Topic: The Likely Effect of Brexit on IP Rights in Europe
Speaker:  Jonathan DeVile, Partner and Patent Attorney, D Young & Co LLP
Date: Thursday, May 10, 2018, 6:00 pm
Location: Morrison & Foerster LLP, 12531 High Bluff Dr # 100, San Diego, CA 92130

On March 19, 2018 the UK and EU published a draft agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.  The draft agreement includes aspects relating to unitary EU intellectual property rights following Brexit.  Not all IP rights in Europe are affected by Brexit.  European IP rights are given legal effect by different treaties for different types of IP rights some of which are bound by EU legislation, some of which are not.  The unitary EU IP rights, such as the EU Trademark and the EU Design rights are obviously affected by Brexit but the European patent is not.  An overview of the most likely outcome of the effect of Brexit on different aspects of IP rights in Europe and how IP rights will be protected post Brexit will be provided, along with an explanation of what the IP profession in the UK is doing to mitigate, as far as possible, the effects of Brexit and what owners of European IP rights can do to protect their position.