Ropes & Gray Releases New Title on European Patent Law and Practice for U.S. Attorneys

Global law firm Ropes & Gray today announced the release of a new book titled “European Patent Practice for U.S. Attorneys.” The manual, written by Ropes & Gray attorneys who are U.S. lawyers and English solicitors, explores substantive and procedural differences between European and U.S. patent law and provides U.S. attorneys with a guide to European patent law, so they can understand the scope of their client’s European patent rights, avoid mistakes, and succeed at the European Patent Office (EPO).

Divided into three sections, the book provides an understanding of how European patent rights are secured, substantive European Patent Convention law, and common procedures at the EPO.

Topics covered include:

• What is the European Patent Convention?
• What is the European Patent Office?
• What are the requirements for a European patent application?
• What is inventive step in Europe as compared with obviousness in the U.S.?
• What is added subject matter in European patent applications?
• How does one respond to a lack of inventive step rejection in Europe?
• What is the purpose of Auxiliary requests in European patent applications?
• How are Oral proceedings conducted at the EPO?

The book was authored by patent strategy partner Edward Kelly. Ropes & Gray associate Jamie Liebert and legal executive assistant Ekaterina Gianiotis also contributed to the book’s research, editing and production.