Novagraaf and Questel join forces to provide end-to-end Unitary Patent advisory and support solutions
Amsterdam/Paris, 14 June 2022 — European IP consulting firm Novagraaf announced today that it had joined forces with Questel, a leading global provider of intellectual property (IP) solutions, to provide clients with a dedicated range of legal and administrative solutions for the forthcoming Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court system. Clients of both companies can now benefit from end-to-end support for their Unitary Patent and European Patent needs, including strategic legal advice, tech-enabled opt-out services, dedicated software and integrated patent support services, such as translations, renewals and bulk opt-out declarations.
The forthcoming Unitary Patent promises to provide patent applicants with a new and more cost-effective route to patent protection in Europe. When it launches — in late 2022/early 2023 (according to current estimates) — patent owners and applicants will need to make a number of important changes to their current European filing strategies and practices. To assist businesses and their legal advisors, Novagraaf and Questel have joined forces to deliver a complete range of targeted administrative and legal advisory Unitary Patent services.
Novagraaf is a renowned European IP consulting firm with a long heritage in providing patent and trademark legal and advisory services. Questel is a leading global provider of IP support solutions and technologies, including specialist business intelligence and IP asset management software. By working together, they are able to offer clients a one-stop solution for all their strategic, legal, administrative and technology needs.
Their combined Unitary Patent services cover the complete Unitary Patent lifecycle, starting with actions that organisations should be taking now (before the Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court come into force) to advice and assistance during the Unitary Patent Sunrise period and beyond.
“The new Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court system is going to revolutionise the way in which innovators protect their rights in Europe moving forward,” said Caroline Chenique, IP Services Subject Matter Expert at Questel. “Applicants and their legal advisors will require a range of services if they are to navigate this new system effectively. In particular, they will need access to specialist support from a qualified European patent attorney firm, administrative support to update IP processes, workflows and management systems, and tailored translation and renewals solutions.
"We had already invested in updating our patent services and technologies to support and safeguard clients as they incorporate this new protection route into their administrative and IP management processes. As a leading global provider, we wanted to do even more by providing our clients with seamless access to specialist legal support and guidance from our law firm partner.”
“As the Unified Patent Court (UPC) will come into force alongside the Unitary Patent, one of the first considerations for patent applicants is whether they want their classic European titles to fall under the jurisdiction of the UPC for infringement and validity proceedings in the EU,” explained Marie-Noëlle de la Fouchardière, Managing Director – Patents at Novagraaf in France. “To weigh up the pros and cons of the different European filing routes and file the resulting opt-out declarations, organisations ideally need the support of a qualified European Patent attorney firm, such as Novagraaf. By working together with Questel, we have developed a series of information tools and smart services to inform client decision-making and assist them to take action.”
These services range from landscape analysis (to identify patents to opt-out of the jurisdiction of the UPC) and data checks (to verify the accuracy of ownership records for opt-out declarations) to bulk opt-out services, patent filing, translations and renewals management.
Further information on this unparalleled offering as well as a range of dedicated Unitary Patent resources — including client eBook and on-demand webinar — can be accessed on the Questel website: Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court Services. Companies and law firms can also contact both companies through this page to set up a consultation with a Unitary Patent expert.
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For more than 130 years, Novagraaf has been helping iconic brands and innovative organisations around the world drive competitive advantage. One of Europe’s leading IP consulting groups, Novagraaf specialises in the protection and global management of IP rights, including trademarks, patents, designs, domain names and copyright. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Novagraaf has 18 offices worldwide and a powerful network of more than 330 specialists. Part of the Questel group, Novagraaf is unique in its ability to provide tailored legal expertise, efficiency-gaining administrative services and proactive commercial insights across the full lifecycle of clients’ IP rights.
Questel is a true end-to-end intellectual property solutions provider serving 20,000 organizations in more than 30 countries for the optimal management of their IP assets portfolio. Whether for patent, trademark, domain name, or design, Questel provides its customers with the software, tech-enabled services, and consulting services necessary to give them a strategic advantage. We use state-of-the-art technology such as artificial intelligence, big data, or blockchain, powered by an unparalleled network of international experts, to optimize the maintenance of any IP asset while streamlining the internal processes of our corporate and law firm clientele. These solutions, when combined with our IP cost management platform, deliver clients an average savings of 30-60% across the entire prosecution budget. Beyond IP, Questel’s mission is to facilitate the development of innovation in an efficient, secure, and sustainable way.