The Sedona Conference

Partner Brian Ferguson had the pleasure of co-chairing The Sedona Conference on Global Intellectual Property Litigation in The Hauge. At the conference, Brian moderated a panel on #patent damages and discussed developments with experts from across the globe, including U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas Alan Albright.   Partner Kathi Vidal, who recently rejoined the firm after serving as Under Secretary of Commerce for IP and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, also attended the conference and participated in a roundtable discussion with Patent Office leaders. Kathi was joined by Stephen Rowan of the European Patent Office and Adam Williams of the UK IPO.   Learn more about the event here: https://bit.ly/42rHdTJ

A great pleasure to represent Bristows LLP at The Sedona Conference and spend time discussing some of the hot topics in patent litigation

The sixth session of the Global IP Conference 2025 featured an engaging Judicial Panel, moderated by Matt Powers, with judges bringing a wealth of experience from both the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the United States Federal Court. This panel provided valuable insights into key issues affecting intellectual property litigation, drawing on their respective roles to offer a unique perspective. As the discussion unfolded, panelists explored the intersection of international patent law, the challenges faced in cross-jurisdictional litigation, and the evolving landscape of IP disputes. Stay tuned for more highlights from the Global IP Conference 2025.

Great day in The Hague! From SEPs to protecting our global innovation and IP economy to damages, much thanks to my former counterparts from the Intellectual Property Office UK & European Patent Office, Chief Judges Connolly and Cheney, Judge Albright, the UPC judges and all the participants at The Sedona Conference for the engaging conversation and comradery!

I am delighted to be attending the Sedona IP conference in The Hague. Excellent attendance from judges from the States and Europe and stimulating discussions with the judges, in house counsel and senior IP practitioners.

Day one of The Sedona Conference’s 2025 Global IP Meeting in The Hague was a rousing success as the panels explored the latest developments in the UPC, litigation funding, trade secrets, biotech and pharma, SEPs/FRAND, and concluded with an informative judicial panel made up of U.S. district court judges Colm Connolly and Alan Albright, and UPC Court of Appeals Judge Rian Kalden, and UPC Judges Edger Brinkman and Sabine Klepsch, skillfully moderated by Matt Powers (see photo) There is no other conference like this one! More to come today.

Cross-border injunctions: What an invigorating panel about a huge recent patent decision in Europe called Electrolux about the possibility of cross-border injunctions in patent matters. It called to mind a case that came through the chambers I clerked for 30 years ago, Turner v Degeto Film, involving an injunction granted to Turner Broadcasting over a German state broadcaster due to the “overspill” of cartoon broadcasts to satellite dishes in France etc. At the time that case seemed to be part of a nerdy niche but it was a precursor to the future. The Sedona Conference Global IP Litigation Conference.

A fascinating The Sedona Conference panel moderated by Richard Vary discussing the latest CJEU and UPC judgments regarding cross-border jurisdiction in patent litigation and a continuation of a discussion about interim licences / FRAND determination by the courts in Europe, the US and China #UPC #patentlitigation #crossborderlitigation #injunctiverelief #patents

We enjoyed a great first day of The Sedona Conference on Global IP Litigation 2025 and were pleased to see the interest in Session 6 (US district court and UPC judicial panel, moderated by Matt Powers) and Session 2 (litigation funding, moderated by Azra Hadzimehmedovic). Looking forward to tomorrow's sessions! #SedonaConference #TheHague #patentlitigation

The first session of the Global IP Conference 2025 brought together leading legal experts and judges to discuss the evolving role of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in European patent law. With nearly two years of operation, the UPC has become a key fixture in the European patent law landscape. Our esteemed panel of jurists explored its successes, identified potential areas for improvement, and reflected on its early months in operation. The panel also examined the interaction between proceedings before the European Patent Office’s Opposition Divisions or Boards of Appeal and revocation actions at the UPC or national courts. They shared valuable insights on case management, interim conferences, and how these factors are shaping the future of UPC proceedings. We look forward to more insightful discussions as the conference progresses.