HSF comments for Managing IP on Milan UPC Central Division confirmation

19 May, 2023
On 18 May 2023, the Italian government confirmed that the third Central Division seat of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) will be hosted in Milan. The statement issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has said that the new seat will be operational within one year. However, with the UPC launch date approaching on 1 June 2023, Paris and Munich will initially share the caseload until Milan is operational, as confirmed by the UPC Presidium on 16 May 2023 (see our previous blog post). Read more

HSF shares insights on what US lawyers should be considering ahead of the UPC’s start date for Bloomberg Law

23 December, 2022
The new European Unified Patent Court (UPC) has been a long time coming – and now just a little bit longer with the two month delay recently announced. The new start date is 1 June 2023 with the sunrise period in which to pre-register opt-outs of European patents from the UPC's jurisdiction now starting on 1 March 2023. Despite the short delay, businesses around the world must continue to consider their strategies for the UPC and, in particular, opt-out, ahead of the revised start date. Herbert Smith Freehills' Joint Global Head of Intellectual Property, Laura Orlando, recently spoke to Bloomberg Law to share her insights on what US lawyers should be considering in advance of its launch. Read more

HSF shares insights on the Milan local division UPC judges for Managing IP

18 November, 2022
Following the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Administrative Committee's appointment of 85 legal and technical judges last month, including the appointment of two legally qualified judges in the Milan local division, Herbert Smith Freehills' Joint Global Head of Intellectual Property Laura Orlando shares her insights with Managing IP on what this may mean for the UPC. Read more

HSF comments for JUVE Patent on UPC judges list announcement

24 October, 2022
On 19 October 2022, the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Administrative Committee announced the appointment of 85 legal and technical judges, ready for when the UPC Agreement comes into force, likely in Spring 2023 (1 April 2023 as per the latest announcement from the UPC Administrative Committee). Milan-based Joint Global Head of Intellectual Property, Laura Orlando, discusses the latest announcement with Amy Sandys at JUVE Patent in the article UPC divisions demonstrate clout with choice of experienced legal judges. Read more

HSF comments for IAM on The UPC on Day 1

10 October, 2022
Laura Orlando and Rachel Montagnon were in conversation with Adam Houldsworth of IAM recently, leading to their comments being published in the IAM article "Your guide to the UPC on day one". Access the article and their quotes here. Read more

Further progress towards the start of the UPC system

11 July, 2022
Jérôme Debrulle, Chair of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council for the Unitary Patent, has recently said that his committee’s work in preparation for the coming of the UPC is now complete.  He commented in an EPO press release that “In October 2021 the Select Committee adopted an ambitious work programme to complete the … Read more

UPC: Review licensing deals to avoid heartbreak, counsel warn

20 June, 2022
Laura Orlando's comments on reaching agreement on who has the right to seek or request opt-out or opt-in in relation to European patents and the up-coming UPC jurisdiction over them have been quoted by Managing Intellectual Property in an article of 16 June 2022: UPC special focus: Review licensing deals to avoid heartbreak, counsel warn. Read more