Getting to know your new Student Representative
From the pride of securing her training contract to the lessons learned working as a paralegal, new Student Rep April Parker sets out how she reached this new role.
We sat down with April to learn more about her career so far, and her aspirations for her life in the trade mark profession.
Commencing a two-year term, Bird and Bird’s April Parker is CITMA’s new Student Representative.
Ensuring that the voice and feelings of CITMA’s student members are heard in Council, the Student Representative supports the development and representation of Student members.
What are you proudest of in your career so far?
It sounds a bit clichéd, but my proudest moment was securing my training contract.
It took me five years before I got that final “Yes!”.
Like many aspiring lawyers with an interest in IP, I experienced my fair share of uncertainty with the ‘solicitor vs trade mark attorney’ debate.
I struggled choosing between the comfort of the well-beaten path as opposed to the route which gave me a full and unapologetic exposure to IP.
However, I’m glad I chose the latter.
My time as a Trade Mark Paralegal revealed pretty quickly that brands work was for me, and I feel extremely fortunate for a career path to exist that is solely dedicated to what I love most.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned so far?
Deadline management.
The trade mark profession as a whole is very deadline-driven.
The key factor that unites various daily tasks such as priority window reminders, publication watches, oppositions, examination reports, and so on is that there will almost always be a deadline element involved.
Another factor to consider is that different territories have different requirements or tolerances of deadlines.
Deadline extensions are not always a given, and it is crucial that both you and the client are aware of your options before taking action.
Is there something particular that you’d like to achieve in your career as a whole?
I have three goals.
1. Qualify as a Trade Mark Attorney (seems like a good starting point!).
2. Tick INTA off the list.
3. Carve out and build an expertise in the pet and fashion sectors.
No pressure…
Who do you look up to in the TM profession?
Whether it’s through networking events, fantastic colleagues, or the CITMA Mentoring Scheme (shameless plug!), I have been lucky enough to come across many amazing mentors who have helped me accelerate my career in IP.
I was first introduced to IP through a long-standing mentor, Chris Hawkes, so I owe a lot of my career journey to him. However, I also have to take my hat off to Thomas Hooper (Tom).
His wealth of knowledge and gift of explaining complex matters is absolutely incredible – I’m convinced he could explain the Madrid Protocol to anyone.
What do you enjoy about working at Bird & Bird?
A key reason why I enjoy working at Bird & Bird is that the partners have shown real commitment to matching me up with fee earners, work, or clients that I share common interests with.
For example, I expressed an interest in the fashion sector during my training contract interview, and it just so happens that my supervisor is equally passionate about fashion and has built a wealth of experience in this area.
I believe divine (partner) intervention played a bit of a role there…
Equally, I have been encouraged to create my own opportunities in other sectors of interest to me, such as setting up a working group with colleagues from other teams to bolster our profile in the pet sector.
In a nutshell, I have been given opportunities to embrace my individual interests from the very first day I joined Bird & Bird.
If you ask me, that is incredibly special to see both at my career level, and at a firm of our size.
What do you find most interesting about your work?
I really enjoy seeing marks that I have flagged in watches lead to cease and desist letters or even oppositions. In particular, I love digging into the other side’s history and seeing how much interesting evidence I can find that will be of use to our client. No one is safe from my detective skills…
I also have a particular affinity for ‘quirky’ IP matters – shape marks, colour marks, certification marks, geographical indications, passing off, you name it. I have already been able to tick a few of those off the list, and they always come with their own interesting challenges.
April takes over from Gail Nicol, who held the role since 2022. To learn more about April and her appointment, click here.