As the IP recruitment market remains as competitive as ever, salaries continue to stay in the spotlight with employees paying particular attention to not only their basic salary but bonuses and ‘softer benefits’ as well.

We have been producing an annual salary survey since 2011, making it the longest running survey of its type in the IP sector. We are still seeing significant discrepancies across the market in salaries as well as in the way in which employee pay is structured but hope that the following document will help make some sense of this.

As with last year, individuals are generally keen to look at a job offer / their current package in its entirety, taking into account not just the basic salary. We are increasingly seeing bonuses, earning potential, flexibility and work-life balance being important factors for a candidate to consider, and we expect this thought process to continue.

Nevertheless, remuneration remains an important factor in both attracting and retaining the best quality people. Over recent years, we were still feeling the impact of the downturn where fewer trainees were recruited and there were very real skills gaps across a wide range of areas. Although we are now far enough on from this to see trainees moving towards qualification, good Attorneys remain in high demand across all disciplines and this is often reflected in the starting salaries that businesses are prepared to offer in order to secure new talent.

Whilst we recognise that basic salaries will always be of interest, it is very rarely the only factor for a candidate considering a move. The additional information following the salary tables is designed to give an insight into working conditions across the IP sector, as well as reflecting on points of interest raised by clients and candidates alike.

Click here to download our Patent and Trade Mark Salary Survey 2023.

Need any advice, please call one of our Consultants in the Patent and Trade mark Team.