Update: A second Mock Trial is organised by the UJUB in Paris on April 2nd 2015! See our post on this new mock here.
On May 22nd, a mock trial before the Unified Patent Court at the Central Division in Paris was organised by the Union pour la Juridiction Unifiée du Brevet, the MEDEF, and the Institut National de la Propriété Intellectuelle[1].
This mock was opposing two fictitious companies in patent infringement proceedings. The document bundles with the background information, the preliminary objections and the main pleadings of the case can be found here.
The trial was chaired by Mr Alain Girardet from the French Court de Cassation, the Judge rapporteur, Dr Klaus Grabinski from the German Bundesgerichtshof, and Mr Walter Holzer, former president of the EPI who held the role of Technical judge.
After a quick presentation of the background information by the Registrar, Me Dominique Ménard, the mock trial opened with questions and answers with the Judge rapporteur on the issues highlighted during the interim phase. A video recording of the interim conference was also showed to the audience. This was followed by the oral submissions of the claimant and defendant. The claimant was represented by Mr Michael Burdon from the United Kingdom, and the defendant by Me Pierre Véron and Me Amandine Métier from France. Finally while the panel was discussing its decision the audience was asked to vote on the outcome of the case.
The professionalism of all participants and the resources deployed gave a very realistic feel to this mock trial, which was saluted by the audience. This mock was the first opportunity for all the lawyers present to visualise the different parameters at stake with the UPC. Hence it appeared very clearly to the audience that new technologies and technical resources will be key for the UPC such as with interim video conferences and their coordination between parties across Europe. Similarly this mock trial highlighted very realistically the major differences between national jurisdictions and the UPC, the most obvious ones being of course the language of proceedings and the need to master new and extended rules of procedure.
Thanks to the hard work and the talent of its organisers, this mock trial was a real success both in terms of anticipating the legal challenges and benefits for lawyers attached to the UPC and reminding its audience of the central place that the UPC will take when it will come into effect.
The UPC Blog would like to invite its readers to view the mock together with the document bundle of the case here.