Joost Muylle

Joost Muylle holds a Master's degree in chemical and biotechnology engineering from the University of Ghent (Howest, 1986) with additional training in intellectual property (EPI CEIPI, 1990 - University of Leuven, 1993) and management (Vlerick Leuven Ghent Management School, 2008). He started his professional career at the Vandemoortele Group, first as a patent expert, subsequently in charge of intellectual property rights and finally as a member of the strategic committee on product and market development.

Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Joost joined the intellectual property private practice in 1999 as Director of Gevers & Partners in Brussels, opened its branch office in Ghent and was appointed Managing Director in 2003. He was Operational Director at Novagraaf in Paris from 2010 to 2011 and founded iprmanager in December 2011, an electronic platform enabling intellectual property holders and their counselors to monitor and manage their intellectual property rights themselves. In 2012, Joost was appointed consular judge in the Court of Commerce.

In October 2013, Joost became Partner at De Clercq & Partners through the merger of De Clercq & Partners and iprmanager. Joost is now heading the firm's trademark, design, domain names and copyright activities.

Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Joost as Leading IP Star for the last six years and the renowned World Trademark Review (WTR) lists him as a recommended individual as well.

Areas of practice

Joost advises small, medium and large corporations as well as individuals, institutes and investors with regard to prosecution and litigation in all areas of intellectual property worldwide. He has extensive expertise in trademark and design prosecution, including formal proceedings before the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property and the Office for the Harmonization in the Internal Mark, in anti-counterfeiting through customs measures and in IP due diligence. Joost often acts as a court appointed or party appointed expert in IP matters in litigation.

Joost often lectures on several IP related topics, at conferences and universities. He is a member of BMM, LES and AIPPI.

Languages

Joost is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French and has working knowledge of German.

Competences

Joost has scientific experience in various fields of technology, including biochemistry and food technology, in legal aspects of intellectual property, particularly trademarks and designs, and in product and service development in various areas of intellectual property.

What they say about Joost

"One of the very best trademark attorneys in Belgium. He has a wealth of experience and is always in search of commercially minded, pragmatic solutions.” - World Trademark Review 2024