UPC: Judge Florence Butin answers your pressing questions

When the Unified Patent Court (UPC) finally opens its doors for the first time on June 1, it will herald a triumph for UPC advocates.

But there is little doubt that many patent practitioners feel they are wading into uncharted territory.

The start of the year saw mounting confusion over the court’s case management system—prompting a delay to its planned opening by two months.

Questions concerning the future roles played by part-time judges, the application of national laws, the effect of proceedings at the European Patent Office (EPO) and forum shopping—to name just a few—continue to perplex, and in some cases, confound.