We’re very excited to announce a new partnership with European patent, trademark and design specialists JA Kemp in 2024. The partnership was initiated by one of our Reach Higher alumni, Kayden Xie (pictured above), who now works for the firm. Kayden benefited immensely from a mentoring programme with our then-partners, CMS, and wanted to set a similar opportunity for current Reach Higher students.

Kayden is a former Linacre student. Now based in Oxford, he works at the leading intellectual property firm. Much of his day-to-day involves prosecuting patent applications for biological inventions in various territories, such as Europe, South Korea and India, on behalf of universities and biotechnology companies. The inventions that he works with include peptide vaccines and nucleic acid-, antibody- and stem cell-based therapeutics. 

Before joining the firm, Kayden studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, during which he undertook placements in the UK, Japan, Singapore and Peru, concerning coronaviruses, cell migration, insulin signaling, and conservation

The partnership will include a mentoring programme for our alumni which aims to:

 develop skills essential for mentees to engage and thrive in the working world
 increase the self-confidence of mentees and challenge any negative self-beliefs
 allow mentees to gain an insight into the patent attorney profession
 challenge any inaccurate pre-conceptions of a career as a patent attorney and the legal world
 provide regular contact with a mentor working in the patent attorney profession