune, I have found working life at Page White Farrer consistently interesting and enjoyable. The work is challenging and varied, and while support is always forthcoming, opportunities to work independently are plentiful.

 

I attended interviews at three patent and trademark firms in total shortly after graduation – the one at Page White Farrer was the most welcoming and engaging by some margin, and I accepted the job offer. Ultimately, I have found the firm a natural fit, and see my ending up here as a fortuitous result of blind luck and instinct.

 

The willingness of members of the firm at every level to set aside considerable amounts of time for one-to-one training is especially noteworthy.'

 

Tom’s early instincts have served him well; he has stayed with us ever since, rising through the ranks to become partner in the firm in the summer of 2017. Now marginally less fresh-faced, what hasn’t changed are the positive sentiments he expressed about professional life at Page White Farrer back in 2012.

 

As partner, his efforts are now focussed on ensuring that talented and motivated individuals joining us today have similarly positive experiences, and are given the same opportunities to progress their careers here at the firm as he had.