Bristows Flashcards
Why do you want to work for Bristows?
Primarily, what draws me to Bristows is its reputation in intellectual property. Reading about how Bristows tackles cases such as the NetEase copyright infringement needing to prove a lack of substantial similarity in graphics and music excites me as a candidate, seeing the firm’s innovative role enhancing the future of technology and life sciences. Building my knowledge in this sector through my IT work experience at Northumbria University and in my EPQ exploring IP in the music industry, Bristows truly marries my interests in technology and law and therefore somewhere I wish to continuously develop my skills and expertise as a degree apprentice.
Furthermore, the size of Bristows really appeals to me as a medium sized firm, with international links and high-profile clients but still rooted in a close-knit and collaborative community that sees success but not at the expense of colleagues. With its small apprentice cohort and Networking with several trainees and apprentices highlighted the core attention placed into young people of the firm, shown through its approachability and friendliness of the firm. I also admire the extent to which Bristows really appreciates its people, with many initiatives such as a wellbeing consultation day and massages for mental health week and also its strive for gender diversity being a law firm where 1 in 3 partners are women, which I particularly align with having been the Head Girl of an all-girls school linking and playing an instrumental role in the organisation of my school’s first Culture Day showcase.
Tell us everything you know about the firm
It was founded in 1837 and has offices in London, Brussels and Dublin. The firm primarily operates in the UK but has significant international reach working with global clients where over the last three years, approximately 60% of its income has come from overseas clients. While it is a full-service firm, the firm specialises in IP and its innovation in life sciences and tech, most notably drafting the patent agreement for the first electrical telegraph. Known for its deep expertise in complex patent litigation and regulatory matters, the firm frequently advises multinational corporations, including tech and pharmaceutical giants.
Who are Bristows competitors & how do they distinguish themselves in the market?
From what I know, Bristows competes with firms like Bird & Bird, Taylor Wessing, and Hogan Lovells in technology, life sciences, and intellectual property. It distinguishes itself through deep sector expertise, particularly in emerging areas like biotech and digital health. Whilst still an international firm, I would argue that the firm’s medium size with only 3 offices allows for its personalized, partner-led service and close collaboration with clients compared to larger firms, giving full attention to its high-profile clients. The firm also fosters a strong, inclusive culture, attracting top talent in its niche markets with its lack of billable hours and initiatives such as private mental health services and massages offered to its staff during Mental Health week.
What are the values of Bristows and which one do you resonate with the most?
Friendliness, curiosity, bravery and ambition
The value I identify with the most has to be friendliness. Working in customer service for the past 5 years has taught me that customer satisfaction drives success and a large part of that relates to friendliness. For example, in my current role, a large part of my responsibilities relates to dealing with children who visit the facilities for classes and events and there was one instance where I had to interact with a very shy child
. Therefore, in order to successfully supply my younger clients with the highest service, I have learnt to adapt my body language and speech to be more welcoming and gentle, keeping them engaged and happy. Applying this to a degree apprentice who must deal with a range of clients and colleagues, it is clear that friendliness and mutual respect is the best way forward, promoting inclusion and a healthy working environment.
Recent work at the firm that caught your eye?
“One recent standout case is Tata Consultancy Services v. Disclosure and Barring Service, which involved a complex dispute over delays and scope creep in a large-scale IT transformation project. This case reflects key trends in the legal space, such as managing high-stakes tech contracts and navigating the legal challenges of digital transformation, both of which are increasingly relevant as businesses rely on technology. For a solicitor apprentice, this demonstrates Bristows’ expertise at the intersection of law and technology, offering the chance to work on cutting-edge cases with real-world impact. It excites me to think about developing practical skills in resolving such disputes while contributing to Bristows’ reputation for excellence in the tech and IP sectors.
News story which is relevant to the firm and you as an apprentice?
I would say a recent news topic that I have been following has been the development of AI particularly in the medical sphere. Particularly as someone whose parents both work for the NHS, I find this area to be of particular interest. For example, companies like Da Vinci Surgical systems have used AI in the creation of robots to complete surgeries in a less invasive way, affecting the law particularly in medical negligence when it becomes harder to prove who has the responsibility or duty of care. In a way that is more relevant to Bristows, companies such as DeepMind and Zebra Medical vision now use AI for detecting early signs of lung cancer and as chatbots for patients to aid with the strain on the NHS. While this looks to be promising, it also points to a wider concern of data privacy and a nationwide and international need to educate people on the subject to make more informed decisions and perhaps benefit whole countries by allowing this phenomenon to occur.
