How to think differently – and find a better way of working

This time of year can often be a period for reflection, particularly if your summer holiday feels a distant memory and you’re thinking that maybe it is time to do something differently.
We have many conversations with patent and trade mark attorneys who are reflecting on what is important to them and who are looking for a better way of working. It can, though, be a challenge to work out what that might be.

In this blog, we share some of the questions we ask attorneys to help them think about what is important to them in life and in work – so they can start visualising what they want their future to look like.

If you want to start thinking differently about your career, then you might find these questions useful:

1. What is it about your work life that you don’t currently enjoy?
Do you find your billing targets and workload stressful? We know that that many attorneys do – the IP Inclusive and CIPA mental wellbeing report confirms this. Maybe you have had enough of the politics at work? Or maybe you’re spending too much time on managing others, rather than doing the work you love?

2. What do you want this change to enable you to do?
Is there something that you want to do that is driving you to consider a change? Perhaps it’s to do with your home life or maybe it’s a creative challenge that appeals to you? It might not be one single thing but a series of events or decision points that have led you to look for a different route.

3. What is important to you in your career?
What do you still want to achieve in your career? This might not be traditional goals such as partnership but might be about working with particular clients or solving emerging technical challenges.

4. What would your ideal working week look like?
What days would you work? What hours would you do each week? Where would you ideally work? These all make a difference to our quality of life and our ability to do things outside of work which are important to us.

5. What would you like to do more of outside of work?
It is easy to get trapped by the long hours and therefore sacrifice personal activities which bring us joy. If you did work fewer hours, how would you fill that additional time? What would you like to do more of if you had the chance?

6. What work would you like to do?
Experienced patent and trade mark attorneys can often find themselves not doing the work they really enjoy as over time that has been taken over by meetings, administration and training. What work would you prefer to be doing every day, if you could choose?

7. What do you want to earn?
Considering the life you want to lead, what would you realistically like to earn? If you’re not sure where to start with this, then play with our lifestyle calculator – you can test out some different scenarios of how many hours you want to work and what your income could be.

At Two IP we help attorneys live the life they want to live and do the work they love.

If working through these questions has identified that you are ready for a change but still want to be a successful patent and trade mark attorney, you can find out more about the better way of working that we have developed at Two IP here.

IP Life two-point-zero: how joining Two IP has transformed my work-life balance

As trade mark attorney Rachel Havard looks forward to her second summer since joining Two IP after departing private practice, she reflects on the impact her new way of working has had on her work, her life and how the two now integrate together on her own terms.

I joined Two IP, not least to recover some work/life balance. This has certainly become a reality, as I have been freed from management responsibilities, time no longer has to be spent commuting and I do not have onerous time targets.

What I have really found myself with is a type of work/life integration, or work/life blending. This might not suit everyone, but it is here I have landed as most comfortable, after 18 months of my new way of working – a world apart from traditional private practice.

I no longer have a habit of working at weekends, but am ready to do so should something in my caseload specifically require it.  Monday to Friday are designated as my work zone, but with flexibility on what hours are worked on those days.  Every day begins with me getting outside for a country walk with my lovely rescue dog, and that really sets me up for the day.

The working week is no longer a mountain to be climbed. I do not feel constrained to be at my screen for the whole of a conventional working day (though often am as I am stimulated and enjoying my work), nor do I need to complete a time sheet to account for every unit of every day’s hours. I can give myself a gentler start on a Monday morning if I need to, which helps defeat the “Sunday scaries” feeling I used to get, and can finish a bit earlier on a Friday if I have plans to go somewhere.  It is possible to be spontaneous. 

It is easy to take time out for “life things”; to support family and friends, do the school run, have a long walk to gather my thoughts, or take the odd couple of hours outside on those rare occasions that the sun is shining! If I take some time out for life things in an afternoon, I can easily do more work in the evening, whilst still able to monitor emails throughout the day. I am able to spread my working hours across a week day, to really apply myself when I feel most energised, but step away for a bit when I don’t. What actually happens is that I will reflect on client matters as I do something else, and can often bring something new to their case when I am back at my desk.

In traditional private practice, I so needed time away for holidays, with at least a full week to switch off in the summer. The problem with that was that I had to work long hours before going on holiday, in order to clear the decks, then there was always a lot of work to catch up following my absence. Often holidays felt cancelled out by the before and aftermath, when those holidays had already been built up far too much beforehand.

Now, I much prefer and choose to take extended weekends to make up my summer holidays. It is so much easier to stay on top of things that way, and to enjoy a much greater variety of breaks. We go to music festivals, concerts, film festivals, visit family in rural Wales, and have a lot of fun touring round in a VW camper van. Sometimes, I might need to get involved in something work related on these short trips, but I don’t mind having work in my life every week, when I can have plenty of life in my weeks as well!

Helping you to build your ‘fantasy firm’

Imagine building an IP firm filled with your dream players. The team members you enjoy working with, the clients that are in your ideal sector and none of the people that drain your energy or time.  

This is an exercise we work with future attorneys on. Helping them to design their dream firm. With often decades of working in a certain way, this possibility of such freedom can be difficult to comprehend, so we use our business planning workbook process to help.  

If you’re in a position where you are imagining what your fantasy firm would look like, then here are some prompting questions to help: 

Which clients would you like to carry on working with? 

There are likely some individuals or companies that you love having as clients. Maybe they are in a sector you find really interesting or perhaps their work is something that is exactly aligned to your technical specialism. It might also be the individuals at that company that you enjoy working with. Your fantasy firm would be filled with clients just like this.  

Which companies would you love to have as a client in the future?  

Do you have brands or companies that you would love to work with? This might be driven by a personal interest or passion or maybe it’s because of the work they do and the innovations they develop. Who would you be excited to do work for if you built your fantasy firm?  

What type of people would you like to work alongside?  

It’s not just about clients but also the people you work with. Who are the teammates you would want to join you at this firm? What is it about them that means they would form part of your fantasy team?  

What type of people or roles would I like to not work with anymore?  

Who would you leave behind? The individual or roles that you wouldn’t want to include on your fantasy firm team sheet. Maybe it’s because supporting them takes you away from the work you enjoy too much or perhaps you are not sure of how they add value to the overall team. In your fantasy firm, none of these players need to be selected.   

Unlike the sporting version of this game, your fantasy firm can be achieved in real-life. If you want to find out how then take a look at our website here.  

Six questions to help you visualise your ideal future career and life

At Two IP we aim to help attorneys live the life they want to live. We have many conversations with patent and trade mark attorneys who are reflecting on their priorities, learning about what is important to them and identifying new exciting challenges they want to experience.  It can, though, be a challenge to determine how they can balance all these things with a successful career.

In this blog, we share some of the questions we ask in our ‘business planning workbook’. This is the document we use to help patent and trade mark attorneys examine what is important to them and start visualising what they want their future to look like. If you are looking to create a change in your career, then this process might help you too.

  1. What do you want this change to enable you to do?

Is there something that is driving you to consider a change? Perhaps it’s to do with your home life or maybe it’s a creative challenge that appeals to you? It might not be one single thing but a series of events or decision points that have led you to look for a different route.

  1. What is important to you in your career?

What do you still want to achieve in your career? This might not be traditional goals such as partnership but might be about working with particular clients or solving emerging technical challenges.

  1. What would your ideal working week look like?

What days would you work? What hours would you do each week? Where would you ideally work? These all make a difference to our quality of life and our ability to do things outside of work which are important to us.

  1. What would you like to do more of outside of work?

It is easy to get trapped by the long hours and therefore sacrifice personal activities which bring us joy. If you did work fewer hours, how would you fill that additional time? What would you like to do more of if you had the chance?

  1. What work would you like to do?

Experienced patent and trade mark attorneys can often find themselves not doing the work they really enjoy as over time that has been taken over by meetings, administration and training. What work would prefer to be doing every day if you could choose?

  1. What do you want to earn?

Considering the life you want to lead, what would you realistically like to earn? If you’re not sure where to start with this, then play with our lifestyle calculator – you can test out some different scenarios of how many hours you want to work and what your income could be.

If working through these questions has identified that you are ready for a change but still want to be a successful patent and trade mark attorney, then take a look at our website to find out more about how Two IP works and see if our way of working is the answer you’ve been looking for.

Friluftsliv – the Two IP way

Let us introduce you to the art of Friluftsliv-ing the Two IP way!  
Friluftsliv, translated as “free air life” in English, is a Scandinavian concept that celebrates the joy of outdoor living and connecting with nature.  In this article, we look at its benefits and members of the Two IP team share ways that they enjoy getting outside and reaping the rewards of friluftsliv.

Friluftsliv encourages us to step outdoors and breath in the fresh air.  It is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of modern life, where we find ourselves surrounded by screens and concrete buildings. 

So what are the benefits of Friluftsliv?

Research consistently shows the therapeutic benefits of getting out in nature with improved mental well-being and reduced stress and anxiety, promoting a more balanced and focused mind.  Invite others to join you and you will also benefit from a sense of connection and shared experiences.

And friluftsliv isn’t just an escape for our minds, it can boost our physical health too.  With outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, skiing or simply a walk in your local park, the increased oxygen intake can boost our immune system, enhance cardiovascular health and contribute to an overall improvement in physical well-being.

What Friluftsliv means to us

Two IP founder and director Anna Molony loves to get out each day exploring her local village footpaths and if she has a busy day then she will park a little further away from the Two IP office, to ensure she gets an opportunity to get some steps in and enjoy some fresh air.  Anna also enjoys wrapping up warm and taking her morning coffee out to the bench in her garden to contemplate the day ahead.

Our trade mark attorney Rachel Havard ensures she gets out every single day accompanied by her boisterous rescue hound.  As Rachel shares, “Having a dog forces you to get out there, whatever the weather.  As they say, there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices! And often the more blustery the day, the better for clearing the mind!” Rachel and her family also enjoy skiing holidays – with a confident husband and a daughter who has skied since the age of 3, Rachel often finds herself playing catch up chasing them down the snowy hills!

Two IP patent attorney Coreena Brinck loves to get outside and walk her dogs or participate in the occasional jog, but her real passion is cross country skiing.  When on holiday, Coreena and her husband enjoy the calmer pace of cross country skiing along prepared pistes with no ski lifts to tackle.  With the lack of snow in the Home Counties, when back home Coreena will don her rollerskis and complete a lap or two of her local lake!

And friluftsliv activities are not restricted to colder climates! Our COO Sally Jones is not a fan of the chilly weather so enjoys time abroad in the sunshine, taking in the sea, sand and long walks! At home, Sally loves to get out in the garden raking up fallen leaves and picking apples from the trees, then maybe going for a few bike rides if the weather allows.

Whatever the weather, or your choice of activity, we encourage you to seek out opportunities to step away from your desk, get outdoors into nature and breath in the fresh air!  Actively build a bit of friluftsliv into your weekly routine – we guarantee you won’t regret it!

Things to do this Twixtmas

Twixtmas is a time for rest and celebration, as we recover from Christmas and we look forward to the new year ahead. Most businesses will be closed (Two IP certainly is), so assuming that you do not plan on spending the entire time watching box sets in your PJs, we have put together a few suggestions of things you might like to do.

The Midlands

Christmas at the Castle

“Start a new tradition this year at Warwick Castle this Christmas as you enjoy a truly magical Stories with Santa, glide, spin and twirl upon our open-air ice rink and discover our brand-new dazzling light trail for 2023. You’ll also be enchanted by twinkling trees, dazzling decorations and festive flourishes at every turn and the delightful winter food & drink village. With all of this and more set across 64-acres of stunning grounds, you’re sure to feel the magic of Christmas at Warwick Castle.”

Planet Ice Coventry – 3 Day Learn to Skate Course (starts 27th December)

“The perfect Summer Holiday activity! Learn how to skate in just 3 or 5 days! Our lessons run for 30 minutes each morning over three or five consecutive days during the school holidays. You will then have access to the public skate session after to practice your skills you have learned.”

The Box of Delights – Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford upon Avon

“A magically festive production for all the family in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre this winter. Orphaned schoolboy Kay Harker is caught up in a battle between two powerful magicians. Can he save Christmas? This production is based on the original stage production first produced by Wilton’s Music Hall and Hero Productions at Wilton’s Music Hall.”  Performances run until 7th January.

An array of festive pantomimes

This year we are spoilt for choice with a variety of pantomimes in the area for a day out of traditional family fun!

Jack and the Beanstalk at the Birmingham Hippodrome

Cinderella at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton

Jack and the Beanstalk at the Oxford Playhouse

London

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

“Located in London’s iconic Hyde Park, Winter Wonderland is the world’s ultimate destination for festive fun. Running for six magical weeks from 17th November 2023 to 1st January 2024, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland offers a variety of attractions, activities, entertainment, food, drinks, and so much more.”

Christmas at Hampton Court Palace

“Get into the festive spirit at Hampton Court Palace this Christmas. Savour historic Tudor cookery, revel in festive tunes from the past, and see if you can spot courtiers and guards from the Tudor court as they roam Henry VIII’s famous palace.”

The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House

“Discover the enchantment of ballet with this sparkling festive treat for the whole family.”

Hansel and Gretel at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

“A beautifully epic new version of The Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel, by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, transforms the Globe Theatre this winter.”

Ice Skating in London

There is an array of options if you would like to step onto the ice in London this Twixtmas,  Venues surrounded by iconic scenery include:

Somerset House

Battersea Power Station

Queen’s House Greenwich

Canary Wharf

Edinburgh

Christmas at the Botanics Light Trail

“Enjoy the Garden after dark and be captivated by awe-inspiring light installations and seasonal sounds which fill the air with festive fun.

Discover sparkling tunnels of light and dancing lakeside reflections, immerse yourself within bouncing lines of light in the Laser Garden, then walk under giant baubles and beneath glistening trees drenched in jewel-like colour.”

Scottish Ballet’s Cinders!, Festival Theatre

“A magical new Cinderella story from Scottish Ballet – this festive favourite returns for the winter season with a new name, glittering new designs, and a charming twist to the tale.

Scottish Ballet’s playful new production of Cinders will have a surprise in store each night for audiences as the curtain rises: on some nights, Cinders will be a woman, swept off her feet by her Prince, and on others, Cinders will be a man, swept off his feet by his Princess!

Choreographed by Christopher Hampson, with stunning art-nouveau-inspired set and costumes designed by Elin Steele, and Prokofiev’s irresistibly melodic score, performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, Cinders is everything you adore about the enchanted fairy tale – made sparkling, fresh and new.”

George Street Open Air Ice Rink

“Get your skates on and glide all the way up and down Edinburgh’s famous George St on the magnificent alpine ice rink, sponsored by Lidl GB, in partnership with Essential Edinburgh.”

A visit to The Dome, George Street

An Edinburgh Christmas institution, The Dome’s Christmas lights are spectacular, outside and in. Drop in for coffee in the Club Bar, afternoon tea in the Georgian Tea Room or (if you want to experience Christmas at the Dome’s over-the-top max) drinks in the Grill Room.

Torchlight Procession, 29th December

Join 20,000 people on the torchlight procession from The Meadows to the City Centre. Carry a flaming torch and enjoy the carnival atmosphere and music, and help raise money for homelessness charity Social Bite projects in Edinburgh and across Scotland. This is one of our favourite Twixtmas activities anywhere. Ever.

Happy Two IP anniversary Rachel!

November has marked our trade mark attorney Rachel Havard’s anniversary of joining Two IP – happy anniversary Rachel!
Moving on from many years in traditional private practice with lengthy commutes, fixed targets and long working days, Rachel took the leap to join Two IP after realising that there was another option out there for her. Read on to find out how Rachel’s life has radically changed in the past 12 months!

Rachel was at her old firm for 23 years – 16 of those years as a partner – so it was a massive part of her life. With frequent days in the London office, Rachel was spending numerous hours a week commuting from her Warwickshire home – many of those hours needing to be made up for in evenings and at weekends. The responsibility that comes with being a partner in traditional practice, on top of the tiredness Rachel was feeling from the commuting and long hours, undoubtedly took its toll on Rachel’s life at home. In Rachel’s own words “I wasn’t a very nice person to my family. Although I loved where I worked, I could see that my work-life balance was actually a bit out of kilter”.

A change of direction
So in 2022, Rachel recognised that something needed to change.

With her work-life balance askew, Rachel was looking for something a little bit different. “I wasn’t quite sure what that solution might be. I’d been a partner and I didn’t really want to go and be employed somewhere else. I was already in a place where I really liked the people, and so really it had to be something absolutely totally different for me”.

And that is when Rachel found Two IP. After an initial chat with director Anna Molony, Rachel could see that this would be her opportunity to “go it alone without being alone”. Two IP could offer infrastructure, organisation and support but without the constraints and rigidity of process found with a traditional firm. And in November 2022, after taking a much-needed month’s break in between roles, Rachel joined the Two IP team.

So what has changed?
For Rachel, the biggest impact has been on her home life. “My family noticed the difference straight away. Before they would say that I’d be in the room, but not in the room, whereas now I am actually present” shares Rachel.

Being a mother to a teenage daughter who previously found her mum a little unapproachable due to her focus being elsewhere, Rachel has found herself able to offer support and encouragement throughout her daughter’s recent exams. Rachel has also had the time and capacity to support her wider family, to be a more active member of her local community, and to pursue her other interests like getting away in her VW camper van and being an executive producer of a micro-budget independent feature film – find out more on this here!

Rachel’s commute has switched from 5-hour round trips on her London office days to wandering through her garden to her home office. Rachel now has the freedom to choose her own hours, taking the odd afternoon off as she chooses without feeling guilty.

“Ultimately, I feel invigorated and re-energised from making the change. I feel happier”

It is not only Rachel’s personal life which has improved, her clients have benefited too. One year on, Rachel has worked hard to develop her business and now has a solid client base. “I feel like I can give a better service to my clients as I’ve got more time to think around what they need and I don’t have rigid time targets”. Rachel has enjoyed maintaining and cultivating long standing client relationships, as well as building new ones as she also grows her client base closer to home in Warwickshire. “I have more energy which means I can give my clients my full attention without distractions and I feel under less pressure as I set my own time targets”.

The Two IP set up has also brought great support to Rachel in her first year: “It is great to be part of something bigger and to benefit from others’ experience, but at the same time have visibility of everything, with full control over my business development, my diary and my targets”.

As Rachel brilliantly sums up her first year with Two IP: “I am now able to be there for my people – I am no longer distracted and I can be totally mindful and present. And after all, if you’re happy in your private life then you’re going to be happy in your work life, and vice versa!”

If you are an experienced attorney and Rachel’s first year with Two IP has inspired you to see there is another option out there, we would love to talk to you!  To find out more, visit our website here or book a confidential chat with one of our Directors here.

Life’s about the journey, not the destination

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you had more time outside of work?  Here Two IP consultant attorney Rachel Havard tells us about how she has been spending some of her spare time recently!

Thanks to support of the lovely folks at Two IP – Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys, I have found myself with more time than ever to commit to my favourite clients, without distractions of management responsibilities, traditional billing targets or commuting, and with energy in abundance for other exciting projects, such as All Roads Lead to Home.

It is my pleasure and privilege to have been involved in production of this micro-budget independent feature film which, due to the amazing vision and drive of its small but mighty cast and crew, looks a million dollars.

 

“When personal tragedies bring songwriters Amy and Matt together, they embark on a journey of healing, soul-searching and friendship, but where will it lead them?  A musical odyssey featuring several original songs and a pulsating music score. A love letter to 80s and 90s music.”

 

 

Since moving away from law firm partnership, I have been able to get on with the client work I enjoy most, as well as increasing my involvement as an executive producer of All Roads.  I have been a literal sounding board for my husband as he has composed many original songs for the movie, and have loved joining the cast as a supporting artist – in an office scene(!), mum-dancing at a rave, then cheering along with the crowd at one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to!

As for the next stage of the journey, All Roads Lead to Home has been selected for screening at the Birmingham Film Festival in November 2023, where it will receive its premiere.  Free tickets are available for the premiere screening here.  

Not only will the film be screened for the first time but it is also nominated for 3 awards: Best Local Film, Best Feature Film and The Audience Award.

It will be great to see All Roads Lead to Home released into the wild.  There’s nothing like it!

If you are an experienced attorney who would like to have the opportunity to spend more time on your hobbies, launching new ventures or more time with your family, then we would love to hear from you.  Book a confidential call with one of our directors here or contact us at hello@two-ip.com.

“My work-life balance was out of kilter; I was looking for something a bit different. Now I am actually present and I feel happier”

Earlier this year, Two IP founder Anna Molony and consultant Rachel Havard joined Billtrader founder Justin Simpson on his podcast ‘Talking IP with Justin Simpson’.

In conversation with Justin, Rachel shares what appealed to her about Two IP’s new consultancy model and how it is working out for her so far.  Click on the video below to hear directly from Rachel.

You can listen to the full podcast episode:

For Apple Podcasts: click here

For Spotify: click here

If you are a patent or trade mark attorney and would like to learn more about joining us, click here to book a confidential call with one of our Directors.

Holiday Reflections – Time to take stock of life

Holiday Reflections – Time to take stock of life

Looking forward to your summer holiday? Can’t wait to get away from work, to spend some time with friends or family? Like most patent and trade mark attorneys, you are probably seriously in need of some time off.

IP Inclusive’s latest mental wellbeing survey reported that levels of stress, anxiety and depression were significant within the IP professions, with more than half of all respondents saying they had been adversely affected by stress in the preceding twelve months. The most significant causes, once again, were said to be related to high workloads. In terms of business impact, the survey revealed that stress and other mental health issues are leading to mistakes (or near-mistakes), reduced confidence, difficulty concentrating and reduced productivity, as well as physical problems such as fatigue and loss of sleep. In many cases they have caused respondents to consider leaving their current jobs and/or the profession.

So if, while you are on holiday, you find you are not looking forward to going back, maybe you should take the opportunity of having the time (and headspace) to think about what you really want to do and how you really want to live.

Here is a book, a TED talk, a podcast and an article that you might like to take a look at:

Our lives have become increasingly stressful. Whether it’s our to-do lists, deadlines, difficult conversations or crises small or large, our waking hours are filled with constant stressors. We can’t eliminate stress – it will always be woven into our lives and part of everything from parenting and careers, to reaching big life dreams. However, this book will help you to ‘stress better’ and become more resilient.

ER doctor, Dr Darria Long,  explains key lessons from hospital emergency rooms on handling stress, chaos, and life.

In this episode of the High Performance podcast, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee talks about how building connections and nourishing relationships are key to building a more fulfilling and happy life. Two IP is all about relationships and helping people to build a life that suits them, allowing attorneys to spend time doing the things outside of work they care about, so this conversation really resonated with us.

Chronic stress at work can lead to listlessness, fatigue – and a much higher risk of stroke and heart disease. This article looks at some ways to save yourself before it’s too late.

We believe every patent and trade mark attorney should be able to enjoy a proper work-life balance. It is one of the reasons we designed Two IP to work in the way it does.

Two IP consultants have complete control over everything to do with their work – who they work with, how they do the work and where and when they do it. By having a lower workload plus complete autonomy, we believe it is possible to have a much healthier approach to work. Meaning happier attorneys, with the time and headspace to do their best work.

If your holiday turns out not to be the break you so desperately needed, or you are dreading returning to work, then maybe it’s time to join a different team. You can find out more about Two IP here: https://www.two-ip.com/want-to-join-us/