EPLAW European Patent Lawyers Association

What EPLAW European Patent Lawyers Association does

EPLAW (European Patent Lawyers Association) is a non-profit professional association founded in 2001, headquartered in Belgium, that convenes experienced patent litigation lawyers admitted to bars in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The organization's stated mission is to promote the equitable and efficacious handling of patent disputes across Europe, with membership restricted to practitioners who have substantial trial-level patent litigation experience. This selective admission criterion shapes a curated community of senior patent litigators rather than a broad professional body.

The association delivers value through four primary service lines: (1) the EPLAW Patent Blog, an editorial-led publication covering UPC decisions, EPO rulings, and FRAND/SEP disputes, supported by a formal editorial board and sponsor structure; (2) a calendar of events including the annual EPLAW Congress, the Young EPLAW Congress, webinars, and an EPO/EPLAW lecture series; (3) member services encompassing continuing professional development, networking, advocacy training such as UPC Mock Trials, and a resource library; and (4) policy advocacy, providing members a collective voice in shaping European patent jurisprudence and procedure.

EPLAW operates as a member-funded non-profit rather than a commercial entity. Revenue is derived from individual membership dues and event/congress sponsorships, with the latter contributed by leading European patent law firms including Bristows, Linklaters, Freshfields, Pinsent Masons, and Bird & Bird. The organization maintains institutional partnerships with the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC), giving members direct access to those institutions and reinforcing EPLAW's role as a convening body in the European patent litigation ecosystem.

Name

EPLAW European Patent Lawyers Association

Legal name

European Patent Lawyers Association

Website

https://eplaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPLAW is a non-profit professional association founded in 2001 that convenes experienced European patent litigation lawyers across the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, providing a blog, congresses, webinars, advocacy training, and policy engagement on European patent law.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services / Legal Knowledge Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Intellectual Property (IP) Law (BPAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB), Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH), IP Compliance, Anti-Counterfeiting & Enforcement (BPAHAMAK)

Keywords

• Patent litigation association
• European patent law
• Professional membership organization
• UPC case law updates
• Legal advocacy training

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EPLAW is a non-profit professional association that delivers member services to experienced patent litigation lawyers across Europe, including a patent law blog, conferences, webinars, advocacy training, and a resource library. Its core mission is to promote the equitable and efficacious handling of patent disputes across Europe through networking, continuing professional development, and policy advocacy. Members are admitted to bars in EEA countries, the UK, and Switzerland.

Product overview

EPLAW (European Patent Lawyers Association) is a non-profit professional association founded in 2001, not a product company. It provides a unified platform of services for patent litigation lawyers consisting of: the EPLAW Patent Blog for case law and news dissemination; EPLAW Events including annual congresses and webinars; Membership services with networking, CPD, and advocacy; and Resources/Documents including case studies and legal precedents. These services work together to promote equitable and efficacious handling of patent disputes across Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EPLAW Patent Blog A blog platform providing the latest European patent law developments, case law updates, UPC decisions, and EPO news for patent litigation professionals.
• EPLAW Congress and Young EPLAW Congress Annual conferences organized for members and Young EPLAW participants, featuring keynote addresses from UPC judges, panels, and networking, with the Young EPLAW Congress 2026 sponsored by leading European patent law firms.
• EPLAW Membership Professional membership for experienced patent litigation lawyers admitted to a bar in EEA countries, the UK, or Switzerland, providing networking, continuing professional development, legal updates, advocacy, and access to resources.
• EPO/EPLAW Advanced Lecture Series Cooperative lecture and webinar series with the European Patent Office examining current topics in patent litigation in Europe, including UPC litigation, FRAND/SEP disputes, arbitration, and CJEU decisions.
• EPLAW Resources and Documents Library Members-only resource library containing case studies, precedents, legal opinions, and other documents related to European patent law.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• EPO (European Patent Office)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLAW cooperates with the EPO on an advanced lecture series examining current topics in patent litigation in Europe, including UPC litigation and emergence of new European patent jurisprudence. The series includes webinars and lectures on FRAND/SEP disputes, arbitration, and CJEU decisions.
• UPC (Unified Patent Court)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLAW maintains a close relationship with the UPC, providing advocacy training including UPC Mock Trials, and facilitating dialogue between patent practitioners and UPC judges. Keynotes and presentations by UPC judges at EPLAW events.
• Dr. J. Alingh Prins FundsupportingOthersFounded in 1953 with the goal of promoting and disseminating knowledge and science concerning industrial property, and stimulating the development of the law relating to industrial property in The Netherlands. Made a donation to the EPLAW Patent Blog.
• BristowsminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• LinklatersminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• FreshfieldsminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Pinsent MasonsminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Hoyng ROKH MonegierminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Simmons & SimmonsminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Bird & BirdminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Arnold SiedsmaminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• DanubiaminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Wikborg ReinminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• BardehleminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• ROA/RasiewiczminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Simont BraunminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• PlesnerminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Gassauer FleissnerminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• RoschierminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• LaGrominorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• BarentskransminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• BrinkhofminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Powell GilbertminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Lenz StaehelinminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• VondstminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• Arnold RuessminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• StibbeminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026
• CoupryminorOthersLaw firm sponsor of Young EPLAW Congress 2026

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• ITechLaw (International Technology Law Association): Global membership association for lawyers practicing in technology and related fields. Comparable as a professional association running conferences and CLE, with partial overlap in tech-focused patent and IP practitioners.
• LESI (Licensing Executives Society International): Global society of licensing professionals with overlapping interest in SEP/FRAND topics that EPLAW has expanded into. Comparable as a membership association with conference programming and educational content, but oriented toward licensing rather than litigation.

Direct peers

• AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property): Global professional association of IP lawyers with national/regional groups across dozens of jurisdictions. Directly comparable to EPLAW as a membership organization serving experienced IP practitioners, though broader in scope (all IP rights) and not patent-litigation-only.
• FICPI (International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys): International federation of patent attorney firms and attorneys. Comparable to EPLAW in serving senior IP practitioners, organizing congresses and study committees, and engaging with patent-granting authorities; differs in being more attorney-firm-centric and global.

Regional players

• CIPA (Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys): UK professional body for patent attorneys, comparable in serving senior patent practitioners and running CPD/training, but operating as a national body rather than pan-European. EPLAW members often also hold CIPA qualifications.
• AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association): US bar association for IP lawyers running CLE, conferences, and amicus work. Strongly comparable operating model to EPLAW but geographically focused on the US and covering all IP rather than just patent litigation.

Broad incumbents

• epi (European Patent Institute / Institut des Mandataires Européens): Professional institute representing European patent attorneys before the EPO. Comparable as a Europe-wide professional body for patent practitioners, though focused on attorneys and prosecution rather than litigation bar.
• INTA (International Trademark Association): Large global association focused on trademarks and brands. Comparable in operating model (membership association, events, advocacy, publications) but focused on a different IP right, making it a broad incumbent in the IP association space rather than a direct patent litigation peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eplaw-european-patent-lawyers-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about EPLAW European Patent Lawyers Association