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What Our Customers Say...
I want to personally thank Charlie Heal , Emily Fox, Cara McAtee, and the entire team at Albright IP for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism in helping me submit my first ever patent: the Baffer Ball fire suppression system.
From the very first meeting, Charlie and Emily made everything feel clear, comfortable, and respectful. They listened carefully to my ideas, even though I’m not from a technical or legal background – I’m a painter and decorator by trade. But they believed in my vision and treated it with such care and seriousness that I felt truly supported as an inventor.
Over several months, we worked closely by email and phone. Charlie and the team guided me step by step to build one of the strongest, clearest, and most professional patent drafts I could have hoped for. The claims they wrote are powerful, and the language used shows how deeply they understood my invention. They didn’t just file a document – they helped shape a legacy.
Charlie, even though he is young, is incredibly professional and experienced. I am amazed at how he managed such a complex project with kindness, patience, and precision. Emily and Cara were also fantastic throughout.
This was not just paperwork – this was my dream since childhood. And Albright IP helped me make that dream real.
💬 I look forward to working with them again on future patents. The Baffer Ball is just the beginning – and I am proud that Albright IP was there from Day 1.
Thank you so much again — from the bottom of my heart.
— Morteza
He’s not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also warm and approachable. No question has ever felt too small, and he genuinely cares about the success of my business. I’d highly recommend Marc to anyone looking for a dedicated, trustworthy, and skilled patent attorney.
The patent was filed within weeks and had a depth of technical input from Albright that was excellent. I'm very pleased.
I have filed patents in the past but working with Albright IP was a totally different experience. I recommend them without hesitation.
Their knowledge regarding the patent process is extensive.
They have help me navigate the complex process to gain patent granted on my first design and patent pending on my second design.
I feel reassured and confident to put my designs in their hands knowing they will give the best advice based on the facts and not for their own financial gain.
Brilliant company.
Kathryn Haslam
Comfyi.
They were also very clear regarding fees, and set out a very helpful visual timeline and cost breakdown on the whole patent application process at the pre-sales stage. This emphasis on making sure I understood all aspects of the work, and having documentation to help with that, is something I didn't see with any of the other patent services I was talking to at the time. This clear communication continued throughout our interactions.
Would recommend Albright IP to anyone looking to patent an invention. The patent they filed for me was for a software invention.
No upselling for their fee either, just a fair, professional appraisal...
Thanks to Allbright, I am not spending thousands on a low hope project (when I so easily could have been).
Then end result being that we accomplished everything I wanted to in time and budget.
Highly recommend.
Need a Product Designer?
Helpful Tips
Do I have to identify the designer?
It is possible to waive the name of the designer when filing a European Community Design, but you should be sure that you have the rights to the design
Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court
Since June 2023, when a European patent grants, there has been the option of obtaining a single patent right which comes into force in several European countries. This is called the Unitary Patent (UP).
At the same time, a new central European patent court, called the Unified Patent Court (UPC), was established. Unitary Patents must be enforced or revoked centrally at the Unified Patent Court. Similarly, classically validated European patents (i.e. European patents validated in individual countries as per classical practice) are also able to be enforced or centrally revoked at the Unified Patent Court across all Unified Patent Court countries in a single action. However, classically validated European patents can be opted out of the jurisdiction of the UPC.
Unitary Patent (UP)
What countries are included in the Unitary Patent?
The current list is Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Italy (IT), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Malta (MT), the Netherlands (NL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovenia (SI), Sweden (SE).
This list may later expand to include other countries, but Unitary Patents granted before the expansion will not come into force in those new countries.
How do I get a Unitary Patent?
Firstly, a European patent needs to be granted in the normal way. Note that for the Unitary Patent option to be available, the granted claims must be the same for all of the participating Member States, and designation of a participating Member State must not have been withdrawn.
A request for unitary effect must then be filed within one month of the date of publication of grant. Assuming the specification is in English, a translation of the specification into another EU language must also be filed in this time period.
If we are the representatives for your European patent application, we will seek your instructions on this when reporting the intention to grant communication (Rule 71(3) EPC communication).
Can I get both a Unitary Patent and classically validate the European patent in non-Unitary Patent countries (e.g. in the UK)?
Yes, a Unitary Patent can be requested, and validation in non-Unitary Patent countries can be actioned as normal.
What are some advantages and disadvantages of a Unitary Patent?
A Unitary Patent may reduce costs both on validation and during annual renewals, if considering protection in several relevant countries. Registering a transaction (e.g. assignment or licence) may also be streamlined.
However, if considering no more than a few countries, then a Unitary Patent is likely to be more expensive, both for validation and annual renewals.
Additionally, the number of territories covered by a Unitary Patent cannot be reduced to reduce the cost of annual renewal, as is possible with individually validated countries of a European patent.
A Unitary Patent cannot be opted-out of the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court, and so must be enforced, and is at risk of central revocation, at this relatively new Court.
Unified Patent Court (UPC)
What is the Unified Patent Court?
The Unified Patent Court is a new Court which has exclusive jurisdiction for infringement and revocation of Unitary Patents.
The Unified Patent Court also has jurisdiction for infringement and revocation of classically validated European patents in relevant EU countries, including for European patents granted before the court came into existence. Classically validated European patents can be opted out of this jurisdiction, to reduce the risk of central revocation.
Which countries does the Unified Patent Court cover?
The current list is Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden.
This may be expanded to other countries in future.
Will Albright IP attorneys be able to represent me at the Unified Patent Court?
Yes, as European Patent Attorneys with appropriate litigation certificates, most Albright IP attorneys have the right of representation at the Unified Patent Court.
What are some advantages and disadvantages of a Unified Patent Court?
The Unified Patent Court is a relatively new forum with a relatively limited body of case law. There will therefore be greater uncertainty in the result of litigation heard there.
Additionally, the Unitary Patent or European patent will be at risk of central revocation at the Unified Patent Court. Therefore, for patents of arguable validity, it may be preferable to avoid central litigation to reduce the risk of losing protection in multiple countries at the same time based on a decision from a single court.
On the other hand, whether seeking to enforce or revoke a European patent, it could be more cost-effective to do this via the Unified Patent Court compared to a series of actions on a country-by-country basis.
Can I avoid the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court?
Unitary Patents cannot be opted-out of the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court.
During a transition period of seven years, classically validated European patents or applications can be opted-out of the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court, as long as an action has not yet been brought before the Unified Patent Court.
When to opt-out?
If the risk of central revocation is desired to be minimised, then an opt-out should be filed as soon as possible. The opt-out must have been registered to be effective.
Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to opt-out your European patent or application.
Can I opt back in?
As long as an action has not yet been brought before a national court, an opted-out European patent can be opted back into the jurisdiction of the Unified Patent Court.
Who can authorise the opt-out?
Only the true owner(s) of the European patent can authorise the submission of an opt-out, and we will need to state the identity of the true owner(s) when submitting an opt-out. Otherwise, there is a risk that the opt-out will not have been validly filed.
Therefore, an audit of the ownership of your European patents may be advisable, to determine whether the ownership has been assigned without recordal having taken place.
If you would like to discuss and have advice regarding the UPC system and Unitary Patent, contact us by completing the form below, email at info@albright-ip.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 1242 691 801 to speak to one of our experienced European patent attorneys.
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