The London branch of the Unified Patent Court is to open in December, according to the preparatory committee working to set it up. The court will hear cases involving unified patents, a new EU-wide form of patent. The government indicated in November that it would ratify the Unified Patent Court Agreement, despite current uncertainties over the UK’s Brexit negotiations. The court will operate under EU law. Its main courts will be in the UK, France and Germany.
19 January 2017
Unified Patent Court to open in December
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Signature Litigation—Catherine Naylor
International fraud and asset recovery offering boosted by partner hire
Stevens & Bolton—Alexa Payet
Private wealth disputes team adds contentious probate specialist
Morgan Lewis—Paul Feldberg
Firm strengthens investigations and sanctions capabilities with London partner hire
NEWS
Cheshire West, which established an ‘acid test’ for deprivation of liberty safeguards, has been overturned by the Supreme Court
The Chancery Division and other segments of the High Court are to be replaced by a new Business and Property Division (BPD), in a major civil justice shakeup
Law firms that hold client money will need to file annual accountants’ reports and make a declaration, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) confirmed this week
Two district judges and a tribunal judge have been sanctioned for delays in delivering judgments and orders
Private equity (PE) investment into UK law firms halved to £250m last year, but deal volume rose, according to research by Acquira Professional Services’ Momentum private equity market tracker
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