The Unified Patent Court
The Unified Patent Court
Here to help you navigate the UPC.
The Unified Patent Court (UPC) will change how patents are litigated across Europe.
The UPC covers a market of more than 300 million consumers, as an alternative to the current system of litigation in each country.
That means patent owners will be able to obtain Europe-wide injunctions from a single set of legal proceedings, but will also risk having their patents revoked with Europe-wide effect.
The UPC will run in parallel with the existing national systems for at least seven years, with the possibility to opt traditional European patents out of the new system. Newly granted patents can also be opted into the UPC system exclusively by being granted as “unitary patents”.
The new regime will change the tactics and economics driving the behaviour of litigants.
At Freshfields, we have leading practices in the national patent systems on which the new UPC system is based, and we’ve been closely involved in its development.
We’re ideally placed to help you navigate the new system to achieve your commercial goals.
More information
Team
Laura Whiting Partner
London
Dr. Nina Bayerl (née Schäffner) Partner
Munich, Düsseldorf
Dr. Frank-Erich Hufnagel Partner
Düsseldorf
Rutger Kleemans Partner
Amsterdam
Wolrad Prinz zu Waldeck und Pyrmont Partner
Düsseldorf, Munich
Jelle Drok Partner
Amsterdam