Intellectual Property
Europe Guide 2024 : Belgium
Band 1
About
Provided by ALTIUS
Our Intellectual Property team is one of the largest IP teams in Belgium. Our IP expertise covers all the traditional branches of IP law and unfair competition, as well as more recent technology-related disciplines. We also represent major players in the media and entertainment sectors, and we are increasingly involved in regulatory disputes in the innovative drug and seed industries.
We assist clients in the following areas:
- Patents
- Trademarks
- Industrial Designs
- Domain Names
- Plant Variety Rights
- Geographical Indications
- IT & TMT
- Trade practice including unfair competition
- Parallel Trade Matters
- Anti-Counterfeiting
- Personality rights
Our strongest “niches” in IP are: Patents, life sciences, anti-counterfeiting and parallel trade matters, geographical indications, plant variety rights, trademarks (and designs) and software piracy.
ALTIUS’ litigation expertise covers all aspects of dispute resolution, including arbitration. ALTIUS has also been involved in ground breaking litigation before the European Courts (Court of Justice and General Court) and in numerous high-profile IP cases before the Belgian courts.
Chambers Review
ALTIUS has a longstanding reputation as one of the leading intellectual property firms in Belgium. The team boasts outstanding expertise in the full range of contentious IP matters, representing clients in trade mark and patent infringement proceedings, as well as invalidity claims and preliminary injunctions. The firm is particularly highly regarded by clients from the pharmaceutical, food and beverage and technology industries. It also offers notable experience in copyright matters, the negotiation of licences and authors' rights issues. Team members are esteemed for their ability to advise on matters involving supplementary protection certificates, the protection of designation geographical origins and colour marks.
Work Highlights
- ALTIUS represented Novartis in preliminary injunction proceedings against Viatris concerning a patent for a multiple sclerosis treatment.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The team is very careful, detailed and thorough."
"The lawyers are very hands on."
"The team is very careful, detailed and thorough."
"The lawyers are very hands on."
Notable Practitioners
The market-leading Christophe Ronse remains a go-to lawyer for well-known pharmaceutical companies in patent infringement and invalidity disputes. He also stands out for his ability to negotiate intellectual property licences.
Olivier Vrins has a broad practice that encompasses advising clients on disputes around infringements of patents, copyrights, trade marks and design rights, as well as issues concerning geographical indications.
"Olivier Vrins is my go-to lawyer in Belgium because he is smart and effective."
"He is very humble, approachable and down to earth."
"He is an excellent lawyer, especially if it's a very difficult matter and a cross-border matter."
Philippe de Jong is particularly active in disputes concerning protected designations of origin. He also represents clients in litigation around patents and trade marks.
"I think he did a good job of setting expectations for us as we entered the dispute and was candid about the risks and opportunity."
"I feel like we're in very capable hands with him."
"Philippe de Jong has been very calm, level-headed and balanced, so I think he's cool, calm and collected."
Kirian Claeyé moves up in the rankings this year on the back of an impressive work portfolio advising high-profile pharmaceutical companies on patent infringement cases. He has further experience in the TMT sector and also assists clients with disputes concerning authors' rights.
"He is definitely a rising star."
"He knows everything about the pharmaceutical sector."
Ranked Lawyers at
ALTIUS
Belgium
Members
Provided by ALTIUS
Kirian Claeyé
Nicolas Clarembeaux
Sophie Lens
Clients
Provided by ALTIUS
Bayer
Breeders Trust
Capri Sun
Mars
Mitsubishi
Novartis
Pixley Berries
Roche
Sanoma Media Belgium
Industries
Provided by ALTIUS
Automobiles & Parts
Chemicals
Consumer Product Manufacturing
Food & Drink Producers
Health Care
Industrial Engineering
Media
Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences
Retail
Software & Computer Services
Sports
Technology, Hardware & Electronics