Jacek Kepa, PhD

Jacek holds a Doctorate in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, specializing in semiconductor interfaces. He also earned a Master’s degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

Jacek joined De Clercq & Partners in 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In addition, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Academy of European Law of Trier and Maastricht University and is registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).

Areas of practice

• Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
• Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
• Representing clients in Oppositions and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
• Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, Opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
• General and strategic advice in IP matters
• Opinions on patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of IP rights
• Patent literature searching and analysis
• Patent Landscape studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
• IP due diligence, including patent portfolio evaluation and strategic recommendations.
• Representing clients before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) as a European Patent Litigator

Languages

Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, very fluent in English, and has working knowledge of French, German, and Italian.

Competences

Jacek is passionate about patents related to computer-implemented inventions, specifically software and machine learning applications, and advises clients ranging from high-growth startups and spin-offs to innovative SMEs and multinational corporations. His technical expertise also extends to various electronics-related domains, including medical technology (such as surgical tools), semiconductor technology (chip design and fabrication), energy technologies (battery storage, power generation, and distribution), robotics and other advanced electronic applications.