The Unified Patent Court’s First Year

Please join us to review the first year of operation of Europe’s Unified Patent Court. We
will address issues in life sciences and high-tech.
 
Our panelists from Germany, France, Ireland, the UK and the US will give their own
national perspectives on how the UPC is shaping up. We will review the leading
decisions coming out of the UPC, and identify trend lines to help navigate this important
new forum. Not surprisingly, they don't all share the same views. 

Key questions that our global panel will address include:

• What differences can parties expect between different countries?
• Is the UPC a “pro patent” court? Does that answer vary based on country?
• How are litigants exploiting the tensions between UPC’s Local Divisions and its Central Division?
• Will the court grant preliminary injunctions and does the chance vary by country?
• Will evidentiary seizures proliferate, and if so, where and why?
• What types of damages are being awarded?
• How is the UPC approaching SEPs and FRAND issues?
• What alternatives to the UPC should be considered and why?

AGENDA

Registration
9:30 am – 10:00 am PT

Perspectives from Germany
10:00 am – 11:00 am PT

Patent litigation in Europe has largely meant litigation in Germany. With the arrival of the UPC, what has changed? How is the UPC changing the national courts?

Perspectives from France
11:00 am – 12:00 pm PT

France is the seat of the Central Division of the UPC and a local division for enforcement. How should litigants expect that French divisions may handle cases differently than in their German counterparts? Are French-style evidentiary seizures proliferating through the UPC?

Lunch Break
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm PT

Perspectives from the UK and Ireland
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm PT

As the jilted jurisdiction of the UPC, how does the UK see and fit into the UPC? What is
the future of Ireland as a UPC jurisdiction? What are the efforts to coordinate cross-border litigation between the UK and the UPC?

Perspectives from the US
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm PT

Hear the experiences of US companies before the UPC, either as plaintiff or defendant. What works as advertised? What are the surprises? Are the experiences different between life sciences and technology companies?

Refreshment Break
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm PT

SEPs, FRAND licenses, and the UPC
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm PT

As the UPC enters into the world of SEP and FRAND licenses, what should parties expect and how can they best plan for it?

Roundtable Discussions: Best Practices and Emerging Trends
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm PT

Participate in an open discussion and debate about the best practices for dealing with the UPC and its different courts. Bring your questions.

Networking Reception
4:45 pm – 6:00 pm PT