< Back to latest news & events

Event

HGF webinar: Looking ahead to the UPC and Unitary Patents

February 2022

HGF webinar Looking ahead to the UPC and Unitary Patents is now available to watch.

The patent landscape in Europe is on the brink of the most significant change in a generation. On 19 January 2022, the Unified Patent Court’s (UPC) provisional application phase began. In the words of the UPC Preparatory Committee, this represented “the birth of the Unified Patent Court as an international organisation”. Soon after, the EPO announced new measures for supporting users in an early uptake of the Unitary Patent (UP). These changes will affect owners of granted European patents and applications (EPs) as well as future applicants who will need to make important decisions about their portfolios by the end of 2022.

HGF’s European patent and patent litigation teams invite you to learn more about the UP and UPC and hear about how we can provide strategic advice on prosecution, litigation and licensing throughout the lifetime of the UP and UPC.

Watch the webinar below:

Speakers

Rachel Fetches, HGF Partner & Head of Law

Craig Thomson, HGF Partner & Irish and European Patent Attorney

Latest updates

The Antibody Series #2 Definition via binding strength in antibody claims: when “binds strongly... but only minimally...” becomes a trap of lack of clarity

Introduction Defining an antibody by its binding strength is common practice in patent claims, but it can quickly become a pitfall under Article 84 EPC on clarity. In this second …

Read article

The Antibody Series #1 Quality Characteristics (CQAs) in Antibody Claims: When the Test Method Can Remain Outside the Claim

Introduction Therapeutic antibodies are at the heart of innovations in biotechnology and healthcare. With increasing regulatory requirements and quality expectations, critical quality attributes (CQAs) are becoming essential in the drafting …

Read article
Event - 7th January 2026

HGF Brand & Design Conference 2026

Join us on 3rd February 2026 for HGF’s Brand & Design Conference, the must attend event for in-house legal teams, brand leaders, creatives, and innovators shaping the future of IP. …

Event details

Empowered, Not Replaced: The Risks and Rewards of Using AI Tools in Patent Prosecution

With the rapid rise of AI and extreme hype around generative AI tools in the workplace, patent firms around the world have had to seriously consider to what extent they …

Read article

EU Agrees on NGT Plant Regulation: What It Means for Patents and Licensing

The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement for plants developed using New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) – below we summarise the main points and set out the requirements …

Read article

When Retail Branding Meets Politics

(Inter IKEA Systems v Algemeen Vlaams Belang (Case C‑298/23) In November 2022, the Flemish political party Vlaams Belang presented its “IKEA-PLAN – Immigratie Kan Echt Anders” (“Immigration Really Can Be Different”). …

Read article

Office Closed Dates December 2025 / January 2026

HGF Office Closed Dates December 2025 / January 2026   UK Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025 CLOSED Thursday 1 January 2026* CLOSED * Friday 2 January 2026 – …

Read article

Often Copied, Never Equaled: When Do Everyday Items Become Subject of Copyright?

The  borderline between ‘pure’ works of art and mere utilitarian objects” –  Can iconic, yet everyday products be protected under copyright? The above question was posed by Advocate General in …

Read article