On joining I was surprised at first at the careful training and supervision I received, having been used to working with minimal ‘interference’. However, I rapidly came to appreciate the professionalism of the partners with whom I worked and the Mathys & Squire ethos that nothing should be other than completely correct. The genuine desire of all to do an excellent job, coupled with a strong client base and an open and friendly atmosphere, helped me to develop skills which I now appreciate I did not have when I joined.

Ironically, as well as being surprised at the initial level of supervision, I was also surprised at the responsibility and autonomy I was given, which grew quickly as my experience grew. I qualified as a UK patent attorney in 1996 and as a European patent attorney in 1997; I became a partner in 1999.

My experience has exceeded my expectations and the outstanding success of the firm means that we work for highly desirable clients; one of the most satisfying things about my job is having good relat onships with clients who genuinely appreciate an excellent job. I also find that the pleasant and sociable working environment, with an absence of artificial hierarchy, promotes discussion among trainees and partners.

I would conclude that Mathys and Squire's aims could be summarised as (1) to do first-rate work for first-rate clients and (2) to have fun, and this is exactly what I was seeking when I joined nearly two decades ago.