CIPA renewed its efforts to prepare members and international partners for the arrival of the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court. As the sunrise period was initially due to begin in September 2022, it was important for CIPA to provide as much information as possible about the upcoming changes.
With the help of resident UP and UPC experts, CIPA produced a number of useful resources for both members and non-members. This included ten webinars on various aspects of the UP and UPC, full guides providing advice on procedures, opt-outs, applications and existing patents; and a special Two IPs in a Pod episode with Leythem Wall and Caelia Bryn-Jacobsen.
The International Liaison Committee produced webinars for overseas partners, including a webinar for the Japan Patent Attorneys Association which drew an audience of more than 200 and for the Intellectual Property Owners Association in the US which was attended by several high-profile American companies. CIPA Council member Vicki Salmon represented the institute on a UPC panel during the American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association’s 2022 Annual Conference to promote UK Patent Attorney litigation rights. Members of the committee also took the opportunity to explain to audiences in key overseas markets how UK attorneys would continue to support clients once the Unitary Patent system started and the court opened its doors.
The CIPA staff also worked hard to raise awareness of issues surrounding UK patent attorneys’ rights of representation before the UPC. The commmunications team worked with CIPA Officers and the Litigation Committee to produce a video animation available in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
CIPA released a fourth edition of the European Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court by Hugh Dunlop (Fellow) in 2022. The updated book includes a brief commentary on the structure, the legislation, and the draft Rules of the Rules of Procedure of the Court (as adopted by the Administrative Committee on 8 July 2022). Simple charts guide the reader through the procedures. The Regulations, Agreement and draft Rules are set out in their entirety and indexed, to provide a complete reference source. New chapters set out the provisions for whether lawyers and patent attorneys will qualify as representatives before the new court and discuss the pros and cons of the system. Order your copy.
Staff also worked with the Ministry of Justice on mobility issues to ensure that members would not require business visas to travel to the seats of the UPC.
