FICPI // 23rd Open Forum - Presentations

Generations on Trial: Gen Z vs Boomers

If you really, really have to work with one of these generations, which one would you choose?

Understanding what matters most to different generations in the workplace is essential to reducing friction, unlocking people’s strengths, and leading a business that is both harmonious and high-performing.
In Western and English-speaking countries, most of us can tell a story about the “hard-working Boomer partner”, the “cynical Gen X manager”, the “purpose-driven Millennial” or the “boundary-setting Gen Z associate”. These labels are now part of everyday conversation, and it is easy to assume that the same patterns must apply everywhere.

But in an international profession like IP, where our clients, colleagues and associates are spread across continents and cultures, are these generational clichés actually universal?

Does Gen Z in Sweden also want to be consulted on everything?

Are Millennials in China motivated more by personal growth or by family expectations?

Are there even “Boomers” in Poland or Hungary in the way we use the term?

In a working environment where the lingua franca is English, it serves us well to look beyond Anglophone stereotypes.

This session will put those assumptions “on trial” and offer fresh perspectives to take with you on your professional journey around the multi-generational, multicultural world of IP.

Turning compliance constraints into competitive advantage: how leading IP firms are adapting to increasing client demands

In an era of increasingly stringent compliance expectations, IP firms face a growing array of client-imposed requirements.

From indemnity clauses and anti-corruption measures to mandatory audits, professional liability insurance, and conflict-of-interest waivers, the compliance landscape has never been more intricate.

Firms are also tasked with ensuring staff training, adhering to ISO and NIST security standards, and navigating novel compliance dimensions such as AI usage restrictions, corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments, and gifts and entertainment reporting. In the face of unlimited liability scenarios, IP service providers must not only meet but exceed client expectations—transforming these compliance burdens into opportunities for differentiation and cost-effective service.

This session will explore the practical experiences of international IP firms that have successfully navigated these complexities. We will highlight examples that illustrate how to balance stringent compliance demands with financial sustainability, transforming potential pitfalls into strategic advantages. By examining how these firms have leveraged compliance to enhance client trust and operational resilience, attendees will gain actionable insights into turning compliance constraints into a competitive edge.

Catch Me If Your Court Can: the Long Arm of Patent Law

For decades, cross border patent injunctions were the exception in Europe; now they are rapidly moving centre stage.  

The UPC is testing the limits of its long arm.

Applying the CJEU’s 2025 decision in BSH v Electrolux, local divisions such as Munich, Mannheim, Düsseldorf and The Hague are asserting jurisdiction over infringement of European patents in non UPC states – including the UK, Spain and Poland – where at least one defendant is domiciled in a UPC Member State or closely connected to an EU distributor or representative.

At the same time, UK courts continue to set worldwide FRAND licence terms and grant interim licences, while US courts combine broad personal jurisdiction over foreign manufacturers with a strict presumption against extraterritoriality in patent law, and Chinese courts deploy anti suit and anti- anti suit injunctions and global rate setting to influence SEP disputes far beyond China’s borders.

This working session is about what this means in practice.

What factors actually matter when you ask a UPC, UK, US or PRC court for a long arm order – and what does it mean, in concrete terms, to seek relief that reaches patents or proceedings in countries that have not joined the UPC?
How, and where, can these orders be enforced, and will they stand up when tested on appeal or in other jurisdictions?
Most importantly, what are the implications for clients’ forum choice, risk, leverage and settlement strategy when multiple courts claim the power to decide disputes, or fix licence terms, far beyond their own borders?

Claiming beyond: means plus functional claims

The patent attorney’s goal generally is to obtain the broadest protection possible for each invention.

Therefore, the aim is to cover not just the embodiments that the inventor(s) envision, but all current and future commercial embodiments.

This requires drafting applications and writing the claims to maximize the scope of protection.

In some jurisdictions, functional language may be advantageous and provide the best protection whereas, in other jurisdictions, functional language may pose significant risks and structural language is preferred.

This session will explore the best practices in key jurisdictions to achieve this goal and claim forms that can be considered.

TM5 Unlocked: essential updates for international filers

For the seasoned IP attorney, global strategy is won or lost in the details of cross-border procedural alignment. 

Join us for an expert-level briefing on the latest TM5 initiatives designed to streamline your international portfolio management.

We’ll move beyond the basics to analyse the practical impact of TM5 latest projects and we will discuss important issues for the trademark attorney, such as the evidence required to prove acquired distinctiveness of marks.

Get the high-level data you need to advise clients on the shifting requirements of the world’s five largest IP offices.

The "Power Couple" Strategy: Building iconic brand partnerships and navigating the legal architecture of Co-Branding

This session pulls back the curtain on the world's most successful "brand marriages".

Learn how to identify complementary strengths, but at the same time avoid "messy breakups".

While marketing teams see a ""power couple,"" IP attorneys see a complex web of cross-licensing, quality control, and liability.

This session provides a deep dive into drafting co-branding agreements that survive the partnership’s lifecycle.

We will dissect best practices for trademark clearance, indemnification clauses, and the critical assignment of “new” IP created during the collaboration.

Shaping the future of IP firms: identity, strategy and business models

IP firms are being reshaped by forces bigger than any single jurisdiction

Globalisation, consolidation, and rapid advances in software and AI, all accelerated by a post‑COVID era in which physical distance between countries has been effectively broken down.

Drawing on insights from a recent FICPI business model survey, this Open Forum session frames the “identity question” many firms face today: how to stay distinctive, profitable, and trusted as client expectations, competition, and delivery economics change.

We will present and discuss different evolving business-model archetypes to help firms navigate the shift from traditional boutique prosecution practices toward a wider range of operating models, including one‑stop‑shop offerings, international IP organisations and multi‑jurisdiction platforms, and more sophisticated boutiques that combine deep technical expertise with data, tools, and service innovation.

We’ll use these archetypes to spark a practical conversation about strategic choices, operating implications, and what “thriving” can realistically look like over the next few years.

Work smart, live, and lead better: time strategies for modern professionals 

In today’s fast-paced world, the lines between professional responsibilities and personal life are increasingly blurred. 

Long hours, constant connectivity, and mounting expectations can leave even the most capable professionals feeling stretched thin.

This panel brings together experts and thought leaders to explore practical strategies for achieving work-life harmony without compromising career growth or personal well-being.

From time management techniques and prioritisation frameworks to setting boundaries and leveraging technology, the discussion will provide actionable insights for managing competing demands effectively.

AI in IP: The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth

The conversation around AI in the legal profession has been dominated by fear: “hallucinations”, disciplinary cases, and talk of “robots replacing lawyers”.

In IP practice, those fears are amplified by strict confidentiality requirements and the central importance of novelty and inventorship.

Many attorneys have responded by avoiding AI entirely – even as the technology has rapidly improved and become an everyday productivity tool in other professions.

This session (suggested by Group 6 of FICPI's Study & Work Committee (CET)) will try to cut through the hype and the horror stories to give IP practitioners a clear, candid understanding of what modern large language models (LLMs) are and are not, how they actually work, and how data is handled when you use them.

The session will explore, in practical terms, whether using AI tools to help draft patent specifications or trade mark advice really risks destroying novelty or breaching confidentiality – and how to design workflows that stay well within ethical and regulatory guardrails.

Inventing a greener future: IP Strategies for sustainable innovation

This session will explore how intellectual property strategies can accelerate sustainable innovation while protecting and scaling green technologies. 

Participants will gain practical insights into patenting environmentally focused inventions, navigating evolving regulatory and policy landscapes, and leveraging IP to attract investment and partnerships.

Through real-world examples, the discussion will highlight how thoughtful IP planning can transform green ideas into impactful, market-ready solutions that support both business growth and environmental progress.

Patent update from around the world: presented by young members from a number of key jurisdictions

The juridical landscape changes continuously. 

For the practitioner in private practice it is most important to keep track, so as to provide the best advice to the client.

Young speakers from around the world will give an overview on what has currently changed in their respective jurisdiction and the respective vicinity.

Restrictive vs. Permissive Approaches to Pharmaceutical Patentability

Patent systems around the world apply markedly different standards to the patentability of pharmaceutical inventions, particularly with regard to second medical use claims. 

Some jurisdictions adopt a restrictive approach to inventive step, sufficiency of disclosure and claim format, while others are more permissive.

This session will compare these approaches across key regions and examine their practical impact on claim drafting, prosecution strategy and enforcement.

Topics will include assessing inventive step in pharmaceutical cases, the use of post-published evidence, the evolution of sufficiency standards and the current debates surrounding dosage claims and in vivo data.

With speakers from Asia, Europe, North America and South America, the session offers a truly global perspective on how different patentability standards influence pharmaceutical innovation and protection strategies worldwide.

The Dual Shield: Navigating the overlap of copyright and design law and maximising protection at the intersection of IP Rights 

Is your client’s product a piece of art, or just a, well... product?

In the modern marketplace, the line between artistic expression and industrial design is increasingly blurred.

When a single creative work qualifies for both copyright and design registration, the strategic advantages are immense—but so are the risks.

Join us for a deep dive into the complex world of overlapping IP, where we explore how to leverage both copyright and design rights for maximum protection.

This session provides a practical roadmap for managing the ""juxtaposition"" of these rights and learning how to strengthen your client’s portfolio.

We will examine legal frameworks in different jurisdictions, deconstruct recent case law, and provide a roadmap for securing a seamless and multi-layered IP strategy for your client’s most valuable assets.

The Global IP Playbook:A fresh perspective on Trademarks & Designs

Step into the future of brand and designs protection with the next generation of IP leaders.

This session brings together young practitioners from across the globe to dissect the most critical shifts in trademarks and designs.

Join us to bridge the gap between emerging trends and veteran strategy.

Developments and case-law updates from the EUIPO Boards of Appeal and the Hungarian IPO

In a rapidly shifting legal landscape, IP attorneys must navigate between EU jurisprudence and evolving national procedural rules. 

This session delivers a technical deep-dive into the latest shifts from the EUIPO Boards of Appeal and the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO), designed specifically for practitioners managing complex portfolios and contentious proceedings.

Clocking up billable hours at any cost: when sleepless nights start working against you

Long working hours are often worn as a badge of honour.

But behind the culture of late-night drafting and constant availability lies a growing concern:  

• chronic sleep deprivation,
• the inability to fall asleep and/or stay asleep,
• burnout,
• impaired decision-making, and 
• long-term health risks. 

Although employees who appear to put in long hours may appeal to law firm leaders, an ingrained focus on billable hours can result in a decrease in performance, judgment, employee retention, and have a negative impact on firm culture.

This panel brings together experts in sleep science, psychology and legal leadership to examine how a lack of sleep impacts cognitive sharpness, strategic thinking, emotional regulation, and team dynamics as well as providing possible solutions.

Beyond business cards: are you networking with purpose? 

In today’s competitive legal landscape, networking is no longer about collecting contacts, it’s about cultivating meaningful, strategic relationships that drive long-term growth.

For IP attorneys and law firm leaders, the ability to position expertise, build credibility, and stay top of-mind with clients and referral sources is essential.

This dynamic panel will explore how to move beyond transactional interactions and develop authentic professional relationships that translate into opportunity.

Featuring insights from industry leaders and a marketing trainer specialising in professional services, the session will offer practical guidance on personal branding, thought leadership, client engagement, and business development strategies tailored to IP practices.

NOTE: The presentation for this session has not been released