The Legal 500

‘No time is wasted’ by Allen & Overy LLP’s duo of Geert Glas (‘very solid advice’) and Filip Van Elsen( ‘makes things happen’), who deliver ‘practical advice on legal ramifications’ of IP litigation. Clients praise them as being ‘solid, organised and efficient’. Highlights included anti-counterfeiting work for Giorgio Armani, trade mark defence for Bacardi, and high-value patent litigation for Hansen Transmissions, plus precedent-setting ECJ work on biotechnology for Cargill. The practice works in sectors such as life sciences (clients include Pfizer, and Novartis), consumer (Bacardi and Diageo), media (Mobistar) and hi-tech (Intel and Research in Motion). Thierry van Innis left to join Field Fisher Waterhouse.

Altius (in co-operation with Tiberghien) is well regarded for IP defence and brand management work; seventeen lawyers ‘respond immediately with careful and well considered strategies’. The team represented Merck Sharp & Dohme in complex patent litigation against Teva, as well as successfully representing polymer manufacturer Ineos in Supreme Court litigation. Other clients include Playboy Enterprises and Novartis. Anti-counterfeiting remains a forte of Olivier Vrins, who ‘handles cases with the highest quality’. Nicolas Clarembeaux is an ‘icon in the national and international IP field’. Paul Maeyaert is also recommended.

Bird & Bird LLP’s Jean-Christophe Troussel covers a broad range of patent, trade mark and domain name disputes; whilst Bruno Vandermeulen focuses on high-profile patent litigation. The team won a patent infringement case in Antwerp for INDSPEC, turning on the issue of bad faith infringement, and also actied for Facebook on brand defence issues. The team also secured urgent interim relief when faced with immediate client concerns; Sanofi-Aventis is one such beneficiary. Benoît Van Asbroeck is also recommended.

NautaDutilh is recognised for work including patent infringement advice, oppositions, cancellations, and court actions; plus it delivers ‘commercially relevant advice’. Tanguy de Haan and Philippe Péters have a ‘depth of knowledge of IP matters which they are able to condense into clear-cut advice’; Florence Verhoestraete’s ‘expert advice’ is also recommended. The team also has ‘sound legal knowledge in trade mark and design cases’. Clients include Global Sports Media, Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, Lego and Nestlé.

The IP practice at Simont Braun is strong on brand defence and copyright protection, having acted previously for copyright society Sabam regarding alleged breaches of copyright. It also has good trade mark and patent infringement insights, including in cross-border litigation and product oppositions/cancellations. Litigation is handled to Supreme Court level and in the EU courts. Eric de Gryse and Fernand de Visscher are recommended as ‘very good’ for ‘dedicated speciality work’. Additional clients include Spa Monopole and Sony. Benoît Michaux joined Hoyng Monegier LLP.

Baker & McKenzie has a good IP practice; it currently represents Nokia, Abbott, Esprit, Accenture and 2010 Premier League champions Chelsea FC in opposition, cancellation and revocation procedures before the Benelux and European Trade Mark Office, and as country representative in anti-counterfeiting matters. The team also represents Van Ratingen in a fierce dispute over trade marks in the deep fat fryer market in Belgium. Koen De Winter is praised for having a ‘very hands on approach, quick reactions and in-depth knowledge in the IP area’. Pierre Sculier is also recommended, being ‘extremely skilled’.

Covington & Burling LLP’s EU-influenced IP practice borrows deeply from its enviable following amongst large multinationals and trade associations. Alain Strowel’s skills as a copyright lawyer extend to patent, trade mark and industrial design queries; he is a recognised IP litigator, also for public policy work, and assistance for individual clients such as BSA, HP and Microsoft. Strowel acted on several borderline trade mark cases (used by third parties in relation to completely different products) for Harley Davidson. Mainstream litigation saw him upholding Funmobile’s IP rights in the Belgian courts.

Crowell & Moring present ‘an excellent resource and counsel’ to their IP clients. Flip Petillion and Jan-Diederik Lindemans are ‘real specialists, who study our situation a lot, and listen attentively’. Kristof Roox has ‘good knowledge of the pharma industry; he is well connected’. The team’s complex hi-tech patent litigation practice, for a variety of pharmaceutical companies, extends to asserting the IP rights in various molecules (ropivacaine, salmeterol and clopidogrel). 2010 saw the addition of counsel Bart Lieben, known for his IP work in the IT field, especially on domain names, plus two associates. Clients include Sandoz and Filoform.

Howrey LLP’s work included a cross-border patent infringement case for DSM in defending a patent infringement claim by Novozymes; whilst pharmaceutical work includes work for UCB on premature generic versions of key products. The practice fought a case before the Belgian Supreme Court on patent infringement by Novartis for client GSK. However, Carl De Meyer Benoît Strowel, Fabienne Brison and Steven Cattoor announced the formation of the Brussels office of Hoyng Monegier LLP. Maarten Meulenbelt, whose work spans IP and antitrust, remains with the firm; Patricia Cappuyns earlier joined Olswang.

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s varied client base advises on both soft and hard IP law issues. Clients include publishers, US trade mark holders, and multinationals. Mireille Buydens is recommended for ‘capable of quickly grasping the context’; clients say that ‘deadlines are always met’.

Linklaters operates a combined IP/TMT practice; clients hail Tanguy Van Overstraeten’s leadership in mixed IP/M&A transactions, where he leads clients ‘through difficult negotiations, thanks to his invaluable experience’. The team’s IP component, helmed by counsel Pieter Van Den Broecke impresses ‘with its solution-driven spirit and creative approach’. It assisted Tate & Lyle on a patent infringement case.

Marx, Van Ranst, Vermeersch & Partners’ team largely offer advice to media industry clients, particularly in music and the arts, with the focus on brand/image defence work. Copyrights, trade marks and IP litigation are all handled. With a four-partner team, chief contacts Peter Marx and Herman Croux have a particular niche in defending suppliers and distributors of trademarked goods against allegations of counterfeiting by third parties, and in defending copyrights with respect to Italian designer goods.

Stibbe’s team is headed by Ignace Vernimme (‘clearly an expert’) and supported by partner Brigitte Dauwe (‘highly recommended’); the team is praised for its advice to SME’s in a Flemish government sponsored scheme on securing IP rights. Vernimme’s breadth of IP interests spans the recycling industry, with strategic legal advice to Recmix and Recoval, and handling patent infringement claims for Sumitomo.

CMS DeBacker’s Tom Heremans and Veerle Raus are recommended figures, with particular strengths in tradebmark and copyright law, especially in ambush marketing and counterfeiting cases, including those in relation to the recent World Cup. It acted for a leading paper towel manufacturer on whether refills of other brands of paper, dispensed from the manufacturer’s dispensers, can count as a trade mark infringement.

Clifford Chance’s EU-centred IP advice included assisting Fujitsu in relation to copyright, levies and digital rights management, cyber-security, software patents and open source. It also advised Panasonic on IP policy issues in relation to a multinational trade agreement.

DLA Piper’s practice head Alois Puts’s team numbers eight lawyers, covering a range of industries. He has steered several “saisie-contrefaçon” proceedings against various food companies, seeking judicial relief for patent infringement of a spreadable product for a bakery client. The team also assists leading trainer manufacturers with anti-counterfeiting proceedings.

Working with Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Stijn Debaene ‘is a pleasure, as he translates very complex technology into language understandable by all’; enhanced by the arrival of Thierry van Innis who is ‘very experienced and an excellent litigator’. The team has a developing expertise in emerging biotechnologies and new pharmaceuticals, dealing with patent trolls, and tax deductions for patent income.

IP Porta’s Karen Ongena, formerly of Ambos NBGO, is recognised for her work on licence agreements and IP property rights; clients say she is ‘very capable’, able to find a ‘compromise between theoretical and practical approaches’, and ‘gives notice on potential risks’. She ‘knows how to approach SME’s on IP questions’, being part of a regionally-sponsored IP rights extension programme in Flanders. Clients include Sotheby’s. Laurence Hubert made partner.

Laga’s Jürgen Egger is recommended for ‘conceptual thinking’ and providing ‘professional advice in a very short time’. Clients include a manufacturer of innovative aluminum solutions, who it advised on patent protection. Trade mark protection and product labelling advice is also offered.

Loyens & Loeff is recommended for ‘great flexibility’ in litigation, contracting and licensing in trade mark and patent matters, but also on international IP transactions. Yves van Couter’s team gives ‘down-to-earth, pragmatic solutions’. Clients include Carrefour and Thermagine.

Lydian’s Annick Mottet Haugaard is recommended for ‘good industry knowledge and value for money’. She represents numerous trade mark owners, particularly from the watch and luxury industries, in counterfeiting actions across Belgium, as well as significant patent work for CooperSurgical.

Van Bael & Bellis has excellent experience defending the pharmaceutical manufacturers of innovative products in patent claims in fighting off illegal imports from Eastern European countries. It also assists pay-TV providers against illegal exploitation of their rights by “card-sharing” pirates. Peter L’Ecluse is the main contact.