Belgium

The Belgian IP practice at Allen & Overy is led by Filip Van Elsen, who is also head of the firm’s global TMT group. Allen & Overy has wide experience in providing IP services to corporate clients, with an emphasis on due diligence and soft-IP work. Areas of technical expertise at the firm include life sciences, ICT, media and telecoms.

Geert Glas is head of the global IP practice and noted by peers for his experience in IP and ICT law. Glas represents clients in patent litigation, advises on non-litigious matters and assists in the negotiation and drafting of agreements.

Peers mention Philippe de Jong and Christophe Ronse as key practitioners at Altius for their strengths in enforcement and patent litigation. The independent law firm has offices in Antwerp, Brussels and Louvain-la-Neuve. Lawyers at the firm offer assistance before and after litigation, with specialisms in pharmaceuticals, life sciences and anti-counterfeiting work. Key practice areas include dispute resolution and arbitration before national and European courts.

A local lawyer says: “Altius always scores on a very high level for quality service in patents. The quality of their work continues to be outstanding.”

The Belgian office of Bird & Bird features in the top tier of the patent contentious tables this year. The firm is mostly recognised for handling patent litigation on behalf of international clients.

Jean-Christophe Troussel conducts cross-border litigation and enforcement work in cooperation with colleagues in other jurisdictions for clients across various industry sectors. Bruno Vandermeulen is considered a “great lawyer and an excellent academic in patent and technology transfer”.

De Clercq & Partners provides “excellent, cost-effective and timely advice on all aspects of European patent prosecution in the field of life sciences,” says one client. They are the “best in class for complex patent prosecution in the biotechnology and other fields,” says another.

The firm is overseen by founding partner Ann De Clercq and features in tier 1 of the patent prosecution tables. De Clercq is a respected Belgian and European patent attorney, often recognised for her work in patent filing, validations and EPO representation. Practitioners at the firm are experienced advisers with expertise in patent strategy, litigation and prosecution.

Gevers has five offices in Belgium, in addition to offices in France and Switzerland. The full-service IP firm is recognised by peers for its capabilities in patent protection. Gevers is also able to assist clients with due diligence and tax optimisation for IP income.

Hoyng Rokh Monegier is the result of a merger between IP firms Hoyng Monegier and Reimann Osterrieth Kohler Haft last October. The pan-European firm leads in Belgium for services in patent litigation and enforcement. Practitioners at the firm represent clients from all industries with an emphasis on biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.  

Carl De Meyer is managing partner of the Brussels office and recognised for wide-ranging expertise in IP law. Steven Cattoor is mentioned as a leader in patent litigation, particularly in matters related to life sciences. The Brussels life sciences practice is led by Liesbeth Weynants, who handles a range of regulatory matters in patent law.

Gérard Bloch is head of the patent department at Kirkpatrick. The IP specialist firm is based in La Hulpe, just outside Brussels, providing comprehensive services in IP prosecution.

Patent attorneys and legal counsel at the firm are experienced in drafting inter-partes agreements, licensing and managing patent portfolios. Kirkpatrick represents clients before local and international courts in matters related to patent prosecution, opposition and infringement.

Philippe Péters is managing partner of the Brussels office of NautaDutilh, where he has been partner for over 20 years. Péters is also head of the IP and ICT practice. He is noted by his contemporaries for strengths in IP litigation, in addition to a range of non-contentious matters.

Practitioners in Luxembourg, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Brussels cater to multinational clients from all industries. Tanguy de Haan is known as a leading IP litigator at the firm with a focus on patent, trade mark and design litigation. Fellow partner Florence Verhoestraete is also noted for proficiency in IP litigation, as well as unfair competition and regulatory advice.

Pronovem has offices in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The firm’s IP team in Belgium offers a full range of patent services including drafting and prosecution.

Professionals in Brussels, Liège and Ghent also offer assistance with patent searches, litigation, strategy advice and infringement action. Pronovem is ranked in tier 2 for patent prosecution.

Brussels-based law firm Simont Braun specialises in patent litigation and provides comprehensive IP services to multinational clients. Advisers at the firm are well-versed in Belgian and European IP law.

Eric De Gryse and Fernand De Visscher are regarded as patent experts in the Belgian market. They are noted for proficiency in international litigation. Areas of expertise at the firm include technology, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The Belgian office of Stibbe is based in Brussels, where legal practitioners provide IP services in cooperation with colleagues from the firm’s main office in Amsterdam and others across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and United States.

Altius is Managing IP's Contentious Firm of the Year (2017). The IP team is led by Paul Maeyaert who is known for advising media and entertainment sector companies. A tobacco industry client says it received "timely, high quality" trade mark service from the team. There is individual praise for Olivier Vrins: "His knowledge of IP, regulatory and litigation is outstanding. He is a true gem among EU lawyers." Case studies show the team representing FMCG brands in contentious trade mark matters.

Baker McKenzie is Managing IP's Global Firm of the Year (2017). The firm's Belgian IP team is particularly active in soft IP litigation. Head of IP Koen De Winter is experienced in trade mark and designs. A practitioner to watch is Michaël De Vroey. He is involved in some of the firm's recent trade mark instructions. British American Tobacco is one of the companies the firm represents in trade mark matters, and in copyright the firm continues to advise Eurodisplay NV.

De Bandt is best known for representing right holders and collecting societies in copyright matters but it also advises on trade marks. The firm acts for TV stations, designers and publishers, among others. Jeff Keustermans is a prominent IP practitioner in the team.

Stijn Debaene and Hakim Haouideg are two key partners in Fieldfisher's IP team in Brussels. Case studies show both practitioners leading the team on contentious trade mark matters as well as copyright advisory work. Among the firm's clients are Vitra, Getty Images and August Storck.

Gevers is a Belgian firm with more than 115 years of experience. It also has an office in France and two smaller offices in Switzerland. Mounir Kadjaj heads the trade mark practice. There is individual praise for Benjamin Gevers and Bei Tang: "They are both very competent and supportive." A client who works with the firm on trade mark prosecution on a monthly basis says: "We received great service as they respond fast and are very professional. We work closely with them in order to protect our IP on a worldwide level."

Simont Braun is recommended in trade mark and copyright law. Emmanuel Cornu, Eric De Gryse and Jan Clinck are some of the notable practitioners for soft IP work. In trade marks, the team advises Laser Performance Europe, Velum and Spa Monopole, and Fermod in a design matter. The firm recently hired Julie Kever as an associate while Grégory Sorreaux left to join the law firm Thales. Former partner Laurent de Brouwer is now of counsel.