This,” says Sean Cummings, flourishing the back light of a truck, “is not an ordinary rectangle.” He points out a diagonal feature, then pulls out a very similar unit. His magic trick, as a patent and trademark attorney, is to protect the first designer and make the “copy” disappear.

Keltie helps clients register patents, trademarks and protect intellectual property. Customers range from garden shed inventors to biotech or IT firms, and celebrities such as Liz Hurley with her swimwear designs.

Although the London office looks out over the Old Bailey criminal court, the work is far more civil. “It is a happier branch of the law than most,” explains Cummings, one of seven partners. “We protect any kind of creativity and we help to solve our clients’ problems. One of the lovely things is the sheer variety. My favourite patent is a waterbed for cows – a happy cow is a productive cow. I also have a gynaecologist who keeps inventing things.”

The firm gets high positive scores of 86% for work being stimulating and for making people feel fully involved (89% – a top five score). Keltie employees don’t get bored (84%) and believe they have found their dream jobs (69%, and a top 20 score).

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The patenting profession was established after Victorian engineers won the rights to their own inventions and set up to advise others. Many patent and trademark attorneys today also began in other careers. Dev Crease, director, first studied developmental biology but did not want to specialise, so this job is perfect. “The excitement of being a patent attorney is in meeting mad scientists,” he says. “They have a completely different way of seeing the world. It is a little bit like Dragons’ Den, in high-tech. We’re at the exciting interface between science and lawyers.”

Partners and staff are allocated into groups named after animals and given social budgets for trips out. People feel a strong sense of family in their teams (86%).

New joiners such as Georgina Worsfold, a paralegal, can’t believe it. “It is refreshingly different,” she enthuses. “We had a company retreat in November and they asked for everyone’s input into future plans.” She is kicking herself that she did not move earlier, because success at any professional exam wins employees a “grand in the hand”, with the tax on this extra cash paid by the firm.

Performance bonuses are based on collective achievements and staff are happy with pay and benefits (84%).

David Keltie, co-founder and partner, is inspiring (91%, ranking eighth). “In some firms, partners are still referred to as ‘Mr’,” he says.

“My dream of equality was to create something where a happy bunch of people can achieve, and feel it is a privilege to enjoy this wonderful profession.”

There is a £50 cash fund for people to have a drink and sort out any differences, if the Friday evening drinks trolley doesn’t do the trick. “Some people feel exposed because it’s too open, and they go,” says Keltie. “But relationships are valuable. You don’t just chuck them overboard.”

The company registers rights from America to China, so this intimate bunch has friends all over the world.

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