To mark the end of the year and decade, Managing IP has compiled a list of the most-read stories of the last 10 years.
The Unified Patent Court (UPC), Brexit and artificial intelligence (AI) all feature in our list more than once, either directly or indirectly, mirroring some of the biggest talking points of the last few years.
But there are also indicators that readers are engaged with the increasing attention being paid to social and workplace issues such as mental health and wellbeing, and diversity.
Finally, we paid tribute to two leading lights in the IP world who sadly passed away this year. It’s a measure of the impact of England and Wales High Court judge Mr Justice Henry Carr and former Baker McKenzie global chair Paul Rawlinson that they both feature in this list.
We wish you a peaceful and happy end to 2019.
1. UPC case to be decided in early 2020 (Nov 2019)
In an exclusive interview, Justice Peter Huber of the German Federal Constitutional Court gave Managing IP a timeline for the case holding up the UPC and described suggestions that Brexit has stalled the decision as “bullshit”.
2. ‘Simply irreplaceable’: tributes pour in for Judge Carr (July 2019)
Carr, an IP judge at the England and Wales High Court who was “utterly devoid of pomposity,” sadly passed away, prompting tributes from those who worked with him and appeared before him in court.
3. How autonomous vehicles will change IP strategies (July 2018)
The automotive industry is facing fundamental challenges arising from autonomous driving and connected car technologies. Managing IP published an in-depth report, in association with Gowling WLG, which discussed these challenges in depth.
4. Lawyers urge EPO for quality as new plan branded ‘propaganda’ (June 2019)
Lawyers who have regular dealings with the EPO were sceptical about the office’s four-year strategic plan (published in June this year) – given its alleged focus on speed over quality – and called for more clarity over staff relations.
5. EPO AI guidelines give ‘clarity and direction’, say in-house counsel (Jan 2019)
Lawyers from IBM and other AI-focused businesses welcomed the EPO’s AI guidelines, but said kinks in the examination approach to the technology in Europe and elsewhere need to be ironed out and then harmonised.
6. US patent litigation trends to watch in 2018 (Jan 2018)
One of the most-read was Managing IP’s 2018 preview of some of the most important issues and cases that lawyers predicted would affect patent litigation in 2018. See if they were right.
Paul Rawlinson, a London-based IP lawyer who was global chair of Baker McKenzie until October 2018, sadly passed away at the age of 56 earlier this year. Colleagues paid tribute to a “visionary, a true leader and a good friend”.
8. Survey: severe stress in IP profession causing ‘major mistakes’ (Nov 2019)
Part one of our survey of in-house counsel for a three-part mental health and wellbeing focus revealed stress has contributed to major mistakes and that leadership on work-life balance must come from the top.
9. How UK firms hope to survive Brexit (Aug 2017)
The terms of the UK’s departure from the EU are still uncertain even today. In this article, from 2017, Managing IP spoke to patent and trademark firms about the steps they were taking to mitigate the potential damage.
10. International Women’s Day: IP counsel reflect on gender challenges and progress (Mar 2019)
In a special feature for International Women’s Day on March 8 this year, Managing IP spoke to counsel at Uber, Xerox, Micron and others about women in IP – the progress and the path.
