On June 1st, Machteld Hiemstra joined Kennedy Van der Laan as a partner in the Intellectual Property practice group. Her arrival further strengthens the Amsterdam-based law firm’s life sciences and patent practice.
Machteld specialises in national and international legislation and regulations relevant to the life sciences sector and patent practice. She is registered as a representative of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and focuses, among other things, on (cross-border) litigation for the UPC. Machteld primarily advises pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of medical devices, electronics, and consumer goods. As a result, she brings strong technical affinity and in-depth knowledge of the underlying products and services.
Jan-Willem Siebers, CEO of Kennedy Van der Laan, commented:
“Developments in life sciences and technology are moving rapidly and increasingly intersect with complex international regulations and societal issues. Machteld understands this dynamic. She brings extensive experience in market regulation and patent law, and a keen awareness of the environment in which our clients operate. This aligns seamlessly with our ambition to help organisations transform toward a more sustainable and future‑proof world in which technology and innovation play a key role.”
Until recently, Machteld worked at Simmons & Simmons, where she was a partner. Prior to that, she was a partner at Pinsent Masons and worked at Hogan Lovells. From 2004 to 2007, Machteld worked as in-house legal counsel at AkzoNobel, where she was responsible for product liability and pharmaceutical regulatory matters.