PMAC Director Participates in Patents and Standards 2026 Conference

On 14–15 May 2026, PMAC was represented at the Patents and Standards 2026 conference by its Director, Mr Aleš Zalar, who appeared as a panelist and presenter in Panel 2 titled “Getting to FRAND – Resolving FRAND Disputes – Is there a better way?”

The panel, moderated by Mr James Marshall of Pinsent Masons, also included representatives from Oppo, InterDigital and Huawei.

The discussion focused on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in negotiations of SEP licence agreements and related disputes. Among the advantages highlighted was ADR’s ability to address multi-jurisdictional disputes within a single procedure.

The panel also discussed recent developments in SEP and FRAND case law, including the Samsung v ZTE dispute before the Unified Patent Court Mannheim Local Division, where mediation through PMAC was reportedly suggested to the parties in light of differing FRAND determinations issued by courts in the United Kingdom and China. Recent UK proceedings involving Nokia were also referenced during the discussion.

Participants emphasized the importance of experienced mediators with specialised knowledge of patent and SEP disputes for the successful resolution of such cases.

Mr Zalar also presented the advantages of PMAC, including its connection to the Unified Patent Court system and its focus on maintaining a strong list of neutrals experienced in patent and patent-related disputes.

Overall, the conference provided a highly interesting and valuable exchange of views on current developments in SEP and FRAND dispute resolution.