Uwe Borchert, Treasurer General and Membership Committee President of FICPI, attended the 2025 Assembly of the German Chamber of Patent Attorneys on behalf of FICPI. The German Chamber of Patent Attorneys is FICPI’s largest national association, and the Assembly therefore represents an important forum for dialogue between FICPI and its most substantial member body.
The Assembly took place on 19 November 2025 at the premises of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) in Munich and was marked by a strong participation, with approximately 200 German patent attorneys in attendance.
In addition to the routine agenda items customarily addressed at the annual assembly, significant focus was placed on elections. Half of the members of the Chamber’s Executive Board were newly elected. Further elections were held for the Rules of Procedure Committee and the Election Committee, as well as for the various standing committees of the Chamber. These elections underscored the continued commitment of the profession to transparent governance and active self-administration.
The Assembly also included comprehensive reports on current developments in electronic legal communication and ongoing improvements in digital interaction between the Chamber and its members. These updates reflected the continuing modernisation of professional processes and infrastructure. In addition, the Chamber provided information on recent and anticipated developments in the field of intellectual property law, offering attendees an overview of legislative, procedural, and practical trends affecting industrial property protection at both national and European levels.
Dieter Laufhütte, Delegate of the German Chamber of Patent Attorneys to FICPI, addressed the Assembly and reported on the successful FICPI World Congress held in Naples in October 2025. He summarised the most important resolutions adopted by the FICPI Executive Committee and placed particular emphasis on the newly established structure of the Practice Management Committee (PMC), which now operates through five dedicated working groups. Dieter encouraged colleagues to become actively involved, both within the PMC working groups and within the working groups of the CET (FICPI’s Study & Work Committee, known by its French acronym Commission d’Étude et de Travail), highlighting the value of broad professional engagement. He also drew attention to the upcoming FICPI Open Forum in Budapest in September 2026, and invited members to participate.
On the day preceding the Assembly, a continuing education seminar was held on the topic “Claim Interpretation in the Changing European Patent System between EPO, National Practice and the UPC”. The seminar was well received and addressed issues of high practical relevance.
The seminar concluded with the traditional reception of the Chamber at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, which attracted more than 1,000 participants.
Conclusion
This event provided an excellent opportunity for professional exchange and discussion with judges from local courts, examiners from the European and German Patent Offices, and members of the Boards of Appeal.
FICPI's view
The FICPI community is built on trusted, global relationships. FICPI is the only organisation exclusively for independent IP attorneys. Attendance at meetings with FICPI national and regional sections and associations, IP Offices, and other significant forces within the IP community worldwide are essential for cooperation and to move the profession and IP law forwards. The FICPI community is driven by a strong shared interest among like-minded people to promote common solutions and advocacy for private practice.
