Litigation Matters 2026
Find out more about the practical aspects of implementing the Unitary Patent (UP) package and learn about how the Unified Patent Court (UPC) operates.
Event details
Programme
- Wednesday, 2 December 2026
Day one will cover several topics in addition to the updates on the UPC Case Management System and caseload, the status of the Unitary Patent and the dashboard. The team of experts will be discussing the Adaptation of description (G 1/25) in detail and looking at its implications.
Event moderator: Lina Patel, Litigation Training Lead, European Patent Academy, European Patent Office
Plenary sessions
10.00 hrs Welcome and introduction
Mihály Zoltán Ficsor, Principal Director, Legal Affairs, European Patent Office
Klaus Grabinski, President, UPC Court of Appeal10.15 hrs Updates on the UPC Case Management System and caseload
Alexander Ramsay, Registrar, UPC
10.35 hrs The status of the unitary patent and the dashboard
Heli Pihlajamaa, Principal Director, Patent Law and Procedures, European Patent Office
10.50 hrs
Adaptation of description (G1/25)
Ingo Beckedorf, Chairperson of the Legal Board of Appeal, European Patent Office
Rian Kalden, Judge, UPC Court of Appeal
Richard Meade, Judge, High Court of England and Wales
Klaus Bacher, Judge, German Federal Court of Justice
Heli Pihlajamaa, Principal Director, Patent Law and Procedures, European Patent Office11.35 hrs
Break 11.45 hrs
FRAND and SEP litigation
Moderator: Michael Fröhlich, Director, Patent Developments and IP Lab, European Patent Office
Yolanda Ríos López, Judge, Barcelona Court of Instance
Oliver Schön, Judge, Regional Court Munich
Clemens Heusch, Vice President, Nokia12.30 hrs Legislative changes in pharma sector: important changes for patent rights
Moderator: Philippe Campolini, Partner, Stibbe
Mark van Gardingen, EPLAW President; Partner, Brinkhof
13.10 hrs End of the first day - Thursday, 3 December 2026
Day two includes UPC patent mediation and arbitration dispute resolution matters, judicial tools for effective patent case management, assessment of equivalence at the UPC.
Event moderator: Lina Patel, Litigation Training Lead, European Patent Academy, European Patent Office
Plenary sessions
10.30 hrs Recap of the first day 10.33 hrs Panel discussion on Equivalence at the UPC hosted by our partner EPLIT 11.15 hrs Presentation: EPO patent litigation learning package
Lina Patel, Litigation Training Lead, European Patent Academy, European Patent Office
11.30 hrs Break
11.40 hrs UPC patent mediation and arbitration dispute resolution matters 2026
Moderator: Tom Oliver, Partner, Powell Gilbert
Aleš Zalar, Director, UPC Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre
Nazareth Romero, Partner, Ovoli Romero Abogados S.L
Philippe Campolini, Partner, Stibbe
Thierry Calame, Partner, Lenz & Staehelin12.25 hrs Preliminary opinion and Interim conference: judicial tools for effective patent case management
Daniel Severinsson, Judge, UPC Central Division Munich
Elisabetta Papa, Judge, UPC; European Patent Attorney
Ingo Beckedorf, Chairperson of the Legal Board of Appeal, European Patent Office
Laurence Brüning-Petit, Director, Patent Law and Procedures, European Patent Office
Michael Krenz, Lawyer, Germany13.10 hrs Closing remarks
Christoph Ernst, Vice-President for Legal and International Affairs, European Patent Office
Speakers and panellists
List of speakers and panellists will follow.