The Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) were slated to come into effect at the end of 2017. For a variety of reasons, that deadline has come and gone without Europe ushering in a unified patent system. The new target for the beginning of the much-anticipated unified system is December 2018.

While there may be several good reasons to seek a Unitary patent, and to opt into the UPC, there are also a number of reasons why a Unitary Patent might not be the right choice, and important strategic reasons exist for opting out of the UPC – decisions that should not be left to the last minute. Furthermore, Germany has chosen to allow double patenting, which means even if you opt into the UPC, obtaining a separate German patent as a hedge seems extremely wise.

Moderator Gene Quinn will be joined by Michael Fröhlich, Director European and International Legal Affairs for the  European Patent Office, and Tony Proctor, a European Patent Attorney and Partner with Potter Clarkson. This webinar will feature a frank discussion of the pros and cons of the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court. This webinar will address: (1) What you need to know about the Unitary Patent and the UPC; (2) Pros and Cons of the Unitary Patent; (3) Pros and Cons of opting out of the UPC; and (4) Obtaining a German patent as a hedge against uncertainty.

CLICK HERE to WATCH THE WEBINAR.