Career series: Alicia Instone, Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys

Alicia Instone became the youngest-ever president of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys when she was appointed this year. She shares her views on diversity in the profession and the power of perseverance.

Tell us about the course of your career.

I knew I wanted to be a patent attorney, so I applied for the postgraduate certificate in IP law at the University of Manchester to become partly qualified. I got my first proper job at Marks & Clerk in St Albans in 2005.

The office demerged from Marks & Clerk and became Scott & York in 2006, and then we merged with Cleveland in 2017 to become Cleveland Scott York. I became a partner two years later.