The Unitary Patent System

After 14 years of preparation and work, the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court are finally a reality in the 17 EU member states that, as of 1.6.2023, have ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court (UPCA) (signed by 24 Member States).

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The right to an interpreter in court

In 2016, roughly 150,000 requests were made for face-to-face language interpreter and translation services in England and Wales. 97% of these requests were successful.

Unless the case is privately funded, the MoJ obliges to provide these services free of charge. Criminal proceedings make up the majority, followed by tribunal and then civil requests. But calling this a ‘right’ is to stray into murky territory; viewing this more as a ‘custom’ might be more appropriate. While there is no legal right to an interpreter in court, if you ask for one, you will most likely gain access to one.

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English used in German Chambers for commercial matters

Will its use make Germany and German law a more attractive option for cross-border commercial litigation after Brexit?

The UK legal market has a strong global position due to the popularity of English law and the English language: some 27% of the world's 320 legal jurisdictions use English Common law. Many private companies also choose to use English for the drafting of their contracts and during ARD, and with the language comes the choice of English law. Further to this, EU membership and the adoption of the current EU regulations on the enforcement of court orders make English orders enforceable throughout the EU in a simple and quick manner in certain qualifying cases.

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