Bird & Bird‘s IP team has a strong presence in national and cross-border patent litigation, representing clients from highly regulated industries such as automotive, aviation and defence, technology and communications, and life sciences. Amsterdam-based partner Wouter Pors, who is on the standing committee on patents of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, has niche expertise in representing clients in the biotech sector, involving monoclonal antibodies. Hague-based partner Armand Killan advises major tech and telecoms companies in high-profile cross-border mandates as coordinating European lead counsel. Marc van Wijngaarden represents leading pharmaceutical companies, while Tjibbe Douma, ‘a first-rate analyst and litigator’, advises private equity companies and venture capital tech companies on patent strategies. The ‘technically excellent’ Peter Van Gemert is a key counsel, bringing expertise in procedural law to patent litigation cases. Having joined from DLA Piper in November 2021, Marijn van der Wal works on cross-border infringement proceedings for clients in the life sciences and electronics sectors.

With major strengths in coordinating parallel European and global patent litigation, Brinkhof regularly assists market-leading clients in the pharmaceuticals, biotech, food and electronics sectors in high-profile and precedent-setting proceedings. The six full-time patent litigation partners are often the first port of call for large cases. Members of the European patent lawyers association Richard Ebbink and Mark Van Gardingen head a growing and specialised team. Koen Bijvank and Daan De Lange act for clients in specialist areas, with the former experienced in life sciences and the latter in micro-electronics. Promoted to partner in January 2021, Jan Pot is part of a select few lawyers in Netherlands who specialise in Supreme Court appeal proceedings. Fellow promoted partner Rien Broekstra focuses on the electronics sector. The team is completed by in-house patent attorneys working alongside the partners. With the introduction of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), the firm has expanded its global network, combining forces with German patent powerhouse Vossius & Partner to increase its scope of pan-European patent litigation.

BarentsKrans‘ regularly handles biotech and pharmaceutical patent cases; the practice is led by Jaap Bremer, an expert in the technology and life sciences industries. The team also represents clients in the agriculture, telecoms, mechanical engineering and food sectors, working in addition on non-contentious mandates such as cross-border licenses and joint development agreements. Marleen van den Horst left the firm in February 2023 to go to La Gro Geelkerken Advocaten.

Supreme Court patent litigation for major telecoms and pharmaceutical companies concerning patent validity and infringements is a niche specialism of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek. Tobias Cohen Jehoram leads the practice, advising and litigating for national and international companies in the technology, chemicals, electricals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Jehoram not only acts for clients before all national courts but also before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). Senior associate Bertrand ter Woort works on high-profile life sciences matters and regularly advises on IP-heavy M&A transactions as well as complex R&D collaborations. Carlos Van Staveren is the lead associate in Supreme Court patent proceedings, while recently promoted counsel Roos van der Poel is sought out by clients for transactional IP advice. Since research concluded, Gertjan Kuipers left the firm.

Under the leadership of Bert Oosting and Ruud van der Velden, the patents practice at Hogan Lovells International LLP is sought by pharmaceutical companies and med-tech companies for representation in multiple infringement disputes and European patent enforcement. Van der Velden assists technology clients in obtaining cross-border patent infringement injunctions. Counsel Rik Zagers has expertise in technology-related patent disputes, and recently promoted counsel Dirk-Jan Ridderinkhof is experienced in multi-jurisdictional patent and trade secret matters in the energy and telecoms sectors. Patent litigator Gertjan Kuipers was a new arrival in April 2023 from De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.

Experienced patent litigator Rogier de Vrey leads the IP practice at CMS. De Vrey has expertise in media and sports as well as life sciences matters. Willem Hoorneman and attorney-at-law Marcoline van der Dussen are key contacts, with the latter an expert in the field of consumer goods and soft IP mandates. Yasar Celebi is a key associate. The team defends food suppliers in infringement and invalidity proceedings and works on applications for patent protection against counterfeiting. Additionally, the practice advises engineering and transport-sector companies on patent disputes.

DLA Piper‘s versatile patent practice is led by Paul Reeskamp, an experienced IP litigator, and Alexander Tsoutsanis, a specialist in contentious matters involving aspects of technology and innovations in sectors ranging from robotics, audio products and biotech. Tsoutsanis also represents global companies in the mechanical engineering and plant variety industries. Combining the global network of DLA offices with a specialist Dutch team, including key associates Willemijn Rensen and Erwin Feenstra, the practice is able to work on both global patent disputes and non-contentious patent portfolio work, namely licensing and restructuring.

Thijs van Aerde and Fleur Tuinzing-Westerhuis are influential leaders of Houthoff’s patent team. Van Aerde is an experienced Supreme Court litigator, who represents a variety of clients in precedent-setting patent proceedings, including in summary relief and merit proceedings. Tuinzing-Westerhuis has extensive experience in litigation relating to national and community plant variety rights and is sought out by international clients in the agri-food sector as well as the pharmaceuticals, chemical manufacturing and technology industries for advice on patent infringement.

With specialist IP teams across the Benelux region, NautaDutilh leverages its integrated practice to work on cross-border patent disputes and is sought out by top foreign law firms as co-counsel. Heading the Dutch IP team and co-heading the life sciences practice, Anne Marie Verschuur represents national and international corporations from a range of industries, such as life sciences, technology and consumer goods in IP transactions, infringement cases and patent restoration proceedings. Counsel Charles Gielen is an experienced IP litigator, while Jeroen Boelens focuses on litigation and regulatory mandates for IT-oriented companies, spanning biotech, pharmaceuticals and telecoms. Senior associate Lisolette Bekke deals with both contentious and non-contentious IP matters for clients active in the fashion and luxury, consumer goods and food and beverages sectors.

Boutique IP specialist Vondst Advocaten N.V represents clients in the pharmaceuticals, biotech and IT sectors in patent litigation. Co-founder Otto Swens is a key contact for life sciences companies and represents clients in plant variety right disputes. Ricardo Dijkstra is a name to note for mechanical engineering and telecoms companies, while Arvid Van Oorschot acts for technology companies in cross-border patent disputes.