Overview UP and UPC
Patents/ Utility Models
The main advantages of the Unitary Patent relate to administrative, financial and procedural aspects.
Individual validations can be dispensed with for the plurality of participating EU member states. A single annuity fee has to be paid, which is cheaper for four countries or more. However, patent protection can no longer be abandoned on a country-by-country basis. Besides, not all EU member states are covered. For example, Spain has decided not to take part in the Unitary Patent.
In case of a change of ownership, a single request is sufficient for official recording.
Decisions of the UPC apply to all participating EU member states. On the downside, this opens up the possibility of a central invalidity attack. On the upside, a favorable decision regarding infringement is enforceable with a broader territorial effect. A Unitary Patent and national patents can coexist (double protection), which increases the options for action (choice of court, separate abandonment of rights, etc.).
„Patent Filing – Germany 2023“
We are very pleased that WITTEWELLER has again been recognized as one of the leading patent law firms in the “Patent Filing Germany 2023” area in 2023.
The business magazine Handelsblatt honours WITTEWELLER as "Best Lawyers" in Intellectual Property for 2023, singling out partners Dr Volker Heuckeroth, Stephan Keck, Christian Steil and Mark Wegener in particular.
View RankingThe Financial Times ranks WITTEWELLER as one of the leading European patent law firms in 2023. In the ranking, WITTEWELLER is particularly distinguished in the category "Electrical Engineering and Physics".
View RankingOnce again in 2022 the business newspaper Handelsblatt names crown WITTEWELLER ‘Germany’s best lawyers’ in the field of industrial property rights.
View Ranking„Patent Filing – Germany 2022“
WITTEWELLER was once again hailed as one of the leading patent law firms in the category ‘Patent Filing Germany’ by specialist publisher JUVE in 2022.
Business magazine the Financial Times ranks WITTEWELLER as one of ‘Europe‘s Leading Patent Law Firms 2022’.
View RankingNews magazine FOCUS recommends WITTEWELLER – as it did the previous year – as one of the leading law firms for patent law in 2022 in its annual ranking of Germany’s corporate law firms. We are delighted with the result and take particular pleasure in the fact that, once again, our firm has succeeded in achieving an above-average approval rating among clients.
In 2021, WITTEWELLER was again recognised by the Handelsblatt as "Germany’s BEST attorneys" in the field of industrial property rights.
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"Patent Filing – Germany 2021"
In 2021, WITTEWELLER was recognised by JUVE as one of the leading patent law firms in the category "Patent Filing Germany 2021".
WITTWELLER was listed as a top patent law firm in 2021 in the FOCUS list of leading commercial law firms.
In 2020, WITTEWELLER was recognised by the Handelsblatt as "Germany’s BEST attorneys" in the field of industrial property rights. On this occasion, the Handelsblatt gave a special mention to the WITTEWELLER attorneys Dr Volker Heuckeroth, Stephan Keck and Mark Wegener.
View ranking"Patent Filing – Germany 2020"
In 2020, WITTEWELLER was recognised by JUVE as one of the leading patent law firms in the category "Patent Filing Germany 2020".
The WirtschaftsWoche ranks WITTEWELLER among the top law firms in patent law. In the ranking for 2020, Dr Gabriele Laufer is singled out as a particularly recommended attorney.
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