Joseph Hayes

Joe joined Carpmaels & Ransford in 2026 as a Trainee Patent Attorney in the firm’s Chemistry practice group after graduating from Hertford College, Oxford, with a first-class MChem degree in Chemistry. During his studies, he received several awards for academic excellence, including the Turbutt Prize, the Apollo Bursary, and multiple college scholarships for outstanding performance in exams.

Joe’s master’s research combined synthetic organic chemistry, functional materials design and semiconductor physics. Over the course of a year, he synthesised and tested several novel electron-deficient porphyrin derivatives for use in organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs). His work aimed to improve the economic viability of OPVs and has since led to further research projects at both master’s and doctoral level.

Whilst at university, he undertook a research project in the F. Duarte group, using computational methods to predict the binding geometries of ligands to metal centres in enzymes as part of a broader effort to improve drug discovery software.

Outside of the office, Joe can reliably be found in one of London’s many bookshops, snooker halls, food markets, or pub quizzes.