The UPC Stalker - an Easter Suspense Thriller

With the kind assistance from AI, I created an Easter suspense thriller after reading the latest announcement from the #UPC Registrar:

Key take-aways:

? Always double-check. Perhaps triple-check.

? When the ?? hits the fan, blame the patent admin.

? Never trust your patent attorney.

? Attend NAIPA (Norwegian Association of Intellectual Property Administrators) 's IP Administrator event in Oslo on April 20, to learn everything you need to know about opting out patents of the UPC!

Enjoy!

The year is 2030.?

It had been several years since Sarah, a Patent Administrator, had filed an opt-out of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) for her patent. She had done everything correctly – or so she thought. Sarah had prepared everything with great detail and passed it on to her patent attorney for filing, just like she had done for all her cases. But this Easter she received an unexpected notification - a central revocation had been initiated against the patent.

Sarah was taken aback. How could this be happening? She had done everything correctly. She immediately went to her patent attorney to find out what had happened. Her attorney looked at the paperwork and realized that the opt-out had not been filed correctly. He told her there had been an administrative error that had gone unnoticed.

Sarah was in a state of panic. The opt-out was supposed to ensure that the patent was not subject to the jurisdiction of the UPC. If the opt-out had not been filed correctly, the patent was at risk of being invalidated. Sarah knew that her life's work was on the line, and she couldn't let it go to waste because of a clerical error.

Sarah decided to investigate the matter herself. She thoroughly checked all details and paperwork of the case with the UPC. Puzzled and shocked, she realized there was no trace of any opt-out.

As she was leaving the office, she noticed a strange figure lurking in the shadows. It was a man wearing a hooded jacket, and he seemed to be following her.

She quickened her pace, but the figure kept getting closer – she tried to lose him by taking a few turns, but he was persistent. Finally, Sarah reached a deserted parking garage, and the figure cornered her.

It was her patent attorney. He looked dishevelled and had a wild look in his eyes.

He explained that he had made a mistake while trying to submit the opt-out and had panicked. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Sarah's trust and the case. So, he had initiated the central revocation himself to buy time and rectify his mistake. But, things had spiralled out of control, and now he didn't know what to do.

As Sarah was the only one knowing the truth, he had no option but to get rid of her to save himself. He slowly approached her, reaching for a sharp and shiny object hidden inside his jacket.

Appearing out of nowhere, UPC expert and NAIPA event speaker Sabine Rehaber came to the rescue, fighting off the evil patent attorney. Bruised and defeated, he was never seen again. (Thanks Sabine - we can always count on you!!)

Sarah was relieved to know the truth, but it was too late. Having safely escaped the patent attorney, she reached out to her contacts in the industry, hoping they could help her rectify the mistake. As expected, they informed her that it was too late. The central revocation had already been initiated, and it would take years before the matter could be resolved. Sarah was devastated. She had lost everything she had worked for, and it was all because of a small mistake.?

Sarah learned a valuable lesson. She realized that the world of patents was a cutthroat one, and she had to be vigilant at all times. She had to double-check everything and make sure that all her patents were correctly opted out of the UPC – not only during preparation, but also after submission. Sarah knew that it would take a long time before she could regain what she had lost, but she was determined to try.

• THE END. Happy Easter! ...and don't forget to register for NAIPA's full day IP Administrator event on April 20, where you will get some tips and tricks on do's and dont's related to UPC opt-outs!