Haseltine Lake Kempner (HLK)

Overview

Haseltine Lake Kempner (HLK) is a long-established specialist intellectual property firm (origins traced to 1850) that combines patent and trade mark attorney expertise with litigation and transactional IP services across the full IPR Lifespan™. The firm merged with Kempner & Partners in 2019 and now operates from UK offices and a Munich office, with a virtual China desk, enabling strong UK and EPO practice capability and cross-border European representation. HLK is known for large patent prosecution teams (major Tech, Engineering and Chemistry & Life Sciences capabilities), a market-leading supplier of IP analytics services and a well-regarded in‑house training academy (the HLK Academy) that supports high pass rates in UK patent qualifying exams. The firm acts for a wide range of clients from multinationals and FTSE-level corporates to start-ups, SMEs and universities (HLK acts for 266 universities across 35 countries).

• Headquarters: London, Cheapside House
• Founded: 1850
• Offices: 6

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Intellectual Property
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Technology & Digital
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Construction & Engineering
• Commercial Contracts
• Regulatory & Compliance

Geographic Focus: HLK operates principally from UK offices (London, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow) and a major Munich office, combining UK and German/EPO capability. The firm emphasises strong European reach through its Munich office and long-standing relationships with IP firms around the world to support clients in North and South America, South East Asia, Australasia and beyond. HLK acts for clients globally, including 266 universities across 35 countries, and positions itself to handle cross-border prosecution, EPO

Training Contract

Trainees join annually (intake begins each September) and immediately commence the HLK Academy during their first week. The HLK Academy is classroom-based, split into two semesters: the first semester runs twice weekly (practical, core patent concepts and skills) and the second semester runs twice monthly (consolidation and in-depth topics). Training combines Academy sessions, in-team practical work, progressive responsibility on client matters, exam-focused tutorials, residential revision courses and generous study leave. The Academy faculty comprises 15+ colleagues including Partners, Senior Associates and heads of department. Trainees are enrolled in preparation for the UK Foundation and Final Diploma patent examinations and for trade mark qualification pathways where relevant.

• Qualification Rate: 99% pass rate for those doing UK Foundation exams; cohort data also notes trainees have gone through 90 Foundation exams and passed 88 of them.

Seat Options

• Intellectual Property
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Technology & Digital
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Construction & Engineering
• Trade Marks

International Opportunities

Trainees are drawn from and work across HLK’s multiple offices (London, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow, Munich) and the Academy brings cohorts from all offices together.

Mentorship

Training is supplemented by teaching from Partners and senior attorneys (the HLK Academy faculty), hands-on supervision within teams, peer cohort support and partner/senior associate mentorship. The Academy is co‑chaired and staffed by senior internal tutors; trainees report regular constructive feedback and accessible senior support.

Apply on the Haseltine Lake Kempner (HLK) website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Haseltine Lake Kempner (HLK) Looks For

Key Competencies

• Technical aptitude and STEM background (for patent attorney roles)
• Commercial awareness
• Attention to detail
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Strong communication skills
• Resilience and exam discipline
• Client focus and service orientation

Evidence Signals

• Relevant technical degree or demonstrable scientific/engineering knowledge for patent roles
• Practical IP work experience (paralegal, formalities or placement experience)
• Demonstrable commitment to exam-based qualification (e.g., participation in training courses or prior exam success)
• Examples of collaborative work and mentoring/teaching experience (cohort or team-based activities)
• Interest in cross-border/EPO practice or knowledge of European patent procedure

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Comprehensive benefits package (competitive salary and favourable bonus structures)
• Generous study leave and residential revision courses for trainee exam preparation
• Career progression and development opportunities
• HoListiK wellbeing programme
• Enhanced maternity provision, paternity and shared parental leave
• Flexible remote/hybrid working opportunities
• Bi‑annual Progress And Contribution Talks (PACTs)
• Employee-led D&I and Mental Health working groups
• Opportunities for client secondments across some roles

Wellbeing

HLK runs colleague-led wellbeing and mental health initiatives, an internal 'HoListiK' programme, a Mental Health working group, and provides events and activities to support wellbeing across offices.

Awards & Recognition

• Legal 500 recommendations (2026, multiple IP categories)
• Managing IP IP STARS rankings (patent prosecution and disputes, 2025)
• Managing IP’s UK Trademark Disputes Firm of the Year (award)
• Financial Times Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms 2025 (listed)
• IAM Patent 1000 recommendations (2025)
• WTR 1000 rankings (2025) – Silver in UK enforcement and litigation and UK prosecution and strategy
• JUVE Patent UK rankings (2025)
• Chambers UK Legal Guide recognitions (2025)
• China IP Outstanding International IP Service Team (2024)
• The Lawyer Awards – Finalist, Specialist firm of the Year (2024)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

HLK is one of the earliest signatories of the IP Inclusive charter; senior leaders participate in IP Inclusive’s senior leaders’ diversity think tank and the firm has published Leaders' Pledges. The firm has family-friendly policies and a stated commitment to increasing diversity in graduate intake and removing barriers to access.

• DiveIn (internal Diversity & Inclusion working group)
• Leaders’ Pledges (personal commitments by senior people in the firm)
• Reciprocal mentoring scheme (pilot)
• IP Inclusive charter signatory and active participation in IP Inclusive initiatives
• Dedicated ED&I resources and policy on employee portal
• Bi‑annual Progress And Contribution Talks (PACTs)

Pro Bono

HLK supports IP Pro Bono initiatives, participates in community and charitable activities (including volunteering and fundraising as part of its 175th anniversary programme) and engages in projects to support entrepreneurs in low-income countries.

Innovation

HLK invests in analytics, automation and specialist legal-technical expertise to provide data-driven IP strategy and searching services. The Analytics team mines patent data to support freedom-to-operate, competitor analysis and licensing opportunities. The firm also hosts webinars and on-demand content to disseminate technical and procedural knowledge (EPO/UPC/EPO practice topics) and maintain technical specialisms across teams.

• HLK Analytics (IP analytics and searching services)
• Automation and IT initiatives (headed by Head of Automation and IT)
• Webinars, on‑demand training and specialised seminar programmes (e.g., bioinformatics and digital health webinars)
• Use of analytics and searching for FTSE 100 clients and longer-standing tech investments

Quick Application Angles

• Emphasise your technical grounding and curiosity for commercial IP problems — HLK recruits many STEM graduates into patent training and highlights engineering/technical understanding across its patent teams.
• Reference HLK Academy and exam success — mention your preparedness for an exam-heavy training route and how you would benefit from cohort-based, classroom learning and residential revision support.
• Demonstrate team fit and collaboration — HLK stresses a people-first, collegial culture; give examples of mentoring, teamwork and times you sought or gave constructive feedback.
• Show commercial awareness of the firm’s sectors — cite work in Tech, Chemistry & Life Sciences or Engineering and explain how your interests align with HLK’s client base (start-ups, SMEs, multinationals and universities).
• If applying for litigation/UPC work, highlight any European patent/EPO familiarity or interest in cross-border litigation and the UPC to align with HLK’s active UPC practice.