Tamsin Knight

Current Employer/Organisation Name

HGF

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Since leaving Exeter, I have commenced by trainee position as a Trade Mark Attorney at HGF, a European Intellectual Property firm. Day to day, I help to advise clients as to UK and EU trade mark, design and copyright matters. I look at matters throughout the IP Lifecyle from filing and registration, through to enforcement and infringement. As part of my trainee position, I have commenced my postgraduate qualifications in Trade Mark Law and Practice, the first of two steps to qualification, while putting this into practice to aid client’s in achieving their commercial objectives through brand protection.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I chose to enter intellectual property, and trade marks in particular, because it allows me to work on issues that are genuinely relevant to everyday life, protecting the names, logos, designs, and products people see and buy every day. I’m especially drawn to the brand-led sectors I have a genuine interest in, including fashion, retail, and beauty, where trade marks sit right at the heart of commercial strategy and a brand’s reputation. What I enjoy most is helping clients make clear, practical decisions, from shaping a filing strategy and assessing risk ahead of a launch, supporting enforcement when issues arise, through to seeing that advice translate into tangible brand value in the real world.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

IP module (somewhat biased!)

What did you most enjoy about studying here?

Studying at Exeter really shaped my initial legal experience. I had completed a range of legal work experience before university, but my degree gave me the space to explore different areas in more depth and to understand where I wanted to focus and practice long term. It helped me to build a clearer sense of direction and confidence in that career choice and the legal profession as a whole, before moving into the commercial world.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

I chose Exeter because it had an excellent reputation (and brand image) for my subject and offered a strong overall university experience. It felt like the right balance of academic quality and a supportive environment where I could explore my interests, develop my skills, and grow in confidence before moving into the working world.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

My degree helped by strengthening my research skills and training me to structure arguments and write concisely, which translates directly into drafting advice and supporting work across trade marks, designs, and copyright matters in a busy commercial environment.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

My advice would be to get exposure to trade mark work early and build both your legal and commercial awareness. Look for insight days, vacation schemes, or informal work experience at IP firms, and use that time to understand what day to day trade mark practice involves.

IP is a relatively niche area, and it can be difficult to secure directly relevant experience early on. Any legal work experience is valuable, and even broader commercial experience can help if it demonstrates brand awareness and an understanding of how and why businesses protect their IP.

A genuine interest in brand-led sectors such as fashion, retail, and beauty is also important. Keeping up with market developments and being able to speak confidently about brands, trends, and consumer behaviour will help you show real enthusiasm for the work and the commercial context.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans are to continue developing my experience across UK and EU trade mark work, while progressing towards qualification. I also want to broaden my exposure to more strategic and contentious brand protection work over time, so I can support clients with both long-term portfolio strategy and enforcement when issues arise.