Intellectual property disputes rarely stop at national borders, and neither should our efforts to resolve them.
On 27 October 2026, Ciarb European Branch’s, Ciarb Iberian Chapter, Ovoli Frugoni Romero, and the Madrid Bar Association will bring the IP and dispute resolution communities together in Madrid to consider how these conflicts can be resolved fairly and effectively.
The seminar will introduce the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre, the official alternative dispute resolution body of the Unified Patent Court. Speakers will examine the use of mediation, arbitration, expert determination and hybrid procedures in patent, technology and licensing disputes. They will also consider standard-essential patents, FRAND disputes and the relationship between litigation and ADR.
The event is free to attend and will be held in English and Spanish, both online and at the Madrid Bar Association. It is intended for lawyers, business leaders, academics, engineers, technical experts and young practitioners.
Programme Agenda
11:10
Welcome: Nazareth Romero, Arbitration Section ICAM, Partner Ovoli Romero Abogados
Javier Fernández Lasquetty, Sección IP ICAM, Partner Ramón y Cajal Abogados
Institutional Opening: Mabel Klimt, Governing Board ICAM, Responsible for Innovation and Technology, Partner ELZABURU.
11:30
Keynote Address
Since PMAC: The Future of Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution: From Litigation to a Global ADR Ecosystem
Aleš Zalar, Patent Mediation and Arbitration Center (PMAC) Director
11:50
Roundtable I
Choosing the Right Path on PMAC: Mediation, Arbitration, Expert Determination or Litigation?
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- Aleš Zalar, PMAC Director
- Raquel Ballesteros, Independent Arbitrator
- Rafael del Castillo MCiarb, Independent Arbitrator
- Camille Lignières, Presiding Judge and Judge-Rapporteur, Court of First Instance of the Unified Patent Court, Paris Local Division
- Reyes Campello, MCiarb, IP Agent, Lawyer, Mediator, Independent Arbitrator
- IP Judge – Spain (to be confirmed)
- Judge / representative – General Council of the Judiciary / CGPJ (to be confirmed)
12:20
Networking Coffee Break
12:40
Roundtable II
The New Frontier of IP ADR: Technology, SEPs/FRAND, AI and Cross-Border Disputes
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- Dr. Jur. Theophile Margellos, MCiarb, University of Alicante, Spain
- OEPM
- Lucía Díaz, Legal & Compliance Manager, FUJIFILM Spain
- Somesh Arora, Addl Advocate General Punjab, India
- António Andrade, Partner Abreu Advogados, Portugal
- Javier Fernández-Lasquetty, Ramón y Cajal Abogados
13:20
Roundtable III
From Awareness to Action. Building an IP ADR Culture in Spain
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- Carolina Pina, Partner Garrigues
- Paulino Cuevas, General Manager Alia
- Alberto Requejo, Partner Aroza Abogados
- Enrique Delgado, Partner Delgado Asociados
13:45
Audience Q&A
Bernadette Barker, Chartered Ciarb, Partner Barker Consultants
14:00
Closing Remarks
From Spain to the International IP ADR Community
Nazareth Romero, FCiarb, PMAC Neutral Ambassador Spain
14:00
Lunch Networking
This event is free to attend. Register to attend by 22 October 2026.