Associate

We are looking for a junior to mid-level associate to join our Commercial & IP Transactions team, primarilyto support our market-leading life sciences sector transactions practice.The successful candidate will advise pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other life sciences clients on abroad mix of matters for the development and commercialisation of innovative therapies, diagnostics,medical devices and other healthcare technologies. This will include advising clients on strategicallyimportant and complex international transactions, as well as supporting them with their regular commercialarrangements (where no two matters are the same).As part of a broader Commercial & IP Transactions practice, there will also be opportunities to work onintellectual property and commercial matters for clients in other sectors, depending on business and clientneeds. The work will include R&D collaboration agreements, licensing and partnering transactions,manufacturing, supply and distribution arrangements, patent settlement agreements, and the commercialIP aspects of corporate transactions., We are currently based in offices at Blackfriars in London, with a planned move to new premises in 2027.We very much value face to face collaboration and the social element of working relationships. We have aRemote Working Policy which enables staff to work in an agile way and is mindful of client and businessneeds - we ask that the candidate spends, at least 3 days per week working in the office.Our firm values, which we very much "live", are Ambition, Bravery, Curiosity and Friendliness. Theseunderpin all that we do across both our client work and our internal strategic decision making. We are alsosignatories to the Mindful Business Charter and take our commitment to staff welfare seriously.None of our lawyers have billing targets which means we can focus on doing the best for our clients whilealso having the time and capacity to assist each other in a genuinely collaborative working culture.Training & career progressionWe aim to have a coaching culture with regular informal feedback to supplement the formal appraisalprocess. Mentoring schemes are available for fee earners while members of the HR team can providepersonal coaching and guidance in non-legal and personal management skills., Personal and professional development is much valued at all levels. We provide regular internal andexternally led training for our fee earners and are also able to meet most ad hoc requests for additionaltraining.Particularly within our team, there are opportunities to undertake secondments with some of the firm's keyclients, providing valuable insight into their businesses and experience of working in-house.Reward & benefitsOur salary and bonus structure reflects our absence of billing targets and collaborative culture and anybonus is paid as a simple percentage bonus across the whole firm. We have a flexible benefits packagethat is kept under regular review and is designed with the wellbeing of our staff and their families.Diversity & inclusionAt Bristows we are committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion for all, and we are a proudsignatory of the Law Society's Diversity and Inclusion Charter. As a firm, and as individuals, we do all wecan to treat people fairly and with mutual respect. This commitment enriches our work and our working livesand has played a key part in our success over the years.We have an active, partner-led Diversity & Inclusion group which runs awareness raising and educationalinitiatives in addition to ensuring that our policies and procedures remain inclusive. Our Charities Committeeis equally busy and puts on a range of events from sporting to baking to our Christmas Craft Shop, all in aidof our Charity of the Year. Our Wellbeing Programme is championed at partner level and is structuredaround the pillars of Physical, Mental, Financial and Community wellbeing with an annual programme ofevents, educational activities and support.

• Approximately 2-4 years' post-qualification experience.
• Relevant intellectual property, commercial and transactional experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or broader life sciences sector., Experience of advising on transactions involving patented technologies and know-how and an
understanding of the role patents play in the commercialisation of life sciences products and technologies.
• Experience of drafting and negotiating life sciences R&D, collaboration or licensing agreements,
together with or other IP-focused commercial agreements and broader commercial contracts experience.
• Strong drafting and analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail and an ability to identify and
manage complex IP and transactional issues.
• A practical, pro-active, commercially focused approach and the judgement to identify and prioritise
the issues that matter to clients.
• Intellectual curiosity and confidence in engaging with scientific and technical subject matter (without
needing to be a scientist).
• Clear and concise communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with legal, business,
scientific and other specialist stakeholders. Strong organisational and project-management skills, including the ability to take ownership of workstreams while working collaboratively as part of a team.Desirable criteria
• A relevant scientific or technical undergraduate or postgraduate qualification, or equivalent scientific
or industry knowledge.
• Experience of advising on cross-border or international transactions.
• Experience of supporting the commercial IP aspects of corporate or joint venture transactions.
• Experience of advising on patent settlement agreements and other agreements relating to patent
disputes.
• Experience of working in-house, including through a client secondment, ideally in a life sciences
business.
• A genuine interest in the life sciences industry and in developing a detailed understanding of clients'
businesses.
• We would also be interested in candidates that are qualified to advise on agreements governed by
US law, however this is not essential.Our values & cultureWith around 300 staff and partners in total and one UK location, we are able to maintain a friendlyatmosphere where everyone is able to get to know each other and many policies and practices can operateon a trust basis.

Bristows is a market leading law firm with a global client base across our core sectors of life sciences and technology. The firm has maintained its high standing in the market with the exceptional quality of our lawyers, the strength of our scientific and legal expertise and our unique firm culture driven by our core values.The Commercial & IP Transactions team is part of Bristows' internationally renowned IP practice and sitswithin a wider group that focusses on IP, commercial and technology transactions and data privacy matters.We have one of the largest groups of intellectual property lawyers in the UK that specialises in advising onand negotiating standalone intellectual property transactions. Clients seek our support on a wide range ofcommercial arrangements involving the creation, development and commercialisation of their most valuableassets - their inventions, ideas, technologies, brands, designs, software and content.We work with a wide variety of clients, ranging from start-ups and SMEs to household names and globalmultinationals to academic institutions, charities and government bodies. Our clients come from everybusiness sector including life sciences, IT, electronics, telecommunications, industrial, chemical, education,charities, publishing, media, entertainment, sport, luxury and consumer products.We advise on many different types of transactions that involve the creation, development andcommercialisation of intellectual property, the majority of which are cross-border. The matters we advise oninclude anything from high value research collaboration and licensing deals, the licensing andmerchandising of brands, through to the intellectual property aspects of corporate or joint venturetransactions. Many of our lawyers have extensive technical qualifications and industry experience.