12th OPEN FORUM
will be held in MUNICH, Germany
8-11 September 2010

The Forum, open to all, is your opportunity to listen to and debate with the experts recent international developments in intellectual property protection and their impact on your practice.

DESTINATION
Munich, the capital city of Bavaria, and surrounded by the magnificent upper Bavarian region, combines the splendour of an old royal city with the vitality of a modern high-tech location, combining various epochs of style into a stunning mix of historical and visionary architecture. The city owes its structure to the reign of King Ludwig I.

Attractions range from the distinctive twin towers of the Frauenkirche church to Munich's spectacular museums, to modern features like the world-renowned tentroof of the Olympic Park, and the Allianz Arena, Germany's most beautiful and thrilling soccer stadium. Munich's legendary quality of life attracts people from around the world.

First opened in 1841, the Bayerischer Hof hotel has been host to queens, Hollywood legends and pop stars and is one of the world's leading world-class luxury hotels. It has the style, design, furnishings and service to satisfy the most exacting standards.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAM
In a combination of our traditional 3-stream format and special joint and plenary sessions, all held at the Bayerischer Hof hotel, you will:

• Hear three distinguished judges, Judge Prof. Meier-Beck (DE), Judge Paul Michel (US), and Chief Judge Tsukuhara (JP) discuss the infringement questions raised by differences in the doctrine of equivalents
• Learn about arbitration and mediation as alternatives to litigation, and have the opportunity to participate in arbitration and mediation workshops
• Discuss one of the most central questions in daily practice: the "same invention" and how that concept applies to almost all aspects of patent drafting and prosecution
• Learn about the do's and don'ts of expert witnesses and their increasing importance in IP litigation
• Gain insights into the process of gathering evidence for use in infringement proceedings
• Learn how to use IP laws to protect unique designs against theft through unauthorized CAD models
• Hear experts discuss the secrets of obtaining favourable claim interpretations
• Understand from experts the latest developments in the European trade mark system, 3D marks, and enforcement of rights in domain names
• Hear the latest developments in questions of patentability

THE SOCIAL PROGRAM
The Forum will commence with a cocktail reception at the Bayerische Hof hotel on Wednesday, September 8 and conclude with a closing reception and gala dinner held at the fabulous Residenz München on Friday, September 10. The social program will include:

• Optional walking tours of Munich and the Three Pinakotheken, Munich's world-famous art galleries
• A guided tour of Nymphenburg Palace, and its Porcelain Museum
• An informal dinner in Munich's Löwenbräukeller, with an opportunity to sample some of Munich's most famous beer
• Optional full day excursions to Neuschwanstein Castle, the famous fairy tale castle Ludwig II, or to the Andechs Monastery and Lake Ammersee.

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BROCHURE            REGISTRATION FORM             ON-LINE REGISTRATION

Sponsored by:     MIP    

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Sponsors & Exhibitors:
FICPI accepts a limited number of sponsors/exhibitors for Open Fora.
For more information, contact Doug Deeth (Doug.Deeth@ficpi.org).