IP Team Support Apprentice

Appleyard Lees IP LLP

Leeds (LS1 2AD)

Closes in 19 days (Monday 26 October 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 5 October 2026


Summary

Gain practical experience as an IP Team Support Apprentice. Develop your administration, communication, IT and organisation skills while supporting a professional team and working towards a Business Administrator apprenticeship. Build valuable workplace skills and gain experience in a professional office environment.

Wage

£14,144 to £22,471.28, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Business administrator (level 3)
Hours
Mon-Fri. Mon-Thurs 9am-17.00 with 1 hour lunch, Friday 9am-16.30 with 1 hour 30 minute lunch.

34 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 11 November 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Correspondence and Document Handling
• Save incoming correspondence from various team accounts onto Equinox with
descriptive titles, merging documents as required.
• Acknowledge emails and prepare simple standard correspondence on cases (filing,
publication, registration/grant).
• Collect expenses receipts and send to accounts
• Provide holiday cover and back-up for teams in relation to Equinox uploads.
• Check case summaries from Renewals against Equinox and obtain cited documents using Espacenet.
• Book OP VC’s and monitor admin tasks on Equinox.
• Prepare reminders and send acknowledgements to EPO as needed.
• Send closed files to the Halifax office, checking Equinox, and making sure all charges have been billed and that the file status is correct.
• Create opposition files, downloading documents from the EPO register, putting correspondence in order and creating tabs.
• Deal with incoming post and original documents using the original documents process guide.

Office Administration
• Meet and greet visitors, arrange refreshments/catering, ensure meeting rooms are tidy, and manage virtual meetings.
• Handle stationery ordering, mail scanning and saving, franking, and sending recorded deliveries.
• Handle office weekly shop for fruit, coffee, milk, tea etc.
Role: IP Team Support Apprentice
Location Manchester
Reports to: Senior IP Paralegal
Hours of work: 34 hours per week – full time
• Order lunches for internal meetings, checking with the fee earners how many people are attending and placing orders online.
• Assist with business travel arrangements when necessary.
• Ensure the office is kept tidy and organised, assisting with archiving tasks when appropriate.
• Answer incoming calls and take messages where necessary.
• Print, photocopy, scan and upload documents as required.

Where you'll work

1 East Parade
Leeds
LS1 2AD

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

LUMINATE EDUCATION GROUP

Training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.
  • Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.
  • Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
  • Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.
  • Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
  • Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.
  • Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.
  • Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.

Training schedule

Business Administrator Level 3.

The apprentice will work at the Leeds office Monday - Friday. In addition to this the apprentice will attend training sessions at Leeds City College Printworks campus, as well as remote learning through Teams. 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Administrative skills
  • Initiative
  • Accuracy
  • Professionalism
  • Punctuality
  • Positive attitude
  • Reliability
  • Adaptability
  • Time management
  • Multitasking

About this employer

We help our clients protect and monetise their intellectual property, and manage post-grant challenges, should they arise.

We offer broad sector and industry knowledge, plus the ability to adapt our services to specific client requirements, in an agile way.

With offices in UK innovation hotspots, we are positioned to give clients expert strategic IP advice in the UK and worldwide.

We support some of the world’s most innovative businesses and leading academic institutions, helping them to maximise the value of their intellectual property throughout its entire life cycle.

Appleyard Lees has a network of UK offices in Cambridge, Leeds, Halifax, Manchester and the BioHub at Alderley, providing clients with expert strategic IP advice globally.

https://www.appleyardlees.com/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

Permanent position on completion of apprenticeship, subject to performance and role availability. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LUMINATE EDUCATION GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000057251.

Apply now

Closes in 19 days (Monday 26 October 2026 at 11:59pm)