Patent Executive Graduate (Jan 2024)

About Chapman Tripp

Chapman Tripp was first established in 1875 by Martin Chapman, as a one-man practice in Wellington. He was joined in partnership by William Fitzgerald in 1882 and then by Leonard Owen Howard Tripp in 1889, who spent a record 69 years with the firm. In 1962, Chapman Tripp became the first law firm in New Zealand to have offices in both Auckland and Wellington and in late 1997, Chapman Tripp opened its Christchurch office.

Your role

Chapman Tripp is looking for graduates and aspiring patent attorneys to join them, to start in January 2024.

As a junior in the patents team, you’ll get to work with senior patent attorneys and lawyers on:

• Drafting and filing patent applications worldwide
• Reviewing and responding to examination reports on the patentability of inventions
• Patent opposition proceedings
• Patentability opinions
• Freedom-to-operate opinions
• Patent litigation

Training & development

As you start your career at Chapman Tripp, they want to help you have the right skills and knowledge you need to succeed. Chapman Tripp has prepared an induction programme for your first day covering important information that you will need to know early on and will help set you up for your time in the firm. Read more.

Benefits

Chapman Tripp is committed to providing a workplace environment where all its people can thrive and are fairly rewarded for their contributions. In addition to the financial rewards you would expect from a leading law firm, Chapman Trip offers a number of great benefits: 

1. Work with leading-edge technologies and support a market-leading offering
2. Opportunity to be involved in and have input into future technology direction
3. Flexible working style and supportive leadership
4. The inclusive and diverse culture and team
5. The breadth of role and future growth
6. Ongoing learning and development opportunities
7. Awesome Commercial Bay office space
8. Competitive salary and benefits package including healthcare and well-being allowance

Career progression

Chapman Tripp has a Study Support Policy that supports employees to obtain relevant tertiary qualifications and paid time off for study and to attend exams. They are committed to employing and fostering the best leaders. Embedding a set of leadership behaviours and leadership development is a strategic priority for the company. Read more.

Work life balance

Chapman Tripp offers a variety of benefits and health programs to help keep you strong, mentally and physically. This enables you to perform to the best of your ability at work, while also making you more able to manage the rest of your life.

Culture & vibe

Chapman Tripp embraces the diversity of identities through the support and initiatives of its Rainbow group. A mix of both lawyers and team members from business services, Chapman Tripp's Rainbow group hosts informal events, and speaker series, and advocates for LGBTQIA+-friendly policies in the workplace, to promote the well-being of the rainbow community at Chapman Tripp and the wider legal profession. Read more.

More about Chapman Tripp's culture in this video:

About you

This is an interesting and challenging role for a final-year student completing a double degree in engineering and law.  Or perhaps a recent or upcoming graduate in engineering with an interest in patent law or advocacy.

Experience or knowledge of patent law is not required.  They will sponsor the successful candidate into further part-time studies towards a Masters's degree in Intellectual Property and registration as a Trans-Tasman Patent Attorney.  And, for law graduates, admission as a barrister and solicitor.

Skills and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
• Law degree desirable, but not essential 
• Commercially astute
• Team player
• Strong communication (both verbal and written)
• Attention to detail

How to apply

To apply for this role, simply click the "Apply on employer site" button on this page to submit your application directly with Chapman Tripp.