Open for Business: The Unified Patent Court (UPC) and What You Should Be Considering Now

Matthew is a Partner in the Life Sciences group at Carpmaels. He spends his time counselling clients in the pharmaceutical and chemical sector on strategies for maintaining market exclusivity in Europe. In this role he has advised the world’s largest drug companies on how to protect their intellectual property. At the core of Matthew’s practice is his experience representing clients before the European Patent Office in ex-parte examination proceedings and inter-partes opposition and appeal proceedings. He has handled complex multiparty opposition proceedings (in attack and defense) relating to a variety of commercial products and his endeavors for clients have taken him all the way to the EPO’s Enlarged Board of Appeal. Alongside this, Matthew has experience advising on SPC strategies and regulatory exclusivity relating to medicinal products in Europe.  He also has experience in providing litigation support in circumstances where parallel EPO and national court proceedings are pending. Matthew is a European and UK patent attorney and a registered UPC representative .  He is a Vice Chair of IPO’s European Practice Committee.

Daniela Gill-Carey holds a dual qualification as a European and as a UK Chartered patent attorney and is currently an associate general patent counsel within the UK IP department of UCB Biopharma. She supports all patent-related activities of various pre-clinical and clinical programs and biopharmaceutical technologies. Daniela started her career in the patent department of Procter and Gamble, before joining the pharmaceutical sector in 2008, first at TEVA and then at Novartis. Prior joining UCB, she led the IP department of Proteome Sciences, a British/German bioscience company. Before entering the patent profession, she received a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Zurich and a MSc in Intellectual Property Law from the ETH in Zurich (Switzerland).

Nick Noble specializes in high-tech patent work and handles large volumes of high value work in the fields of telecoms & standards, electronics and healthcare technology. His academic background and 20 years’ experience has led to him being recognized as a leading telecoms patent expert. He advises his clients on all aspects of patent protection, including the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, opposition proceedings, freedom to operate, and infringement and validity opinions and he has particular experience of standards-related patent matters. Nick works as an extension of his clients’ teams and is to them a valued trusted advisor.

Nathalie Wajs is a Partner and a Patent Attorney at Plasseraud IP. She works on cases relating to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, polymers, petrochemicals and catalysis for individuals, companies and research institutes. With more than 15 years of experience in intellectual property, she advises individuals, large groups and research institutes in the development and management of their patent portfolios: patent applications, granting procedures, legal advice (freedom to operate, audit of IP portfolios) and valuation, in the chemical sectors. She has developed a recognized expertise in litigation and opposition proceedings before the EPO. Nathalie started her career in IP in 2004 at L'OREAL, where she was responsible for foundation and powder products. Nathalie joined Plasseraud IP in 2008 and became a Partner in 2023.