This spring, epi members can look forward to a series of new CPE opportunities covering US practice, AI‑related challenges, and software‑patent developments. The following webinars and courses provide practical, up‑to‑date insights for attorneys working in a rapidly evolving field.
Upcoming CPE Trainings:
Strengthening Competence for a Changing IP Landscape
To support our members in maintaining a high professional standard, epi continues to expand its Continuing Professional Education (CPE) programme. The upcoming sessions address key legal and technological developments that increasingly shape the practice of European Patent Attorneys, offering both strategic guidance and hands‑on knowledge.
Key Substantive Features of US Patent Prosecution
18 March 2026 | 12:30–14:00 CET | Online
As part of our US law webinar series, this session offers a structured overview of substantive aspects of USPTO practice and highlights major differences from EPO proceedings. Participants will explore claim interpretation, obviousness, combinations of prior‑art documents, and strategies for responding to a Final Office Action. The webinar will be presented by Tim McAnulty, an experienced attorney and former USPTO examiner.
“Life of a Patent” Distance Learning Course
01 April – 06 June 2026 | Online | Self‑Paced
This comprehensive online course guides participants through the entire patent application process. Through short videos, examples, quizzes, and optional assignments, learners gain a clear understanding of key pre‑drafting considerations, drafting techniques, and the formal and substantive aspects of prosecution. The course is organised by epi in cooperation with the European Patent Office.
Daily Use of AI by European Patent Attorneys
15 April 2026 | 10:00–11:00 CEST | Online
Generative AI is rapidly becoming part of the daily practice of many patent attorneys. This webinar provides a practical look at common workflows—from prior‑art searching and drafting to communication and quality checks—and discusses how practitioners can effectively balance technological opportunities with confidentiality, professional responsibility, and legal constraints.
Patenting AI‑Related Inventions
29 April 2026 | 10:00–11:00 CEST | Online
AI‑related inventions raise unique challenges in European patent law. In this session, Bastian Best will demonstrate how to apply relevant case law, how to draft strategically for technical contribution, and how to claim user‑interaction or UI‑related features that provide genuine competitive value. Participants will learn what to prioritise when preparing strong and defensible patent applications in the AI space.
Subject‑Matter Eligibility for Software Inventions at the USPTO
20 May 2026 | 13:00–14:00 CEST | Online
This webinar provides practical guidance on navigating shifting §101 eligibility standards in US practice. Attendees will gain insights into how examiners apply eligibility rules and how to develop effective strategies for responding to 101 rejections in software‑related cases.
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Seminars in 2026
Beyond the spring programme, epi is already preparing additional in‑person seminars for later this year:
Freedom‑to‑Operate (FTO) Seminar
After the success of the FTO seminar in Amsterdam in 2024, the seminar will be repeated in June 2026 in Lisbon.
The exact date and venue will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.
UPC Case Law Seminar (planned for September 2026)
epi is also planning a seminar dedicated to recent and emerging case law under the Unified Patent Court (UPC), currently foreseen for September 2026.
Details, including the final location, will follow in an upcoming issue of epi Information and on the epi website.
Registration
Registration for all spring events is now open:
https://patentepi.org/en/education-and-training/trainings
