The UPC is not just a litigation forum, it is also proving to be a strategic lever for in-house counsel seeking faster resolutions, stronger negotiating positions, and cost-effective enforcement. This session will examine how companies are recalibrating their patent prosecution and litigation strategies to take advantage of the UPC’s tight timelines, wide territorial scope, and growing body of case law on injunctions and costs.
• Explore how the mere filing of UPC cases - such as Ocado’s triple-action move against Autostore - can accelerate settlements in long-running, multi-jurisdictional disputes.
• Understand how the UPC’s efficiency and Europe-wide reach heighten pressure on implementers, making the threat of an injunction a powerful driver of licensing outcomes.
• Examine how the UPC’s approach to proportionate injunctions and litigation cost allocation (e.g., Milan LD rulings) are influencing early settlement calculus and portfolio management.
• Discuss how in-house teams are adapting prosecution strategies - such as timing of unitary effect requests - to align with their risk tolerance and enforcement goals.
Sean Alexander
Sean Alexander is a qualified European Patent Attorney as well as a Canadian and U.S. Patent Agent. He has worked in the IP field for many years and is currently the Head of IP Strategy (H&N) for Chr. Hansen in Denmark. Prior to joining Chr. Hansen, Sean headed the IP team at Elanco Inc. based in the Netherlands and was a Partner with Gowling WLG in Canada. Sean has been recognized as one of the world's leading IP strategists by IAM Magazine and is regularly praised for his pragmatic and commercially aware approach to IP.