Better safe than sorry

By Sofia Melo *

I met Dra. Graça Barbosa in a Post-Graduation in Contracts Law we book took in Universidade Católica, last year.

I was surprised when, in September, I received, through that college, an e-mail from her requesting CVs of people who would be interested in a possible collaboration in INESC Porto’s legal service.

I sent mine, I went to two interviews and here I am!

- And what are lawyers doing among engineers?

A lot, that’s for sure! There’s no place for routine here…

One of the main objectives of my admission in INESC Porto is the collaboration in the implementation of the Intellectual Property Manual, but I will discuss this further on.

I particularly like INESC Porto because it brings together a more academic component of research by Masters and PhD students and the provision of services and other types of relation with the companies, including the participation in R&D European Projects.

The Institution is specialized in Systems and Computers Engineering, but it seems to me (in the eyes of an outsider with a degree in Law) that it manages to go beyond these competencies and perform in wider areas.

This diversity is also reflected in my daily work of support to the legal service, where many new, different and often “urgent” situations arise, which turns this job into a constant challenge.

Going back to the Intellectual Property: INESC Porto intends to support its protection, development and marketing through the implementation of a global procedure, performing at all levels, from the relation with the human resources and collaborators to contracts with third parties.

The objective is to award and stimulate the innovation achieved and foment the connection of INESC Porto to the entrepreneurial fabric.

The Intellectual Property Rights are actives of important strategic value in the institutions and they are often an excellent competitive advantage.
This initiative of implementation of a policy of intellectual property seems essential because, besides reinforcing the heritage, image and status of the Institution, it also covers techniques of prevention of situations like a conflict over the property rights. And it’s better safe than sorry!!

Finally, for everything I have described and much more, working in INESC Porto is turning out to be a rather enriching experience, a great contribution for my professional and personal growth.


* Collaborator of the Information and Logistics Department (DIL)

THE READER’S ADVISOR COMMENTS

Sofia,


If you feel your experience with us is valuing you and that your presence here is valuing US, then, you are defining the ideal conditions of a work relationship.

We would like that to happen with all our collaborators.

Your “outsider” eyes help us look at ourselves, they add colour to our spectrum. Besides, some interesting answers can be extracted from what you haven’t said.

What are lawyers doing among engineers – that was your rhetorical question. A lot, you answered. And I ask: how do you feel among the engineers? What are the differences of the cultural environment in relation to other places you were before? And what are the fake differences, often resulting from the establishment of stereotypes which you soon realised to be non-existent, or overrated?

Your background in law is an enrichment to our cultural matrix. May you also understand the mind of those who have been brought up, trained or, as I would say – tamed, taught to think productively and to feel fulfilled only when they do something that has a practical application or is used by or is useful to someone.

You will build something with your life and if it will be with us or not, we can’t tell. But it does matter, for our satisfaction and your gratification and happiness, that you may always say good things about the time you were here, of the training period you have experienced here. We will always be pleased to hear your opinion, whatever it may be.