8.30am: I arrive in the office and make drinks for the team, before going over the to-do list and reading through any unread emails that are in my inbox.9.00am: I set to work on the first task of the day: drafting a response to a letter that has come in from the other side's solicitors. The other side has been selling counterfeit goods bearing our client's trade marks but are denying the goods are counterfeit. We have evidence that the goods in question are counterfeit so I work on a robust response to their letter.9.45am: My supervising partner comes over and invites me to attend a client meeting with him at 2.00pm. My supervisor gives me a brief overview of who the client is and tells me that they will be bringing in an invention for us to look at. The client wants to know whether the invention is patentable and, if not, how we can help prevent other people from copying it.10.00am: I receive news that an important judgment has been delivered in an IP case; the judgment will affect many of our clients. When such judgments come out, we upload an update to our website as soon as possible and send it out to clients so that they know how the judgment might affect them and what, if anything, they need to do. I read the whole judgment, do a bit of research and start drafting the update.12.30pm: My tummy is now rumbling so I venture down to the café with the other trainees to get something to eat.1.30pm: I get back to my desk and do a bit of research on the client that is coming in at 2.00pm in preparation for the meeting.2.00pm: I attend the client meeting with my supervisor and we watch a demonstration of the invention.

My supervisor advises the client that the invention is unlikely to be patentable, as there is no clear inventive step; however, the invention can be protected in other ways such as design right, trade mark and copyright. The client seems pleased and instructs us to file trade marks for the invention.3.30pm: I return to my desk and begin to dictate the attendance note for the client meeting, when I receive a phone call from a contact at PWC who wants to discuss the next New Friday event. New Friday MK is an initiative to give young professionals an opportunity to get together at regional, quarterly social events and network informally. Shoosmiths sponsors the events nationwide and all trainees across the firm are responsible for organising the regional events. This year, Shoosmiths (in Milton Keynes) and PWC have already organised a salsa event and we are now planning a pub sports night for July.4.15pm: We have received new instructions from Jimmy Choo in relation to a pair of shoes that a shop on the high street has copied. The client has sent us sample shoes and a pair of the high-street shoes so that we can compare them and identify the relevant design right infringements. My supervisor asks me to draft a letter before claim to be sent to the other side This takes some time as there is a great deal of detail to go into regarding the design.6.00pm: I draft my to-do list for the next day before leaving to go to home and meeting a fellow trainee for a drink.