BIP Q&A

What are Bristows’ three core sectors?

Life Sciences, Technology and Brands.

Which notable clients are listed in my Bristows notes?

Sony, Google DeepMind, Novo Nordisk, The Guardian and the BBC.

What makes Bristows’ size and work distinctive?

It is a medium-sized firm handling work comparable to the largest firms. Trainees can work directly with partners and clients from the start.

What international facts about Bristows should I remember?

My notes say around 60% of income came from overseas clients over the previous three years; the firm works with overseas law firms, offers clients a single point of service, and has 21+ languages spoken across the firm

What does the podcast “UK Expansion: Unpacked” demonstrate?

It is a practical guide to building a UK presence and reflects Bristows’ international outlook and collaborative approach.

What historic leadership point is in my notes?

Bristows was the first City firm to appoint a female joint managing partner.

What are my three main reasons for applying to Bristows?

Specialist expertise, international outlook, and a clear commitment to developing its people.

Why does Bristows’ specialist IP expertise appeal to me?

Bristows focuses on IP and shares thoughtful content about it. I followed its “Invisible Minds” LinkedIn series and the “Cease & Discuss” podcast episode with Jessica des Landes about the Estée Lauder v Jo Malone dispute.

How does my magazine experience connect to Bristows’ IP work?

I co-founded an online magazine that has grown to over 30,000 subscribers. I have seen how much brand identity and original work matter to the people behind them, and how these can become things worth protecting.

Why does Bristows’ international outlook appeal to me?

I speak French and Italian fluently and enjoy cross-cultural collaboration. As a language graduate and designer of a French-language student magazine, I have seen how meaning can shift across languages and cultures. IP rights are territorial, so brand and patent strategies often need to work across markets.

Why does Bristows’ commitment to developing people appeal to me?

Through the Student Ambassador scheme and UniBuddy, I have seen how good support and guidance can transform someone’s experience. Bristows’ “Learn and Lunch” seminars and close work with trainees and associates suggest a culture where learning and collaboration are part of everyday life.

What three things differentiate Bristows from competitors?

First, IP and technology are central to the firm, not just one department. Second, its small trainee intake and varied seats give trainees real responsibility, breadth and regular feedback. Third, its culture of curiosity is shown through Invisible Minds, Cease & Discuss and Learn and Lunch.

What is distinctive about Bristows’ approach to billing targets?

Bristows does not work to billing targets. This can allow experts to work together and take the time needed to reach the right answer, rather than prioritising the quickest or most billable answer.

How does Bristows’ history connect with innovation?

Bristows has advised on new technologies and ideas since 1837. Its long-standing focus on emerging ideas and careful thinking is relevant to its approach to AI today.

Aside from law, what am I passionate about?

Languages and cross-cultural collaboration. Growing up in a bilingual household and studying French developed my interest. As Head of Design for Des Nouvelles Héloïse, a French-language student magazine, I helped develop each issue and worked with writers and editors to keep bilingual content clear and accessible. My year abroad in Paris and travels in France helped me experience different cultures directly. Languages help me understand perspectives and connect with people.

What extracurricular activities have I been involved in?

I volunteered at the National Trust at Tyntesfield, co-founded Cultivate Kindness, helped lead the French-language magazine Des Nouvelles Héloïse, and volunteered at my local yoga studio during events for NHS nurses. These experiences developed research, analysis, empathy, leadership, project management, communication and customer-facing skills.

What is Cultivate Kindness?

An online newsletter and podcast promoting mental health awareness and helping people navigate life and challenges in their twenties. I co-founded it with my sister and manage written and digital content.

Why have I chosen to become a solicitor?

I enjoy taking complicated information and turning it into clear, usable advice. My dissertation required me to weigh conflicting sources and reach a balanced conclusion; my magazine involves explaining topics to a broad audience. I value teamwork, long-term client relationships and continuous learning. I want to combine commercial insight with empathy, particularly in IP, where creativity and business meet.

What relevant skills do I bring to a solicitor role?

Analytical problem-solving from History essays and my dissertation; clear communication through my magazine, podcast, Student Ambassador scheme and UniBuddy; teamwork and leadership from the student magazine; curiosity and self-directed learning from researching content and teaching myself tools; and client-facing professionalism from TRIBE Yoga, the National Trust and Hollister.

How have my History and French studies prepared me for law?

They trained me to digest large amounts of information, build persuasive arguments, consider different perspectives and communicate precisely. My dissertation on women and the law in Early Modern England involved legal theory and court records, so I engaged with legal ideas and evidence.

How have I explored a legal career from a non-law background?

I completed the Law and Justice pathway course at King’s College London, attended law-related events and spoke with trainees and associates, attended a Mishcon de Reya open day, and completed virtual job simulations with Slaughter and May and PRIME.

What draws me to training at Bristows?

The combination of high-quality work and real responsibility. Although mid-sized, the firm handles matters comparable to much larger firms. With a trainee intake of around ten, trainees are expected to contribute. I have enjoyed taking initiative in my magazine and design-team roles, so this environment appeals to me.

What do I understand about Bristows’ trainee seats?

trainees complete five or six seats, including a compulsory patent litigation seat, with opportunities to explore other IP areas such as Brands, Designs & Copyright. Supervisor check-ins and end-of-seat feedback support development.

What might a typical trainee day at Bristows involve?

t depends on the seat. Patent litigation may involve researching complex technical and legal questions, preparing bundles, noting points during expert interviews or attending court. A transactional seat may involve drafting documents and speaking with clients and other teams.

Across seats, research, careful drafting and learning from colleagues are common.

Which practice area would I like to learn more about, and why?

Media and marketing. These industries are rich in IP, and Bristows’ specialist teams advise brand owners and marketing specialists on advertising and marketing law, including regulation, clearance and disputes. This connects with my interest in brands, content and original work.

Why have I applied to the IP Workshop?

I want to find out first-hand whether IP is the right area for me, and Bristows is the firm I most want to learn from. Creating content for my magazine has shown me the value of brand identity and original work. Bristows’ Invisible Minds series and its Cease & Discuss episode on Estée Lauder and Jo Malone increased my interest in how law protects these things. I have explored law through a Mishcon de Reya open day and Slaughter and May and PRIME simulations. I look forward to the case study, meeting trainees and associates, and understanding the work and culture. I would bring curiosity and a willingness to contribute.

How have I shown curiosity?

Through Cultivate Kindness, which I co-founded because I wanted to understand the questions people in their twenties were struggling with. I research topics such as perfectionism and setbacks, consider different perspectives, and explain what I learn clearly. I taught myself WordPress, Canva and podcast editing. I would bring the same approach to IP: ask questions, research carefully and explain clearly.

What makes a good solicitor?

Strong legal knowledge is essential, but a good solicitor also communicates complex issues clearly, builds trusting long-term client relationships, works collaboratively, pays attention to detail, adapts to change and understands clients’ businesses. Empathy and human care matter alongside technical skill, especially as AI changes legal work.

How would I make myself stand out as a trainee?

Through thoroughness, reliability and attention to detail: correct names, clear communication, accurate documents and the right attachments. I would be proactive, anticipate what helps the team, clarify tasks and deadlines, ask questions, seek context, welcome feedback and take on challenges. I would remain honest, dependable, curious and collaborative rather than passive.

Tell me about a team I worked in and how I contributed to its success.

As Head of Design for Des Nouvelles Héloïse, I coordinated layouts and deadlines while balancing creative ideas and editorial priorities. During a tight production period, two designers disagreed over a major section. I arranged a meeting, listened to both views, identified the strengths of each proposal and suggested a compromise. I set clear check-ins to keep work on track. We finished the issue one week early and received positive feedback. This shows initiative, calm conflict management and teamwork.

Tell me about a setback, failure or critical feedback and how I handled it.

During my first semester studying in Paris, I struggled with an unfamiliar university system, French-only courses and different marking criteria. After receiving a disappointing essay mark, I arranged a meeting with my professor and asked specific questions about how to improve. I rewrote the essay to practise applying the feedback and shared the guidance with other exchange students, organising study sessions. By the second semester, I was meeting expectations and achieving the grades I wanted. I learned resilience, adaptability and the value of seeking feedback.

Tell me about a time I showed commitment.

I co-founded Cultivate Kindness, a monthly online newsletter launched during Covid to create a supportive space for conversations about wellbeing when people felt isolated. I maintained it for over five years alongside A-levels and university, focusing on thoughtful, high-quality content even when the audience was small or I was busy. I also tried to engage readers and build a supportive community. This strengthened my communication skills and showed me the responsibility that comes with people trusting your work.

What kind of tasks do I most enjoy?

I most enjoy brainstorming and collaborative tasks. In design meetings, I enjoy sharing ideas, building on other people’s suggestions and helping create a shared direction. This often produces stronger ideas and a more cohesive result. As a trainee, I would bring this collaborative approach to working across teams and developing well-rounded client advice.

What motivates me when work becomes challenging?

Commitment and curiosity. When something is unfamiliar, I want to improve and understand it rather than avoid it. Studying in Paris in a different academic system and language pushed me outside my comfort zone and made me more confident, adaptable and resilient. These qualities are useful in a legal career where learning and new challenges are constant.

Do I prefer working independently or in a team?

I value both, but particularly enjoy teamwork. Bouncing ideas off others often leads to better solutions, keeps me engaged and helps me learn from different perspectives. This fits commercial law, where trainees collaborate across teams and departments.

Describe a time I took initiative.

Coming from a History and French background, I had to explore law independently. I enrolled in the Law and Justice pathway course at King’s College London, attended Law Society events and spoke with trainees and associates who had moved into law from non-law degrees. I also completed virtual internships to gain practical exposure. These experiences helped me understand the profession, build contacts and confirm my motivation to become a solicitor.

What does commercial awareness mean to me?

It has two connected parts: understanding current events and wider political, economic and societal changes; then analysing how those changes may affect a client’s business so I can help provide current, relevant advice.

How is AI changing the legal profession?

AI can make workflows more efficient and automate some routine tasks, while clients may expect faster work or lower costs. Lawyers need to integrate AI thoughtfully: it can expand capability but cannot replace professional judgement, accountability or understanding the client’s question. AI-generated work must be checked and useful, not long output that fails to answer the question.

Bristows has a secure in-house tool, BristowsGPT, and practice-area-specific AI solutions.

What are the risks of relying too heavily on AI in legal work?

AI can be wrong, miss context or produce lengthy material that does not answer the client’s question. Lawyers must verify outputs, use judgement, protect confidentiality, take responsibility for the work and ensure the client’s actual needs are addressed.

How are clients viewing AI and legal technology?

Some technology clients see AI as a way to reduce legal spend and expect firms to explain how they use it. Firms can use AI to simplify tasks, but should be transparent about its role and maintain human oversight. As platforms become more sophisticated, lawyers and clients may be able to use them collaboratively, while remaining thoughtful about what AI can and cannot do.

What opportunities does AI create in legal work?

AI can automate lower-value, repetitive tasks and support tasks such as drafting time-sheet narratives. This can free people to focus on higher-value work, analysis and client service.

What challenges does AI create in legal work?

Clients differ in their willingness to use AI, and confidentiality must be managed carefully. Lawyers need training to use tools appropriately and must check any changes or outputs produced by AI. Human judgement and accountability remain essential.

What does a thoughtful approach to AI look like for a trainee?

Understand the task first, decide whether AI is appropriate, follow firm and client confidentiality rules, check the output carefully, apply independent judgement and take responsibility for the final work.

What is my strongest example of leadership and teamwork?

Head of Design for Des Nouvelles Héloïse: coordinated schedules, balanced creative and editorial priorities, resolved a disagreement and helped deliver an issue one week early.

What is my strongest example of curiosity and self-directed learning?

Co-founding Cultivate Kindness, researching unfamiliar topics, considering different perspectives and teaching myself WordPress, Canva and podcast editing.

What is my strongest link between my background and IP?

Creating and managing content has shown me the importance of brand identity and original work. My language skills and cross-cultural experience also interest me in how IP strategies operate across different markets.

Getty Images v Stability AI?Why is this case important for businesses?

It demonstrates that generative AI creates both opportunities and legal risks. AI companies want to develop and release useful products, while content owners want to protect the value of their work and maintain control over how it is used.

Businesses need to consider how training data is obtained, whether outputs might reproduce protected material, whether branding is used appropriately, and how to respond to disputes. These issues can affect litigation exposure, licensing arrangements, product launches and reputation.

I think the case shows that IP advice is not just about resolving disputes after something goes wrong. It can also help businesses make informed decisions before launching a product.

How might this affect photographers and other creative professionals?

It raises questions about consent, compensation and whether creators can maintain the commercial value of their work as AI-generated alternatives become more common.

Photographers may be concerned that their work is used to train competing systems, or that AI-generated images could imitate aspects of their work or contain their branding. On the other hand, AI can provide creative professionals with new tools and workflows.

I think the challenge is to make sure the law recognises the value of human creativity while responding sensibly to new technology.