Patents are more than ever a strategic asset for promoting winning companies. Nowadays, patent protection must cover a larger geographical area to be effective and patenting strategies should be reviewed to avoid adding further layers of complexity and cost in acquiring relevant patent rights. Santarelli, a long-standing player in all fields of intellectual property and patents, is organizing a patent seminar especially on this topic.
Why should you attend?
A thorough awareness of the European patent landscape and practice are prerequisite for understanding what the European Patent Office can offer and how best to use its services to gear up patenting activities for your company or your clients.
If you are practicing outside Europe, the Santarelli Patent Seminar is your chance to acquire a good command of EPO procedures, in particular under the PCT. Alternatively, for those already familiar with EPO procedures, the Seminar will be a unique refresher opportunity.
In addition, the Santarelli Patent Seminar will be an outstanding opportunity to network with an international group of patent professionals, both in-house and from law firms during the training sessions and social events.
Who should attend?
This seminar is geared by Santarelli to patent practitioners from all over the world wishing to keep up with the most recent developments at the EPO, or just to
become more familiar with EPO practice and procedures in the framework of the European Patent Convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
Program overview
Thursday, 13 September
9.30 : Registration and welcome breakfast
10:00 to 12:00: Optional introduction module to EPO patent procedures (Speaker: tbn)
11:00 to 12:00: Registration for those not attending the morning session
12:00 to 12:30: Welcome address and kick off of the 1st Santarelli Seminar on Patent (Speaker: Luc Santarelli)
12:30 to 14:00: Lunch
14:00 to 15:30: Global patenting strategy
- Paris route versus PCT route
- Opting for a global patenting hub
- Optimising cost effectiveness by linking available opportunities
- Timing control
16:00 to 17:30: Opposition procedure at EPO
- Overview of the new opposition procedure (timing and milestones)
- Specificities of the opposition procedure (grounds for opposition, amending the patent, late request/submissions…)
- Opposition and other post-grant inter partes review systems (Alfred Spigarelli)
18:00: Welcome cocktail at Santarelli
Friday 14 September
9:00 : Patentability at EPO
- General introduction to patentability assessment at EPO under EPC and PCT
- Focus on Computer Implemented Inventions
- What to expect for “artificial intelligence” related inventions?
11:00 to 12:30: Clarity at EPO
- Clarity according to Article 84
- How to construe claims: description versus claims
- Practical aspects of clarity
- Essential features and functional features
- Parameters and product by process
- Clarity in examination and opposition
12:30 to 14:00: Lunch
14:00 to 15:30: Amendments at EPO – Extended subject matter
- The right to amend in examination and opposition according to Article 123 EPC
- How amendments are assessed by examiners at EPO?
- Addition of features
- Removal/replacement of features
- Intermediate generalisation
- Disclaimers
16:00 to 17:30: Claim drafting workshop (Chemistry workshop coach: tbn, Non-chemistry workshop coach: tbn)
19:00: Social event with diner (e.g. cruise on the Seine with cocktail buffet for sharing and networking) – Spouses/partners welcome
Saturday 15 September 2018
19:00: Diner hosted by Santarelli (Diner in a Typical French restaurant or Parisian brasserie) Spouses/partners welcome
Monday 17 September (**)
9:00 to 10: 30: Prior art and novelty at EPO
- Requirements of Art 52(1) EPC
- Novelty under Article 54(1) EPC
- Prior art under Article 54(2) EPC
- Prior art and non-prejudicial disclosures
- Lack of novelty
- Claimed invention versus disclosure
- Disclaimers
- Conflicting European applications under Article 54(3) EPC
11:00 to 12:30: Inventive step under Article 56 EPC
- Inventive step requirement under Articles 56 EPC
- Problem-solution-approach
- Non-technical features
- Practical cases and pointers for inventive step
12:30 to 14:00: Lunch
14:00 to 16:00: Workshop on reply to an examiner communication and amending claims (Chemistry workshop, Non-chemistry workshop)
16:30 to 17:30: Seminar wrap-up and farewell
- About Santarelli
- Feedback and suggestions
Speakers already known:
- Luc Santarelli, Managing Partner at Santarelli
- Alfred Spigarelli, Of Counsel at Santarelli
- Piotr Wierzejewski, Quality Administrator and CII expert, Directorate Quality Management, EPO
- Luigi Petrucci, Team Manager, Directorate Patent Procedures Management, EPO
