On 4-5 December Professor Duncan Matthews of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) hosted, in collaboration with the Academy of European Law, a conference on Preparing for the Unitary Patent Package.
The conference, which took place in the Old Hall of Lincoln's Inn, was attended by over 70 government officials, lawyers, patent attorneys and academics hailing from over 15 countries.
The keynote address was given by The Hon Mr Justice Arnold and speakers included Professor Manuel Desantes (University of Alicante), Neil Feinson (Director of International Policy, UK Intellectual Property Office), Professor Maximillian Haedicke (University of Freiburg and Judge, High Regional Court, Dusseldorf), Kevin Mooney (Chair of the Legal Working Group of the Preparatory Committee for the Unitary Patent Court) and Tony Tangena (President, European Patent Institute).
The conference focused on three main themes: the European Patent with Unitary Effect, preparing for litigation before the Unitary Patent Court, and the enforcement of patent rights.