Do I need a European Patent Attorney if I already have US counsel?

Yes. Only European Patent Attorneys can represent applicants before the EPO. European examination and claim practice differ substantially from the US, so having dedicated European counsel from the start protects scope and avoids late, expensive rework.

Can you represent us before the Unified Patent Court?

Yes. I am a UPC representative and can act in proceedings before the Unified Patent Court, including infringement, revocation and opt-out matters.

How much does a European Patent Attorney cost?

Fees depend on the stage — filing, examination, opposition or UPC litigation. For a specific matter I quote transparently; see the cost breakdown post below for typical ranges.

Do you work with US companies directly?

Yes. Most of my client work is with US deep-tech companies entering Europe through PCT or direct EP filings. I engage with US in-house counsel, general counsel and founders directly — no foreign-associate chain required.

Can a US patent attorney file at the EPO for us instead?

No. Only a qualified European Patent Attorney (or equivalent professional representative on the EPO list) can represent an applicant before the EPO. US firms typically instruct a European attorney as foreign associate — you can also engage one directly and remove the extra layer.

How do European patent costs compare for US applicants?

For a typical PCT regional phase entry, expect official EPO fees plus attorney work in the low-to-mid five figures USD through examination, then validation and renewals. Working directly (rather than through a US firm plus foreign associate) removes one markup layer. See the full cost breakdown post below.

How do time zones and communication work?

I schedule calls in US business hours (typically morning ET / afternoon CET) and respond to email within one business day. EPO deadlines are handled on European time so nothing slips.

Which technology fields do you handle?

Physics-based and engineering subject matter: photonics and optics, semiconductors and electronics, measurement and sensor technology, materials, mechanical engineering, medical devices and software-implemented inventions with a technical effect.

How long does a European patent take from filing to grant?

Typically three to five years from the EP filing or regional-phase entry date, depending on the technical field and how many examination rounds are needed. PACE accelerated examination can shorten this significantly where a business reason exists.

Should our US company opt out of the UPC?

It depends on portfolio value, litigation risk appetite, and where your competitors sit. Opt-out avoids central revocation but forfeits central enforcement. I review existing EP portfolios and recommend opt-in / opt-out per family — see the UPC opt-out guide for the framework.

For US Companies · EPO & UPC Representative

European Patent Attorney for US Companies

Engage a European Patent Attorney directly for EPO filing, prosecution, opposition and Unified Patent Court representation — no US firm plus foreign-associate chain, fees quoted per stage.

Book a Consultation→Send Your Matter for Review→

Response within one business day · No obligation

Qualifications

Who you are actually hiring.

Karel Bauer — a European Patent Attorney entitled to represent applicants before the EPO, the EUIPO and the Unified Patent Court.

Registrations: Entered on the EPO list of professional representatives, the EUIPO list of representatives, and the UPC list of representatives.
Technical fields: Physics background — photonics and optics, materials, energy, computer-implemented inventions and complex industrial systems.
Working language: All client work, filings and reporting in English, on US business-hour overlap, with EPO deadlines docketed on European time.

Built for US clients

Why US companies work with a European Patent Attorney directly.

Most US companies first meet European patent practice through their US firm's foreign associate — a chain of two law firms, two markups, and a translator in the middle. That works, until the EPO examiner writes something surprising.

Working directly with a European Patent Attorney removes the middle layer. Your claims get drafted for European examination from the start, examination reports are answered by the person arguing them, and fees are transparent in USD-comparable terms — no associate markup on top of official fees.

US in-house counsel, general counsel and founders typically bring me in for PCT regional phase entry, tough EPO office actions, opposition against a blocking European patent, and UPC opt-in / opt-out decisions.

→One point of contact — no US firm → foreign associate chain
→Claims drafted for EPO examination, not translated late
→Transparent fees, quoted per matter (no associate markup)
→US business-hour overlap for calls and deadlines
→UPC representative — opt-in / opt-out handled in-house

Understanding the role

What is a European Patent Attorney (and how they differ from a US patent attorney)

A European Patent Attorney is a professional representative entered on the official list maintained by the European Patent Office. That registration — gained after the European Qualifying Examination (EQE) — gives the right to represent applicants directly before the EPO in filing, examination, opposition and appeal proceedings.

It is a regulated title, not a generic job description. In everyday language people sometimes say “patent lawyer” or “patent counsel”, but the EPO-registered professional who can actually act for you at the EPO is a European Patent Attorney.

Many European Patent Attorneys are also representatives before the Unified Patent Court, so the same person can handle both pre-grant EPO work and post-grant UPC litigation.

More on the distinction: Patent attorney vs patent lawyer: what EU inventors need to know.

Topic	European Patent Attorney	US patent attorney
Registration	EPO list of professional representatives (EQE)	USPTO registered practitioner
Where they can act	EPO, UPC and national EP validations	USPTO only (not EPO)
Typical role	Draft EP claims, respond to EPO office actions, conduct oppositions and UPC cases	Draft US applications, respond to USPTO actions, US litigation support
How they usually work with US firms	Engaged directly by US companies or instructed as foreign associate by US counsel	Often instructs European counsel for EP/UPC matters

When to hire European counsel

Situations where a European Patent Attorney pays for itself.

01You are preparing to enter Europe through PCT and need a real EPO strategy — not a copy of your US file.
02You've received an EPO examination report and the objections are getting sharper.
03A competitor's European patent is blocking you, and the 9-month opposition window is still open.
04You need to validate a granted European patent across multiple states — including the Unitary Patent option.
05You're weighing UPC opt-in vs opt-out for an existing portfolio.

Services

What a European Patent Attorney does for you.

EPO filing & PCT regional phase

Claim strategy adapted for European examination from the start — not translated at the last minute.

European prosecution

Direct handling of examination reports, amendments and oral proceedings before the EPO.

EPO opposition (attack & defence)

Central challenges within 9 months of grant — often the most cost-effective way to clear a blocking patent.

UPC representation

Representation before the Unified Patent Court, plus opt-in / opt-out strategy for existing EP portfolios.

European validation & Unitary Patent

Post-grant validation strategy across national offices and the Unitary Patent — cost-optimised for your markets.

Freedom-to-operate & portfolio review

Practical FTO opinions and portfolio triage for founders, CTOs and in-house IP counsel.

Scope, process & fees

How an engagement with me actually runs.

This is the engagement side of the practice — what I take on, how a matter moves, and what each stage costs. The technical overview of the European patent system lives on the European patents page.

What I take on — and what I don’t

→EPO work: direct EP filings, PCT regional-phase entry, examination, oral proceedings, opposition and appeal.
→Post-grant: Unitary Patent requests, validation coordination, renewals oversight, UPC opt-out filings.
→Advisory: freedom-to-operate reads on European rights, pre-filing review of US specifications, portfolio pruning.
→Not taken on: US prosecution, litigation before national civil courts other than UPC representation, and trade secret or contract disputes.

The process, step by step

1. Intake call (30 minutes, no charge)
You describe the matter and deadlines; I confirm whether European rights are still available and what the clock looks like.
2. Written scope and fee estimate
Within one business day you get a stage-by-stage estimate — official fees separated from attorney fees — plus a conflict check.
3. Filing or entry
I review the US specification for European fallback positions before filing, then file or enter the regional phase and confirm the receipt to your docket.
4. Prosecution
Each EPO communication is reported in a short English memo with a recommendation, a cost, and a deadline — not a forwarded PDF.
5. Grant, validation and renewals
We decide Unitary Patent versus national validation on your commercial footprint, and set the renewal and UPC opt-out plan.

Indicative attorney fees by stage

Ranges below are attorney fees only, in EUR, excluding official EPO fees. Every matter is quoted in writing before work starts.

Stage	Indicative attorney fee
PCT regional-phase entry / direct EP filing	€2,500 – €5,000
Pre-filing review of a US specification	€900 – €1,800
Response to an EPO examination report	€1,500 – €4,000 per round
Oral proceedings (examination)	€6,000 – €12,000
EPO opposition to first-instance decision	€15,000 – €40,000
Unitary Patent request / validation coordination	€700 – €2,500
UPC opt-out filing (per family)	€250 – €600

Official EPO fees are set out separately in the European patent cost guide and modelled year by year in the EPO renewal fees hub.

Technology fields

Subject matter I handle personally.

A physics background means the technical argument in an EPO examination report is answered directly, without a translation layer between your engineers and your European attorney.

Photonics & optics

Lasers, imaging systems, optical metrology, fibre and integrated optics.

Semiconductors & electronics

Device structures, fabrication processes, circuits and power electronics.

Sensors & measurement

Sensing principles, calibration methods and instrumentation.

Materials & chemistry-adjacent tech

Coatings, composites, thin films and materials processing.

Mechanical & medical devices

Precision mechanics, manufacturing equipment and device engineering.

Software with technical effect

Control, signal processing and computer-implemented inventions under EPO Art. 52 practice.

Handling an examination report right now? See EPO office action response for US applicants.

Credentials

Qualified. Technical. Direct.

— Qualified European Patent Attorney (EQE)
— Representative before the Unified Patent Court
— Physics background — comfortable with technically demanding subject matter
— Own established practice — you work with me, not a delegated associate
— Direct communication with inventors, engineers and founders

Learn more

Guides on European patents & EPO practice.

In-depth articles covering the decisions you'll face — from choosing counsel and filing costs to validation, UPC and hiring triggers.

Free tools and single-issue pages: EPO renewal fees and annuity calculator, European patent validation costs by country and responding to an EPO office action.

FAQ

European Patent Attorney — common questions.

What is a European Patent Attorney?: A European Patent Attorney is a professional entered on the list maintained by the European Patent Office, entitled to represent applicants before the EPO in filing, prosecution and opposition proceedings. Many are also representatives before the Unified Patent Court.
Do I need a European Patent Attorney if I already have US counsel?: Yes. Only European Patent Attorneys can represent applicants before the EPO. European examination and claim practice differ substantially from the US, so having dedicated European counsel from the start protects scope and avoids late, expensive rework.
Can you represent us before the Unified Patent Court?: Yes. I am a UPC representative and can act in proceedings before the Unified Patent Court, including infringement, revocation and opt-out matters.
How much does a European Patent Attorney cost?: Fees depend on the stage — filing, examination, opposition or UPC litigation. For a specific matter I quote transparently; see the cost breakdown post below for typical ranges.
Do you work with US companies directly?: Yes. Most of my client work is with US deep-tech companies entering Europe through PCT or direct EP filings. I engage with US in-house counsel, general counsel and founders directly — no foreign-associate chain required.
Can a US patent attorney file at the EPO for us instead?: No. Only a qualified European Patent Attorney (or equivalent professional representative on the EPO list) can represent an applicant before the EPO. US firms typically instruct a European attorney as foreign associate — you can also engage one directly and remove the extra layer.
How do European patent costs compare for US applicants?: For a typical PCT regional phase entry, expect official EPO fees plus attorney work in the low-to-mid five figures USD through examination, then validation and renewals. Working directly (rather than through a US firm plus foreign associate) removes one markup layer. See the full cost breakdown post below.
How do time zones and communication work?: I schedule calls in US business hours (typically morning ET / afternoon CET) and respond to email within one business day. EPO deadlines are handled on European time so nothing slips.
Which technology fields do you handle?: Physics-based and engineering subject matter: photonics and optics, semiconductors and electronics, measurement and sensor technology, materials, mechanical engineering, medical devices and software-implemented inventions with a technical effect.
How long does a European patent take from filing to grant?: Typically three to five years from the EP filing or regional-phase entry date, depending on the technical field and how many examination rounds are needed. PACE accelerated examination can shorten this significantly where a business reason exists.
Should our US company opt out of the UPC?: It depends on portfolio value, litigation risk appetite, and where your competitors sit. Opt-out avoids central revocation but forfeits central enforcement. I review existing EP portfolios and recommend opt-in / opt-out per family — see the UPC opt-out guide for the framework.

Ready to speak with a European Patent Attorney?

Send me the basics of your matter — filing plan, examination report, opposition notice or UPC question — and I'll come back within one business day.

What do you need help with?

Prefer to just email?

Send Your Matter for Review→

Prefer an overview first? See the European patents service page. Instructing on behalf of a client as a US firm? See foreign associate services for US firms.