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 two times in a row the “Opposition Procedure Firm of the Year” at LMG Life Sciences EMEA Awards in 2022 and 2023. We were awarded Patent Attorney Firm of the Year in Belgium' at the Global IP Awards in 2023, “Belgian Prosecution Firm of the Year 2023” at the Managing IP Awards and the ‘Best IP Firms for Patent Prosecution” category Leading by Leaders League in 2023.
“De Clercq & Partners is a first-rate practice that operates at the very top of European patent prosecution and truly deserves its excellent reputation. Its strong team of attorneys bring a diverse set of technical and legal expertise, and are highly valued for their availability, diligence and commitment.” The firm has many talented prosecutors on board who each come highly recommended by patrons and peers alike: “Caroline Hennin delivers a great service and has strong expertise. She understands the importance of communication and keeps patrons well informed throughout the patenting process.” The “excellent European patent prosecution attorney” Sakina Bounaga has recently teamed up with Vanhalst to represent Cosucra Groupe Warcoing in ongoing opposition proceedings against medical device company Abbott Laboratories.”
IAM Patent 100 2023
“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.”
Managing IP STARS Reviews 2023
Key Contacts
Sakina Bounaga, PhD
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
Pieter Gregoir, DPhil
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra, PhD
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.
Sakina Bounaga
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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
"An excellent European patent prosecution attorney, known for her comprehensive understanding of international IP laws and strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Pieter Gregoir
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Pieter Gregoir studied Chemistry at Ghent University. In 2009, he received a Master’s degree after finishing a thesis in the field of biomimetic chemistry. Pieter left Ghent and went to do a DPhil at Pembroke College and the University of Oxford. There he joined the Chemical Biology department and studied multivalent binding events on a single molecular level. µ
As a model system, he looked at the interaction between lectins and a chemically modified ion channel. His DPhil was funded by a Marie Curie Scholarship, which allowed him to perform his research in an international network of universities. He was awarded his DPhil title in 2021.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Pieter started working in private practice in January 2014. Since June 2016 he is part of the team at De Clercq & Partners. Pieter qualified as a Belgian patent attorney in 2017 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, he 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, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- 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
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Pieter is a member of AIPPI.
Languages
Pieter is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Pieter has knowledge and expertise in various fiels of technology including chemistry and more specifically chemical biology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, biomimetic chemistry, separation sciences, industrial chemistry, biophysics, (bio)statistics, textiles, coatings, pharmaceutical chemistry, and catalysis.
ir. Caroline Hennin
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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
“Delivers great service and strong expertise, keeping patrons well-informed throughout the patenting process.” - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
ir. Kris Pappaert
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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
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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.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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
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European Patent Attorney
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.
Verónica Rojas de la Parra
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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.
Jacek Kepa
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jacek Kepa obtained a Master's degree in Bioelectronics and Nanotechnology from the University of Hasselt, Belgium, and Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Jacek performed experimental research at the Laboratory for Semiconductor Physics and as such, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with IMEC Leuven, Belgium.
He joined De Clercq & Partners in September 2015 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019. In 2023, Jacek 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).
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- 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
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Jacek is a native Dutch and Polish speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Jacek has scientific experience in various fields related to semiconductor materials and devices – such as, photovoltaics, transistors (MOSFET), optoelectronics, medical devices and biosensors, magnetic and electronic characterization (of defects). His technical areas of expertise include physics, electronics and electrical engineering, ICT, computer-implemented inventions (software/AI), chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing, nanotechnology and analytical instrumentation.
Filip Van Lysebetten
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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.