As part of our 'meet the team' series, we talked to Lucy Coe about her passion for science, the challenge of working on complex legal arguments and what she enjoys most about her job.
Even as a teenager, Lucy Coe knew she wanted to be a patent attorney. Keen to follow a career that would combine her interest in the law with her love of science, she applied to train at Mewburn Ellis straight out of university and nearly seven years on has just been promoted to senior associate.
“At school I enjoyed maths and science, particularly physics. I also liked the idea of being a lawyer, and arguing my case in court,” explains Lucy. “My dad, who at the time worked for a synthetic diamond manufacturer, told me about the intellectual property team at his work – he thought IP might be a way for me to bring together my interests and skills.”
Lucy liked the idea and so organised some work experience in the IP department where she spent two summers shadowing an IP solicitor and a patent attorney.
“I preferred the patent attorney work because it was more technical and I could use my physics knowledge,” says Lucy. “I knew it was what I wanted to do.”
Before deciding on a career in patents, Lucy did consider becoming a professional musician. “I play the oboe and piano and thought about doing a music degree,” she says. “In the end I decided to stick to science and I think that was the right decision. Some of my friends who went down that road ended up not working in music at all – it’s hugely competitive. I always knew I could carry on playing the oboe as a hobby but was unlikely to be able to do the same with physics!”
Arguing your case
After graduating with a degree in physics, Lucy started in a trainee position at Mewburn Ellis.
“My favourite part of the job is preparing for, and speaking at oral hearings,” she says. “It’s fun to be able to get so deeply into a case, to know your arguments inside out so that you can anticipate which questions will come up and be sure you will be able to respond. It’s exciting to stand up there and make your case - when I finish a day like that, I feel very happy with my career choice.”
Over the past few years, Lucy has worked on several opposition and appeal hearings in complex cases and has seen the difference powerful legal arguments can make. “You can go into a hearing anticipating it will be difficult and knowing that the panel is already minded to find against you,” says Lucy. “On the day, you argue your case and manage to change their minds, maintaining your client’s patent. Experiences like this show how important legal arguments are - how you word them and how you position your case can make so much difference. It’s sometimes more of an art than a science.”
Technically challenging
Much of Lucy’s work involves computer software and, she says, the job can be very challenging technically. “You need to understand new technologies and be able to work on legal arguments in an area of the law that is very complex. Although it is possible to obtain patent protection for software inventions, correctly applying the law in this area can be difficult.”
When Lucy started working at Mewburn Ellis, she was a trainee straight out of university. “Most of my work got changed and I had a lot of supervision,” she says. “Now, although I do work a lot more independently, I think it is very important that we still work as a team.”
She works from the firm’s London office but her training saw her spend time in every one of the firm’s different UK locations. “It meant I got to know people across Mewburn Ellis and learn from attorneys with different styles and ways of doing things. I still work with the different partners I worked for in each of the offices,” she explains.
Lucy has seen the firm grow and change over the last seven years. “We are now much more structured in our approach and have started focusing on more formal inclusion and diversity initiatives,” she says. “I have been getting involved, including joining the committee of our women’s network. I also interview graduates which I really enjoy.”
Lucy considers herself pretty determined. “If I want to do something, I’ll keep on going until I succeed,” she says. “This has served me well in my career so far but I probably took it too far when I ran a half-marathon when I wasn’t feeling too well and my sheer determination kept me going until I collapsed just short of the finish line!”
Fitness is important to Lucy who does strength training as well as running. But it’s not all hard work, Lucy also loves going out. “Living in London means there’s so much choice,” she says, I’m always visiting new restaurants and trying different food.”
“Music also still plays an important part of my life, and I’m currently looking for an orchestra to join so that I can keep up playing the oboe as a hobby.”
