The European Patent Law Course celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Escuela de Organización Industrial (EOI), a Spanish public business school, in an event that brought together institutional representatives, tutors, alumni and professionals from the intellectual property sector.
For ABG Intellectual Property, this anniversary has a special significance. Our firm has been involved with the course since its launch in Madrid in 2006, when the late Francisco Bernardo, founding partner of ABG, promoted the establishment of this programme in Spain and took on its coordination. Years later, Francisco passed the role on to Pablo Calvo, partner at ABG, who now coordinates the course together with Ruth Sánchez, partner at Elzaburu, and fellow European patent attorney Beatriz García Morillo.
Since then, the programme has made a decisive contribution to the training of European patent attorneys and intellectual property specialists, while supporting the growth and professionalisation of the sector in Spain. Over these twenty years, 474 diplomas have been awarded, a particularly significant figure given that there are currently 291 European patent attorneys in Spain.
The course follows the programme coordinated by the Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI), part of the University of Strasbourg, and is delivered in more than twenty European cities. In Madrid, it is offered within the framework of the Fernández‑Novoa Chair, a joint initiative between EOI and the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM).
A faculty closely connected to professional practice
One of the course’s main strengths is its faculty, composed primarily of European patent attorneys with extensive professional experience, working in leading patent firms in Spain or in industry.
The programme also benefits from the participation of examiners from the European Patent Office (EPO) and the OEPM, experts in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as well as academics and lawyers widely recognised in the field of intellectual property.
This diversity of profiles allows the course to provide comprehensive training that is closely aligned with the realities of day-to-day professional practice in intellectual property.
A day looking ahead to the future of the profession
The commemorative event opened with welcome remarks from Diego Crescente, Director General of EOI, and Andreas Dilg, Director of the International Section at CEIPI. In his speech, Dilg highlighted the track record of the course in Madrid, describing it as one of the most successful within the CEIPI programme across Europe.
One of the highlights of the day was the round table discussion entitled “The future of the European patent attorney profession”, moderated by Juan Arias, Managing Partner of ABG Intellectual Property. Juan opened the session by paying tribute to Francisco Bernardo and his role in establishing the course in Spain.
The panel featured Elisa Rodríguez, Director of the OEPM; Pablo Calvo, course coordinator and partner at ABG; Ruth Sánchez, a former student, programme coordinator, member of the Council of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) and partner at Elzaburu; and Susana Vega, also a former student, member of the epi Council and Senior Principal Intellectual Property Specialist at Revvity.
The discussion highlighted that the European patent attorney profession is currently undergoing a period of transformation, driven by technological developments, evolving innovation models and the growing impact of artificial intelligence. Participants agreed that AI is becoming an increasingly common tool in everyday work, while emphasising that it is still far from replacing the technical, legal and strategic judgement of specialised professionals.
In this context, Elisa Rodríguez noted that the emergence of artificial intelligence is contributing to a rise in patent applications filed by individuals. However, she also pointed out that more than 90% of granted applications have been filed by patent attorneys, a figure that underlines the value of professional advice in an increasingly complex environment.
New edition in September
The event concluded with the presentation of diplomas to students from the tenth cohort, including two members of the ABG team: Jorge Ibor and Estefanía del Horno.
A new edition of the European Patent Law Course will begin in September, continuing a programme that is closely linked to the development of the profession in Spain.
For ABG Intellectual Property, taking part in this anniversary has provided an opportunity to recognise the course’s trajectory, the work of all those who have contributed to its success, and the importance of continuing to promote specialised training in intellectual property.
