A Law graduate has returned nearly a decade later in a new role as a Trade Mark Attorney to give De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) advice as one of her clients.
Leanne Hall was recently appointed as an associate for Leicester-based patents and trade marks firm Serjeants and will be working with the partners to expand its business in Derby.
“I'm very excited about my new role,” said Leanne, who has lived in Nottingham for the past seven years. “Everything has come full circle and I have DMU as a client so I've already made my first trip back to the university for a meeting.
“It was a very strange experience. I can't believe how much it has changed since I was there!”
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Leanne graduated from DMU in 2008 with a Law degree and started working as a trainee Trade Mark Attorney at a large Intellectual Property firm.
She qualified in 2012 and moved to Rolls-Royce where she was part of its in-house trade mark team.
At Serjeants, Leanne will be advising clients on the protection and enforcement of trade marks as well as working to grow the business following the firm’s expansion into new offices at the iHub development at Infinity Park, Derby.
She said: “I am looking forward to the challenge of being back in private practice. From previous experience, no two days are ever the same.
“I am also looking forward to building up client relationships – helping and educating them to ensure that they have the correct protection for their brands and businesses.”
Leanne will be based across the firm’s offices in Derby and Leicester, at The Dock business development hub next to the National Space Centre.
She remembers her student days at DMU with fondness.
“Overall I had a brilliant time at DMU, both socially and academically,” she recalled.
“My Law degree was a lot of hard work, especially the third year, but I wouldn't change anything about it.
“The support and guidance that I received from the staff at the law school was invaluable. All of my lecturers were approachable and gave up time to see us if we needed help.
“I think a real turning point for me was when I started the Intellectual Property Law module in my third year. I clicked with it straight away and knew that was where I wanted to take my career.
“I spoke to my IP lecturers and they gave me good career advice on how I should proceed and the career path I should take.
“I left DMU with a very good idea of what I wanted to do and how it could be achieved.
“This definitely helped me to focus once I finished my degree and meant that I started my legal career in the area of law I knew I wanted to be in.”
Posted on Friday 30 December 2016