Training & Professional Development
We strive to provide the best possible training and development for all employees regardless of their position. We provide detailed competency frameworks from day one, enabling clear objectives to be set and reviewed at the annual and mid year performance appraisals. Our dedicated Training & Development Committee (TDC) constantly review our investment in training to ensure personal and firmwide objectives are met.
Alongside our internal training we are keen to share our expertise and knowledge externally. We regularly present at external seminars and on revision courses aiding career and professional development for employees and their peers.
A structured route to qualification as a patent or trade mark attorney
The path to paralegal qualification
Development of professional support staff
A structured route to qualification as a patent or trade mark attorney
Training at D Young & Co is a structured yet varied process. Alongside the required examinations, trainee attorneys work closely with a qualified attorney to receive on-the-job training and mentoring. Progress is frequently reviewed in line with our competency frameworks to ensure that all trainees have sufficient exposure to various tasks and skills as they approach qualification.
Our attorneys must be able to communicate effectively at all levels and so excellent communication skills are essential. We place a strong emphasis on team work and value sharing ideas and knowledge, along with the ability to develop long term, commercially astute business relationships.
The path to paralegal qualification
Our paralegal secretaries are integral to the quality of our work and are highly valued members of our teams. We offer motivated candidates the opportunity to develop their careers as IP paralegal secretaries and to gain accredited qualifications in patent and trade mark administration.
Trainee paralegals follow a structured and supported path towards becoming experienced paralegal secretaries. They gain experience and develop skills by working with a variety of D Young & Co work groups during their training, where the focus is on the provision of outstanding levels of service to our clients. Each trainee is assigned a supervising paralegal secretary who guides them in step with their personal development plan and against the D Young & Co secretarial competency framework.
We look for individuals who have exceptionally high standards of accuracy and communication skills, and who have the potential to take on the responsibility of supporting attorneys in running their portfolios. Candidates must have a minimum of five GCSEs with excellent grades in both Maths and English.
Development of professional support staff
The D Young & Co operations team is based at our Southampton office and provides the essential administrative support needed to manage the firm. Business Development, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, Records Management and Research departments support the strategic aims of the firm through the provision of a high quality and proactive service to internal and external clients.
The firm’s Training and Development Committee actively sources and reviews relevant courses to ensure we are providing the best possible training to all employees. Everyone’s contribution is valued and development opportunities are available to support individual development against professional competency frameworks.
Our commitment to the development of our professional support staff involves our investment in industry accredited qualifications such as CIPD, ACCA, CIM, ILM and BIFM. We recognise that this strengthens the skills of the individual and the team and significantly contributes towards the effective operation of the firm.
