UK IP practitioners: this is what you say you are

The mirror may lie, but you can always believe
a good professional survey :-)

Last month SOLO IP encouraged readers to participate in a survey undertaken by Fellows & Associates. The findings -- which are about as current as you can hope to find -- can now be read in "Report of the 2012 salary survey of the IP profession in the UK" here.

The results -- culled from replies from 308 respondents -- are quite fascinating since they deal with not just pay but matters such as areas of professional expertise, geographical location and willingness to move to fresh employment, qualifications held, age and job title. With disarming and commendable honesty, the survey outlines methodology and the identification of weaknesses which, it is hoped, will be addressed when next this survey is conducted.

As it is, the data gathered here will provide not merely food for thought but actual data which will doubtless influence prospective employers when deciding what to offer future staff -- and also IP practitioners who are wondering what to expect when trading the flexibility and relative freedom of solo practice for the security of a career with a company or firm, or vice versa.

Did you ever wonder how you compare with the 'average' IP pro?

Readers may not be aware that there is a UK patent and trade mark attorney salary survey floating around right now. Organised by some fellows called Fellows and Associates, the survey is hosted by SurveyMonkey and you can access it here.  It appears to take the same amount of time to complete whether you are earning a fortune or struggling by on a pittance -- and the closing date for completing it is 7 February.

This survey will provide some handy first-hand information concerning the UK profession which, if nothing else, will give the professions some idea as to how much (or little) is being earned, how far people are prepared to move in search of a position, what their age-range and qualifications look like. Do give it a whirl!