Chemistry
From pharmaceutical compositions, small molecules, catalysts, petrochemicals, agrochemicals, polymers, process engineering, energy, materials, consumer products, household products to anything in the world of foods and beverages, food supplements to animal feed, the attorneys in our chemistry team are specialists with knowledge that covers a variety of chemical technologies, enabling a seamless service in conjunction with the firm’s other teams at the interfaces with engineering and life sciences.
A combination of PhD degrees at leading universities, academic experience and hands-on experience within industry-leading companies, academic research, and extensive patent expertise, equips our chemistry team patent attorneys with the tools to solve even the most challenging problems. We have a long-standing working relationship with a great number of big players in the chemistry and food sector, as well as with smaller SME’s and research institutes and universities. From bakery products and processes to beer brewing technologies to lipids and oils, you can benefit from our experience in this specialized technology field. Our team is also skilled to help clients specialized in plant-based food alternatives.
Our patent attorneys and advisers working in this field have extensive experience in the protection of inventions in the field of organic, inorganic, physical and solid state chemistry, metallurgy and materials science, coatings, paints, and process engineering. Our patent attorneys also have considerable experience in filing and prosecuting applications relating to pharmacy, food and feed chemistry, as well as polymer chemistry.
In the development of inventions either for chemical applications, the issue of scope of the claim is often of major importance for the value of the patent and at the same time an issue of debate within the national patent offices. It is important to draft patent applications which contain the necessary basis to ensure appropriate protection.
Our high level of expertise in the different specific fields of chemistry ensures that these issues are considered the first moment that the invention is considered in order to properly draft priority documents.
We have an extensive team of patent attorneys and advisers who have an in-depth experience
in the field of chemistry. We advise our clients on the acceptable scope of chemical claims and the best strategy for protection within the present legal frameworks. Our patent attorneys and advisers rendering services in this field all have strong scientific backgrounds and are closely involved in monitoring the evolution of the case law in chemistry.
Our prominence in chemistry and EPO patenting is also reflected by our partner Dr. Andrej Michalik who is a member for Belgium of the EPPC (European Patent Practice) committee of epi. Dr. De Clercq is currently Deputy Secretary and BE council member for epi.
Our team of (Belgian) Patent Attorneys has extensive experience in protecting and defending the extension of the term of patents via Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) before the national patent offices. Patents pertaining to a particular medical or plant protection product can be extended by a period of not more than five years through Supplementary protection certificates.
Our chemistry team consists of some reputed patent attorneys with extensive experience of EPO opposition and appeal procedure work. The emphasis is on staying at the forefront of legal developments, actively seeking feedback and engaging in debate during team meetings to develop innovative strategies for drafting, prosecution, and litigation. The goal is to maintain a reputation for providing reliable, thoughtful, and relevant advice to clients.
Furthermore, we place importance on building strong relationships with clients. This is achieved by fostering trust through open communication and consistently delivering actions that align with the clients' needs and expectations.
Additionally, we take a comprehensive approach to intellectual property (IP) matters. Patent specialists collaborate closely with the trademark and transactions teams to provide clients with a complete IP service, addressing various aspects of intellectual property protection and management.
Overall, the focus is on delivering high-quality legal services while prioritizing client relationships and staying up to date with the latest developments in the legal field.
Our team won three times in a row the “Opposition Procedure Firm of the Year” at LMG Life Sciences EMEA Awards in 2022, 2023 and 2024. We were awarded Patent Attorney Firm of the Year in Belgium' at the Global IP Awards in 2024, “Belgian Prosecution Firm of the Year 2024” at the Managing IP Awards and the ‘Best IP Firms for Patent Prosecution” category Leading by Leaders League in 2024.
“With a strong track record in providing “diligence, availability and commitment”, it is no wonder that De Clercq & Partners is heralded as the “go-to law firm for patent prosecution work in Europe”. The outfit is treasured across the continent for its “consistent provision of useful strategic advice”. Making an excellent debut, Lieve Coenegrachts is a “real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution”. She is renowned among clientele for her “thorough knowledge when working on the patentability assessments of inventions, writing patent applications and defining future patent strategies”. The “grande dame” of the biotech sector, Ann De Clercq is celebrated as a “tour de force" on the Belgian IP scene. A “good listener”, with an “affable and approachable nature”, she is a “natural at coming up with smart and pragmatic solutions”. Clients “appreciate her professionalism, clear communication and excellent follow up” in all aspects of her work. The “very dedicated and professional” Jeffrey Gyi and Liesbet Paemen are applauded for their “highly competent, efficient, excellent service and advice” and unique ability to unravel the most complex inventions”. Sakina Bounaga and Caroline Hennin are striking litigators who bring invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; they are making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry. Andrej Michalík and Koen Vanhalst are highly innovative attorneys, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology.”
IAM Patent 100 2024
“De Clercq & Partners is one of the leading Belgian firms for patent protection and portfolio management work, particularly in the fields of biotechnology and chemistry. The firm has several experienced European patent attorneys such as Ann De Clercq, Sakina Bounaga, and Liesbet Paemen. The firm is also recommended for trade mark work. Joost Muylle is the key contact for trade mark instructions.”
Managing IP STARS Reviews 2024
Key Contacts
Andrej Michalík, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Andrej Michalík, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry including organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
"A highly innovative attorney, having amassed an impressive array of experience dealing with cutting-edge biotechnology cases in the areas of regenerative therapy, genome editing, vaccines, green energy and molecular biology." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Sakina Bounaga holds a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Huddersfield, UK. She has a Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry of Biomolecules from the University of Montpellier, France, and holds a Master in Plant Chemistry and Biology from the University of Perpignan, France.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sakina was a Senior Scientist and Project Leader at Cropdesign N.V., a leading Belgian biotech company.
Sakina joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2006. She became a partner in 2010. In 2023, Sakina succesfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Sakina has been praised repeatedly in the IAM Patent 1000 as an extraordinarily skilled Patent Attorney in Chemistry.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European, and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
She often lectures at conferences and is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
Sakina is a native French speaker, is fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Dutch and German.
Competences
Sakina has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material sciences, as well as mechanical engineering inventions, and in particular in organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, pharmaceutical chemistry, agrochemistry, food processing, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
What they say about Sakina
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Contact
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
Caroline Hennin holds a Master degree in Bio-Engineering Sciences (Agronomy - option Crop protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and obtained a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Agricultural Sciences – Biotechnology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Crop Protection under Prof. Dr. ir. Monica Höfte, and in collaboration with Aventis CropScience (Bayer CropScience).
Caroline joined De Clercq & Partners in 2001 and qualified as European Patent Attorney in 2008 and as Belgian Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Caroline successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2010 she joined the IP department of CropDesign NV, an Affiliate of BASF Plant Science, as Senior Patent Counsel, and became head of the IP Department of CropDesign in 2011.
Caroline re-joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in July 2016.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting Belgian patent applications as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing, and prosecuting national patent applications worldwide
- Opposition and Appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition, and appeal proceedings
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Providing legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Advising on protection strategies and portfolio management of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Advising on licensing and infringement matters; providing support in contract negotiations
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Caroline is a member of LES Benelux and is also a member of the Committee of International Cooperation of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
Caroline is a native Dutch and French speaker, is very fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Caroline has scientific and patent experience in various fields of life sciences, chemistry, and engineering sciences; including (plant) biotechnology, crop protection, phytopathology, (agro)chemicals and biologicals, enabling technologies, molecular biology, feed and food technology, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, polymer chemistry, catalyst technology, and chemical and process engineering.
What they say about Caroline
"A striking litigator who brings invaluable academic prowess and specialist knowledge of science and technology to secure patrons’ business needs; she's making great strides where intellectual property meets organic, polymer and pharmaceutical chemistry." - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Kris Pappaert holds a Master of Science in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Transport Modelling and Analytical Separation Science group, Department Chemical Engineering), under Prof. Dr. ir. Gert Desmet.
After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, Kris joined the team of De Clercq & Partners in 2007. In 2011, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Kris successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Maastricht. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
In 2019, Kris was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property and has since 2020 been named as MIP notable practitioner.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and filing of European and PCT patent applications
- Worldwide prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecuting oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Expert before the Belgian court in IP proceedings (including descriptive seizure proceedings)
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Since 2014, Kris is a guest lecturer on Intellectual Property at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) where he introduces Intellectual Property matters to students in Master of Science in Bio-Engineering Sciences.
Languages
Kris is a native Dutch speaker, is fluent in English and French, and has knowledge of Spanish and German.
Competences
Kris has a general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including life sciences, chemistry, food technology and engineering and, more specifically, application in biotechnology, pharmacology, analytical (bio)chemistry, diagnostic and prognostic methods and tools, medical devices and micro- and nanotechnology but also chemical engineering and processing, catalyst technology, mechanical engineering and construction.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
David Lesthaeghe holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a PhD in Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium. He performed his research at the Center for Molecular Modeling (CMM), in collaboration with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, David worked for three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department, which included a research stay at the Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, Université Lille 1, France. He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2010.
David qualified as a European Patent Attorney in July 2014. In 2017, he qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney, and was registered as a qualified representative before the French Patent Office (INPI). In 2023, he successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe at the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
From 2020 to 2023, David was named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Managing IP (MIP).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- IP due diligence
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination, opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice, and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
David regularly lectures on various aspects of intellectual property. He is a member of LES and AIPPI. David is also a member of the Education Committee and is chairperson of the PR Committee of the newly founded Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys.
Languages
David is a native Dutch and English speaker, and is very fluent in French.
Competences
David has scientific experience in various fields of chemistry, physics, material science, computer science, and engineering; and is specialised in multidisciplinary inventions that span several fields of science and technology.
More specifically, he is mainly active in fields such as mechanical devices, medical devices, machinery, automotive, electronic devices, photonics, physical chemistry, petrochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, nanomaterials, computer-implemented inventions, software, artificial intelligence, mathematics, and others.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Hans Goesaert holds a Master of Science degree in Bio-engineering Sciences and a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences. He performed his PhD research at the Food & Microbial Technology research group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, under supervision of Prof. Dr. ir. Jan Delcour, and continued his (applied) scientific research for 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the same department.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in August 2015, he worked for almost 7 years in the IP and patent domain, as an IP officer at the Technology Transfer Office of the Catholic University of Leuven, and as a patent counsel in private practice.
In 2015, he qualified as a European Patent Attorney. As of January 2015, Hans is a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney as well.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition before the Boards of Appeal
- IP due diligence
- Acting as an expert for the Belgian courts or parties in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Hans is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Hans is a native Dutch speaker and is fluent in English and French.
Competences
Hans has general scientific and working experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, food technology and engineering and life sciences, such as applications in biotechnology and (bio)chemistry, chemical engineering and processing and catalyst technology, but also material science, analytical and pharmacological (bio)chemistry, and mechanical engineering.
Lieve Coenegrachts, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Lieve Coenegrachts holds a Master degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven. During her PhD she performed research on several bone diseases in the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Prof. Geert Carmeliet. Lieve has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology (University of Leuven) in collaboration with the industry.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2021, Lieve worked for 6 years as a Patent Agent in private practice. Since 2018, she is a qualified European Patent Attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Lieve is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English. She also has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Lieve has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences and biotechnology, including molecular biology, cell therapy, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, physiology, pharmaceuticals, personal care compositions, cell-based assays, biomarkers, diagnostic methods, and medical devices.
What they say about Lieve:
“A real benefit, bringing sound experience in patent drafting and particularly relevant strategic advice in terms of patent prosecution.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Verónica Rojas de la Parra holds a Bachelor degree in Chemistry Pharmacy-Biology and a Master degree in Medicinal Chemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico; and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Lund University, Sweden, at the Bioorganic Chemistry Department, under Prof. Dr. Olov Sterner.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Verónica worked for four years as a Medicinal Chemist and IP manager for reMYND, a Flemish biotech company that specializes in research for disease-modifying treatments against protein misfolding disorders.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in November 2012 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2017. Verónica successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Verónica is a native Spanish speaker, is very fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Dutch and Swedish and a basic knowledge of French.
Competences
Verónica has a scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry and life sciences, in particular organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, computational chemistry, cell biology, biochemistry and biotechnology.
Filip Van Lysebetten, PhD
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Patent Adviser
Filip Van Lysebetten studied at Ghent University and majored in Chemistry. He received his Master's degree in 2019 after successfully completing a thesis in the field of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry. He continued his scientific career in Ghent with an FWO-funded PhD project, inspired by themes such as sustainability, polymer processing, and chemical reactivity. More specifically, he aimed to reprocess thermoset materials with applications in adhesives and composites under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Filip Du Prez and Prof. Dr. Johan Winne. This work resulted in several publications in prestigious journals as well as two patent applications.
After defending his PhD, Filip joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in February 2023.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Filip is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Filip has scientific experience in various fields of technology including chemistry, life sciences, material science and engineering with a particular focus on organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, small molecules, reactor engineering and pharmaceutical chemistry.
More specific topics include homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, enzymes and biomimetics, cosmetics, adhesives and formulation chemistry for structural and medical applications, fiber-reinforced materials, petrochemistry, nanomaterials, analytical chemistry, packaging, recycling and green technologies, bio-based monomers and polymers, polymer processing, and food technology.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literatu