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STANDING COUNSEL FOR THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF PATENTS, DESIGNS AND TRADE MARKS

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The Attorney General appoints a member of the intellectual property Bar or a solicitor advocate to provide the Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks with advice when required and to act for him in proceedings before the higher courts. With the term of the existing appointments due to expire at the end of 2008, the Attorney General is now looking to refill these posts, with the following practice:

• Two appointments will be made, and the work will be split equally between the two.
• Appointments will be for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of an extension up to a further five years at the discretion of the Attorney General.
• Advocates will be invited to apply for appointments in an open competition.

Eligibility

In the past appointments have been made to applicants who have at least 5 years experience in actual practice.

Applicants are generally expected to meet the following criteria:

• A high degree of expertise in intellectual property generally, but with particular emphasis on patents, trade marks, registered designs and design right.
• Experience of both advocacy before the Comptroller and the higher courts and of advisory work.
• Academic strength (2:1 or above) or compensating strength on other factors covered by the application.
• Written/drafting ability, to be evidenced by recent specimens of work (an opinion and a skeleton argument).

Whilst not essential, the following would also be helpful:

• Experience of advocacy before the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Justice.
• Experience of working for or against the government and/or public bodies and an appreciation of the special demands of government litigation.

Application

All applicants will be required to complete a standard application form and to provide references from three professional referees of the applicant’s choice, who can include instructing solicitors, patent agents or trade mark agents (including government lawyers), UK Intellectual Property Office hearing officers, head or senior member of chambers, senior or other partner in practice, leaders and judges or tribunal chairs. The choice of referees is important, those who can speak with authority on an applicant’s abilities as an advocate are most helpful to the Selection Board.

A Selection Board comprising senior Government officials and a Member of the Bar will consider applications. The selection will be made on the basis of the application form, references and interviews. Candidates need to be aware that interviews for the positions will take place during the weeks commencing 6th and13th October 2008. The Board will recommend for appointment the advocates who appear to it to be best qualified regardless of ethnic origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religion or disability. Women and members of ethnic minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. Although most of the work is based in London and Newport, applications from outside of these areas will be considered.

An application pack may be obtained by e-mail from policy@ipo.gov.uk. In addition, application packs are available from www.ipo.gov.uk/comp-counsel.htm in a downloadable format. Alternatively applicants may telephone 01633 813844. Completed application forms must be returned by noon on Friday 19 September 2008. Appointments are likely to be announced in late October 2008.