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How we can help you

The Unified Patent Court
Freshfields

At Freshfields, we have highly-rated patent lawyers in the key jurisdictions for patent litigation in Europe - Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.

We have implemented for our clients global strategies across a range of technologies – from pharma to telecoms.

We have also acted for clients in some of the highest profile multijurisdictional patent litigation across Europe. Our experience means we can represent you in all courts and divisions of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), as well as in national courts, at the European Patent Office and in arbitrations and mediations concerning patent disputes.

We have been closely involved in the development of the UPC and have established a strong presence before the UPC since its start in June 2023. With our experience we can help you with any UPC-related question that you might have Since the UPC’s start we have been advising many of our previous and new clients on the best way for them to hold and litigate their patents in the new regime.

The last decade has seen an increase in litigation and regulatory scrutiny at the interface of intellectual property and competition law. The technology sector in particular has seen a significant growth in litigation involving patents subject to a commitment to license them on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

Alongside our patent team, Freshfields has a leading competition and antitrust practice and we have worked together to represent our clients in litigations before the UPC and national courts as well as before the European Commission and other competition authorities on patents and antitrust matters.

A Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) forms part of the UPC framework, with two seats in Ljubljana and Lisbon. Freshfields has a top-ranked arbitration practice and lawyers with broad experience in IP arbitration and mediation.

Working with our patent team gives you all the advantages of working with Freshfields. We are one of the leading international law firms and the only firm in the world that is ranked top for litigation, arbitration, competition and investigations.

The UPC has transformed the European patent litigation landscape. Whether you are shaping your portfolio strategy, enforcing your patents against infringers, defending against revocation actions or securing freedom to operate for your innovative products, we can help you develop and execute a strategy that delivers on your commercial objectives.

The Unified Patent Court

Home
The Unified Patent Court’s structure
How we can help you
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The Unified Patent Court

The Unified Patent Court

Unified Patent Court
May 11 2026

The Unified Patent Court’s structure

Our experts explain the UPC's structure: its divisions, jurisdiction over unitary patents and classic EPs, and the 18 member states that have ratified the UPCA. 

May 11 2026

UPC news

Find out about the latest developments relating to Europe's new patent regime.

May 11 2026

UPC FAQs

Key UPC FAQs answered: what the court is, which countries participate, the difference between unitary patents and classic European patents, and more.

Unified Patent Court

Contacts

London, Dublin

Laura Whiting

Partner
Munich, Düsseldorf

Nina Bayerl (née Schäffner)

Partner
Düsseldorf

Frank-Erich Hufnagel

Partner
Amsterdam

Rutger Kleemans

Partner
Düsseldorf, Munich

Wolrad Prinz zu Waldeck und Pyrmont

Partner
London, Dublin

Christopher Stothers

Partner
Berlin, Düsseldorf

Corin Gittinger

Partner
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