Inside IP Spring 2026

Welcome to our Inside IP Spring 2026 Edition!

This edition of Inside IP marks an exciting period for Venner Shipley, with the opening of our new Bristol office and our forthcoming London office move at the end of April, in time for INTA 2026 coming to London.

This edition also captures a period of significant change across the IP landscape. We explore the UK Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Emotional Perception AI Ltd v Comptroller-General of Patents, which realigns UK patent eligibility for computer-implemented inventions with European practice, and consider what this may mean for inventive step and longer-term convergence with the UPC. Alongside this, we examine key updates from the EPO and UPC, upcoming official fee changes, and developments across sectors ranging from life sciences and clean technology to sustainable consumer products.

As always, our focus is on the legal and commercial issues shaping IP protection and enforcement across the UK and Europe. We hope you find this edition insightful and would be delighted to discuss how any of these developments may impact your IP strategy.

Our London office is moving
In April 2026, our London office is moving to TIDE Bankside, one of the city’s most environmentally sustainable buildings. In our new riverside location, just a ten-minute walk from St Paul’s Cathedral, we will remain closely connected to the heart of London’s business community.

Venner Shipley opens Bristol office
The opening of our ninth office in Bristol brings our UK and European IP expertise closer to the South West’s dynamic innovation ecosystem.

INTA: London 2026
The countdown to the 2026 INTA Annual Meeting is well underway, and we are delighted that this year’s event will take place in London.

For those planning to attend INTA 2026, we are pleased to share our interactive London map, created to make navigating the city and key event locations as straightforward as possible. The curated map features hotel recommendations, key landmarks and local highlights, along with ideas for things to see and do, helping visitors experience the very best of London alongside the conference.

We look forward to welcoming the international trade mark community to London and hope to see many colleagues and friends there.

Our perspective on…

From Aerotel to G1/19: a new era for examination of computer-implemented inventions in the UK
UK patent eligibility for computer-implemented inventions moves closer to Europe after a Supreme Court ruling, following a joint CIPA and IP Federation intervention to which Venner Shipley contributed.

From Emotional Perception to the UPC? How we might get there and why it makes sense
Beyond eligibility, what the new decision means for inventive step and long-term convergence with Europe.

Reminder: Upcoming IPO fee increases from April 2026
What you need to know about the UKIPO’s updated fees.

EPO announces increase in fees
We list the key fee changes that will take effect from April 2026.

SME Fund – financial support for IP protection across EU
€60 million in funding is available to support EU-based SMEs in protecting their intellectual property.

Sanofi v Amgen: comparing Antibody Patent Litigation at the UPC, EPO and in the US
From the US Supreme Court to the UPC, how far can functional antibody claims stretch?

From AI to pet accessories: the major shifts in the 13th edition of the Nice Classification
With new class changes now in force, are your trade marks still correctly classified?

UK dairy industry milks EU regulation
Plant-based branding meets EU law in landmark Supreme Court showdown.

Biodegradable by design: Patent strategies for microplastic-free formulations
As microplastic bans bite, smart IP is shaping the future of sustainable cosmetics.

Clean technology series: Electrifying the future
The next battery breakthrough: who will dethrone lithium-ion?

A century of cervical cancer screening
The remarkable story behind the invention of the ‘Pap smear’.

Why Bristol?
A look at innovation in the South West in 2026.

Meet our team: Ian Gill
As part of our special INTA edition of our ‘Meet our Team’ series, we speak to Ian Gill, a partner in our Trade Marks team, about his journey into IP, what he is looking forward to most about INTA and his London hidden gem that you shouldn’t miss.

Inside Venner Shipley

We are proud to share that we have been shortlisted in six categories at the 2026 Managing IP Awards EMEA. The ceremony takes place on 1 May 2026 in London.

Our shortlisted categories:
• Patent Prosecution
• Trade Mark Prosecution
• Trade Mark Disputes
• Patent Disputes
• Patent Practitioner of the Year – Geoff Hussey
• Rising Star of the Year – Nick Barrow

Congratulations to all the firms shortlisted this year.