Tag: #innovation

Peri Jones is a Chartered UK and European Patent Attorney at Abel + Imray, where she works across physics, engineering, and technology patents. Alongside her IP career, she has built a strong interest in STEM outreach and science communication, helping make complex subjects feel more accessible and encouraging more young people, particularly girls, to consider careers in science. 

Quick Profile 

Name: Peri Jones 
Role: Chartered UK and European Patent Attorney 
Firm / Organisation: Abel + Imray 
Location: Cardiff, Wales 
Areas of expertise: Physics, engineering and technology patents, science communication, STEM outreach 

Finding the right blend of science and communication 

Peri’s route into intellectual property began with a long-standing interest in science. Growing up in North Wales, astronomy was always present at home thanks to her father’s passion for telescopes and astrophotography. 

“My dad had, and still has, a big interest in astronomy and astrophotography,” she explains. “The house always had telescopes in spare corners.” 

She went on to study physics at Cardiff University before completing a PhD in the astronomy instrumentation group. During that time, she also realised she enjoyed communication and writing just as much as the technical side of science. 

At university, a talk from a trainee patent attorney changed her perception of what a STEM career could look like. 

“I remember thinking this sounds like the perfect job,” she says. “I could combine technical expertise with communication, writing and working with inventors.” 

What appealed most was the variety. Rather than focusing on one narrow technical field, she was drawn to the idea of working across a wide range of technologies and industries. 

Now part of the Physics, Engineering and IT team at Abel + Imray, Peri works with clients across diverse sectors, from optics and lenses through to aircraft technologies. 

Leaving academia behind 

Although she enjoyed academic research, moving away from university life was not an easy decision. 

“There was a little hesitation,” she admits. “Once you step away from academia, it can be difficult to go back.” 

She enjoyed the research process and the collaborative environment of university life, but also recognised the uncertainty that often comes with academic funding. 

“I didn’t want to spend my future constantly fighting for funding every couple of years and always worrying about what would happen next.” 

The move into patent law gave her a chance to apply the skills developed during her PhD in a more commercially focused environment. Those transferable skills quickly became apparent. 

“Writing a thesis helped with writing patent applications, reading research papers helped with reading prior art, and collaborating with different departments helped with dealing with inventors.” 

She was also surprised by how quickly trainees become involved in client work. 

“I naïvely thought I’d spend the first couple of years training in the background,” she says. “But from day one, you’re involved in real client work.” 

The qualification process also brought its own challenges. 

“I underestimated how difficult the exams would be,” she admits. “Failing an exam for the first time was a shock, but it definitely made me more resilient.” 

Bringing science to wider audiences 

Alongside her legal career, Peri has remained heavily involved in STEM outreach and science communication. That interest developed during university, where she became increasingly aware of the gender imbalance in physics. 

“I started realising there was quite a big divide between males and females in physics when I was at university,” she says. 

During her PhD, she began giving talks and media interviews, often in Welsh, to help make science feel more approachable and visible to wider audiences. 

“I really get a kick out of trying to communicate difficult topics to the public,” she explains. “If you break things down properly, they don’t need to feel complicated.” 

After completing her doctorate, she spent a year working with science communication company Science Made Simple, delivering talks and workshops in schools and at public events across Wales and beyond. 

Peri was also the first Welsh-speaking science communicator employed by the organisation. This allowed them to deliver outreach activities through the medium of Welsh for the first time. 

That experience left a lasting impression, particularly when visiting small rural schools across Wales. 

“It was really rewarding going into these schools and showing children what they could potentially do,” she says. “A lot of the pupils came from similar backgrounds to mine.” 

She believes representation and accessibility are both important when encouraging young people into STEM. 

“We need to abolish STEM stereotypes and make science feel fun and accessible to everyone, particularly young girls.” 

Communication at the heart of IP 

Peri sees strong communication skills as central to both outreach work and intellectual property law. 

Recently, she visited a Cardiff primary school where pupils were challenged to invent solutions to everyday problems. 

“They came up with brilliant inventions,” she says. “Some were a bit far-fetched, but they were creative and they solved a problem, which was the brief.” 

Experiences like these have reinforced the importance of explaining technical ideas clearly and confidently. 

“When discussing complex topics, I always try to relate them to something day to day,” she explains. “I think about how I’d explain something to my family.” 

That same approach carries through into her work with clients. 

“I think being a patent attorney has made me a clearer science communicator,” she says. “You always have to think carefully about your audience.” 

Balancing innovation with caution around AI 

Like many within the profession, Peri sees artificial intelligence as one of the biggest developments currently shaping the IP landscape. 

She believes AI has genuine potential to improve efficiency, particularly when reviewing or summarising prior art documents. 

“I’m hoping AI can help make some parts of the process to be more efficient and cost effective,” she says. 

However, she is cautious about relying too heavily on the technology. 

“AI is a useful tool, but it needs to be used carefully because it isn’t always right.” 

She believes the strategic and human elements of patent work remain difficult to replace. 

“Writing a good patent application is about much more than describing an invention,” she explains. “You need to understand the client, their business goals and what they want from the patent.” 

For Peri, relationships and trust remain central to the profession. 

“Patent attorneys work closely with clients and build trust with them. I don’t think that human element can be replaced by AI.” 

Life beyond IP 

Outside work, Peri enjoys running, cycling and spending time in the mountains of North Wales. 

One of her proudest achievements was completing an ultra-marathon along the Welsh coastal path from Penarth to Ogmore. 

“It was tiring, but fantastic,” she says. “The weather behaved for once, which was a miracle.” 

She is currently focused on returning to pre-baby fitness and hopes to complete the Swansea Half Ironman in the future after postponing the event during pregnancy. 

Whenever possible, she still heads back to Snowdonia. 

“If you get a clear day in the Welsh mountains, you can’t beat it,” she says. “I’m probably biased because it’s home, but they’re just fantastic.” 

Looking ahead 

Reflecting on her career so far, Peri believes resilience has been one of the most valuable lessons she has learned. 

“Being a patent attorney has definitely made me more resilient,” she says. “It’s a challenging profession, but also a very rewarding one.” 

She also hopes more young people will become aware of intellectual property careers earlier in life. 

“I didn’t know anything about the IP profession until university,” she says. “That’s why outreach and visibility are so important.” 

Contact Details 

LinkedIn: Peri Jones LinkedIn 
Firm Website: Abel + Imray 

Meet the IP Professional is a PatWorld interview series exploring the people and perspectives shaping the intellectual property profession. Discover more interviews in the Meet the IP Professional hub, and find out more about PatWorld — a global IP search provider working with IP professionals worldwide to support informed patent, design and trade mark decisions — on our About Us page.