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At work with Simonne Moodie: Patent Attorney

Position/job title: Partner in the Trade Marks Department

Company:  Von Seidels Intellectual Property Attorneys

Highest standard passed at school: Grade 12

Previous occupation : none

My qualifications:

• BCom(Hons) LLB
• Bachelor of Commerce with Honors
• Bachelor of Laws
• South African Institute of Intellectual Property Qualification

I financed my studies ...

With a student loan (which I paid back very quickly once I started to work!)

I love my job because...

It is varied and no one day is exactly the same. I deal with many new businesses so my clients are always interesting and excitable people who are grateful for the services rendered.

A typical working day:

My job is based on the legal aspects surrounding trade marks or brands both in South Africa and internationally. There are many areas of law associated with trade marks, such as company names, domain names, internet law, advertising standards, protected events and copyright law. 

My job involves understanding a client’s business and the intellectual property involved in that business (which includes trade marks), and advising clients on how best to protect their brand.

My day starts with dealing with my emails, which may include emails from local and foreign clients in regard to existing matters or new clients requesting information or wanting advise on a new matter.

I also attend to filing, prosecuting and registering trade marks, as well as litigating on trade mark matters.

I may consult with a new client or an existing client in any given day, either at our office or at their offices.  On a daily basis I deal with correspondence and issues with the South African Trade Marks Office. I may also spend my day drafting an agreement or a legal opinion.

Highlights of the job:

• Every client’s business and needs are unique, which means that my job varies a lot and every day is different.  It is an exciting area of law as it is always changing as new technology and brands evolve.
• Travel - As the world becomes smaller and people want to protect their brands overseas, it is also important to understand the laws in other countries and to make contact with attorneys in other countries to assist you in providing a service for your client. This means a lot of travel.
• I meet some very interesting people and learn about all sorts of different businesses and industries. I have clients in the wine industry, the retail industry, the media industry, fast moving consumer goods, coffee, clothing, publishing, manufacturing, media, professionals, cosmetics, farming, restaurants, technology – just to name a few. 

Challenges:

• Deadlines - There are many deadlines to meet, especially when dealing with the registration process and in litigation. You need to be able to multi-task and prioritise work, and deal with some complex legal issues.
• It can get stressful, especially when a client’s business is at stake or there are serious financial implications for the client.  You need to be good with people and always remember that we are in a service industry and the client comes first. 
• There are long hours at times, and some firms have billing targets, but as long as you are organized you will be able to manage the workload.

I would recommend this career because:

It is varied, challenging a financially rewarding career but, more importantly, it is fun and the people in the industry are not boring lawyers!!

Career path:

Attorneys need to move through certain stages in their career as it is a continual learning process. Although I am a partner there is still a lot to learn as the law is always changing, therefore in 5 years time my focus may change, even in a specialized area of law such a trade marks. For example with the recent new phenomena of Second Life there are many legal implications from a trade mark perspective that may develop from that.

What next:

I love what I do – it is challenging and changes enough that I do not wish to move into another area of law or move professions.