Life Sciences
We are well known for providing specialist IP advice in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, diagnostics, medical devices, bioinformatics, digital health and plant protection. Our award-winning team in life sciences is led by practitioners who have been at the forefront of the sector for decades, acting in landmark cases before the EPO and the national courts of Europe. The team consists of experienced patent attorneys, litigators, SPC experts and trademark attorneys supported by technical and high-level paralegal assistants.
A combination of PhD degrees at leading universities, academic experience and hands-on experience within industry-leading companies, academic research, and extensive patent expertise, characterizes our life sciences team patent attorneys and enables them to solve even the most challenging problems.
In the field of life sciences, the EPO has imposed several additional limitations on patentability of inventions such as new medical uses of known compounds, stem cell technology inventions, gene sequence inventions, new dosage regimens, diagnostic and surgical methods, plant and animal breeding methods and bred plants and animals.
In the development of inventions either for pharmaceutical, food, feed or other applications, the issue of scope of the claims 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.
In life sciences, the claim scope which is found allowable by the EPO based on a model system is often a critical issue and the commercial product is often not yet fully envisaged at the time the invention is made. To optimize the scope of patent protection, it is necessary to consider all aspects of the invention and carefully consider the patent drafting strategy in view of the availability of data.
Our high level of expertise in the different specific fields of life sciences ensures that these issues are taken into account at 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 biotechnology. We advise our clients on the acceptable scope of biotechnological 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 biotechnology.
Our prominence in biotechnological patenting is also reflected by the long-standing 20 year appointment of our founding partner Dr. Ann De Clercq until summer 2023 as chair of the European Patent Professionals Institute (epi) Committee on Biotechnology. Currently our partner Dr. Koen Vanhalst represents Belgium in the epi Biotech Committee and our partner Dr. Andrej Michalik is a member for Belgium of the EPPC committee of epi. Dr. Ann De Clercq is currently Deputy Secretary and BE council member for epi.
Protection of inventions in the plant-related sector can be sought through the breeder’s rights system (plant variety rights) or through patent protection of e.g. transgenic or gene- edited plants. Both Dr. Liesbet Paemen and Dr. Ann De Clercq started their academic careers in the transgenic plant field. Liesbet further worked at transgenic plant pioneer Plant Genetics Systems prior to becoming a patent attorney. Their team has been completed with Dr. ir. Caroline Hennin, who headed the IP department at Cropdesign (now BASF Plant Science), Dr. Annelies De Clercq who got a PhD at the Department of Plant Biotechnology of the VIB and Dr. Ann Viaene who headed the IP Department of Devgen (later Syngenta). We are also a member of CIOPORA.
Dr. Ann De Clercq and Dr. Koen Vanhalst were previous EPO examiners in Life Sciences field and Dr. Ann De Clercq headed the patent department of Innogenetics in the human healthcare Biotech filed.
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 such Supplementary protection certificates.
Our life sciences 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, expectations and IP strategy.
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.” Founding partner Ann De Clercq is at the forefront and earns rave reviews from the market: “Ann is a pioneer of intellectual property in Belgium and has a thorough knowledge of the sector, along with a great understanding of the scientific aspects. She is insightful, efficient, responsive and dispenses legal advice according to the needs and objectives of her clients’ business. She always complies with deadlines, collaborates effectively with in-house teams and leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners.” 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.” “Liesbet Paemen is an excellent practitioner who is friendly, flexible, fast and seemingly available around the clock. She understands the needs and concerns of an emerging biotechnology company very well, and carefully considers business aspects, such as the budget limitations young companies usually experience. Liesbet can be relied on for a very high-quality work product and in-depth advice.” “Excellent expert Andrej Michalík is a highly proficient filer who brings clarity, in-depth knowledge and outside-of-the-box thinking to his practice.” “Jeffrey Gyi is flexible, intelligent, reliable and extremely helpful. He goes deep into the details and is quick to grasp the technical aspects in order to draft accurate and high-quality patent applications that guarantee a positive outcome. Jeffrey has a total understanding of client needs and works hard to meet these through clear strategies and well-structured communication.” “The very talented Koen Vanhalst is calm and pragmatic, with a very sound knowledge of patent law and a great understanding of litigation strategies.” 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
Ann De Clercq, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Koen Vanhalst, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Liesbet Paemen, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Andrej Michalík, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Caroline Hennin, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Kris Pappaert, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. David Lesthaeghe, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Annelies De Clercq, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Delphine Debruyne, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
ir. Hans Goesaert, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Sarah Thysen, PhD
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.
Ann De Clercq
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Ann De Clercq holds a Licentiate in Biology (Zoology) and PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium at the Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Plant Molecular Biology (under supervision of Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Joel Vandekerckhove) carried out in collaboration with Plant Genetic Systems (PGS). After her PhD she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. She afterwards headed the Patent Department of Innogenetics NV, (Belgium) a biotech company active in human healthcare. She is a qualified Belgian (2000) and European Patent Attorney (1995). In 2023, Ann successfully 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).
End 1998, she founded Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA and as from 2001 De Clercq & Partners CVBA.
Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) singled out Ann every year as Leading IP Star from 2017 to 2023. Moreover she was listed in MIP's Top 250 Women in IP for the last six years and was named as Global Leader repeatedly in the last six editions of the IAM Patent 1000 Guide.
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 Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- 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
- IP litigation experience in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Japan
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as an European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Ann was elected Deputy Secretary General of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi), BE epi Litigation Committee member and epi council member for Belgium for the term 2023-2026.
Ann is further a board member of the Flanders national and Chamber of Commerce East Flanders (VOKA), a member of LES and AIPPI and a member of the AIPPI Standing Committees Patents and Biotech International. Ann has lectured on several IP related topics.
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English and fluent in French and German.
Competences
Ann has extensive patent practice experience in all fields of biotechnology and related life sciences as well as mechanical engineering inventions. For instance, Ann has worked in the fields of biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. She has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant, microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, protein chemistry, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, diagnostic assays, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, pharmaceuticals, genome editing, food processing, medical kits, veterinary products and others.
What they say about Ann
"A pioneer of IP with a thorough knowledge of the sector, Ann leads an extremely strong group at De Clercq & Partners." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Koen Vanhalst
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European Patent Litigator
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Koen Vanhalst holds a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Molecular Cell Biology Unit under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy of the Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2007, Koen worked for 4 years as an Examiner in the European Patent Office (The Hague Branch), where he was involved in both Search and Substantive Examination of patent applications in the field of Biotechnology in general and Medical Diagnostics in particular.
He qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2009 and qualified as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2011. In 2017, Koen became partner to the firm. In 2023, he successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano and has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Koen was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 since 2018 and was named Global Leader in IAM Strategy 300 in 2023. In 2019, Koen was an MIP rising star and since 2020, he is also named as MIP notable.
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
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Validations of European patents in Belgium as a qualified Belgian Patent Attorney
- Filing and prosecuting SPC’s in Belgium and advising on SPC’s in general
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- 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
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Koen is a member of the Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and of the Belgian Council for Intellectual Property. He is also a Board member of AIPPI Belgium and a member of the Standing Committee Biotech of AIPPI International.
He was elected as BE member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) Biotech committee for the term 2023-2026 and in 2021 as Vice-President of the Council of the Institute of Belgian Patent Attorneys, where he is helping to start up the Institute.
Since 2015, Koen is a guest professor at Ghent University where he lectures Intellectual Property to Master students in (Plant Biotechnology).
Languages
Koen is a native Dutch speaker. He is also very fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Koen is active in all areas of life sciences including for example: biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, genome editing, pharmaceutical formulations, medical technologies, bioinformatics, agricultural, food and nutritional technologies, green energy, clean-tech, and water-, soil- and waste treatment.
What they say about Koen
"Calm, pragmatic with a sound knowledge of patent law and litigation strategies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Contact
Liesbet Paemen
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Partner
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Liesbet Paemen holds a PhD in Animal Biology from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She has several years of postdoctoral experience at the Department of Neuroimmunology at the State University of New York and at the Department of Molecular Immunology of the REGA Institute (University of Leuven, Belgium).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Liesbet worked as a patent counsel in the Intellectual Property Department of Bayer Cropscience NV and headed the biotech IP department in the firm Bird Goën & Co.
In 2010 Liesbet became a partner to the firm and she is heading the Leuven Branch of De Clercq & Partners. She is a qualified European Patent Attorney. In 2023, Liesbet successfully 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).
Liesbet was repeatedly praised in the IAM Patent 1000 and was named Global Leader for the last six years for her skills both as a Patent Attorney and as teacher.
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
- Acting as an independent expert for the Belgian courts in descriptive seizure proceedings
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Liesbet often lectures on several IP related topics at conferences and is a lecturer at the University of Leuven, the University of Antwerp and the CEIPI course (ie.net in Antwerp). She is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Languages
She is a native Dutch speaker and English speaker, is fluent in French, and has knowledge of German and Spanish.
Competences
Liesbet has experience in handling intellectual property issues in different fields including medical devices, biomedical, agricultural and industrial biotechnology, plant molecular biology, modified plants and animals, biologics, cellular therapy, genome editing, screening systems and diagnostic methods, and renewable energy.
What they say about Liesbet
"Liesbet is friendly, flexible and provides high-quality work with in-depth advice for emerging biotech companies." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Andrej Michalík
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
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Partner
Andrej holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as well as a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (Flemish Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
He joined De Clercq & Partners in 2004 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2008. In 2017, Andrej became partner to the firm. Two years later in 2019, he succesfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe, a course coordinated by CEIPI at the University of Strasbourg. Andrej has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
IAM Patent 1000 recommends Andrej for his skills as a patent attorney.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Andrej is a full member of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC) of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi). Furthermore, he is a member of LES and AIPPI.
Andrej has often lectured at conferences on several IP related topics and he is also a lecturer at the CEIPI courses (ie.net in Antwerp) and the Advanced Master in Biotech and MedTech Ventures of Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and the BioBusiness Accelerator Programme of HELIS Academy for patent attorney trainees.
Languages
He is a native speaker of Slovak, is very fluent in English, fluent in Dutch and Czech, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals and chemistry. He has particular knowledge and expertise in the area of recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, proteomics, peptides, glycoproteins, biomarkers, genome editing, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, vaccines, organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, food processing and personal care products.
What they say about Andrej
“Andrej brings clarity, knowledge, and outside-the-box thinking to his practice." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
Jeffrey (Jeff) Gyi
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Jeff has a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, UK, and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biophysics in medicinal chemistry) from the University of Manchester, UK. He gained postdoctoral experience in biophysical molecular modelling, systems and programming from the MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
Jeff joined De Clercq & Partners in 2002 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2010. Jeff successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. He has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Jeff was named MIP Rising Star in Intellectual Property in 2019 and is since years recommended in the IAM Patent 1000 directory of legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners for his work in mechanical, engineering, software and chemistry industries. Since 2020, Jeff is named as MIP notable practitioner.
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, arbitration, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- IP due diligence and advice on licenses and IP acquisitions
- Litigation advice
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General strategic and legal advice in IP matters
Jeff regularly lectures on aspects of intellectual property, and has written several published articles. He is a member of LES and AIPPI .
Languages
Jeff is a native English speaker, with a working knowledge of Dutch, French and German.
Competences
Jeff has scientific experience in various technologies covering mechanical engineering, software and chemistry fields. Application areas include medical and hospital technologies, software, machine learning, wearables, packaging, metrological equipment, compositions, wireless connected devices, and general mechanical devices. Clients are drawn from many sectors including engineering, healthcare/hospitals, chemistry, consumer goods and products, diagnostics, transport, and electronics.
What they say about Jeff
“Jeff is flexible, intelligent, reliable and drafts accurate and high-quality patent applications." - IAM Patent 1000 (2023)
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.
Annelies De Clercq
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European Patent Litigator
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European Patent Attorney
Annelies De Clercq holds a Master of Biochemistry and a PhD in Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Inzé (University of Ghent, Belgium, Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2010, Annelies worked for almost three years as a postdoctoral researcher in Molecular and Cellular Biology focusing on cancer immunotherapy under Prof. Dr. Aristides Eliopoulos (Medical School, University of Crete, Greece).
In July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Diploma on Patent Litigation in Europe from the University of Strasbourg (France), qualified as a European Patent Litigator, and registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Acting as an expert in litigation before Belgian civil courts or parties in intellectual property matters
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Acting as a European Patent Litigator before the Unified Patent Court (UPC)
Languages
Annelies is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and Greek, and a basic knowledge of German.
Competences
Annelies has knowledge and expertise in various fields of technology including life sciences and chemistry and more specifically biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology and chemical engineering including technical fields such as genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, biomarker-based diagnostic methods and tools, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, personal care compositions, proteomics, small molecules, peptides, glycoproteins, vaccines, and polymer films.
ir. Sven Bogaerts
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European Patent Attorney
Sven Bogaerts holds a Master degree in Bioscience Engineering (Crop Protection) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, a Postgraduate in Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, at the Department for Molecular Biomedical Research under Prof. Dr. F. Van Roy (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, VIB).
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners in 2008, Sven worked for four years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology at VIB, under Dr. Jean-Christophe Marine.
Sven qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2013.
Areas of practice
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition, and before the Boards of Appeal
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Tailored 'Patent Landscape' studies for detailed reviews of R&D trends, technology scouting or strategic portfolio alignment
- IP due diligence
- Litigation before Belgian civil courts in intellectual property matters
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Sven is also a guest lecturer with the Bio-engineering students at Ghent University.
Languages
Sven is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
Competences
Sven has a scientific experience in various fields of chemical, engineering and biological technologies, including food science, pharmacology, and life science – in particular biotechnology, biochemistry, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant molecular biology, genetically modified plants and animals, gene editing, genetics, and microarrays; as well as agricultural and environmental sciences – in particular crop protection and pest control.
ir. Delphine Debruyne
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European Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Delphine Debruyne holds a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Cell and Gene Biotechnology and holds a PhD in Medical Sciences both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD was obtained at the laboratory of Experimental Cancer Research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Marc Bracke.
Delphine joined De Clercq & Partners in 2010, and in July 2014, she qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Delphine successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano. She has been registered as a representative before the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Drafting and prosecution of national patent applications
- Oppositions and appeal proceedings before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Oral proceedings before the EPO in examination and opposition and before the Boards of Appeal
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- IP due diligence
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- General and strategic advice in IP matters
Languages
Delphine is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French, Spanish and German.
Competences
Delphine has general scientific knowledge and expertise in life sciences related fields and, more specifically, in biotechnology, including antibody technology, gene therapy and metabolic engineering, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, (molecular) pharmacology, nutraceuticals, food technology, plant protection and diagnostic methods and tools, but also in environmental sciences such as waste treatment and valorisation.
ir. Hans Goesaert
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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.
Ann Viaene
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European Patent Attorney
Ann Viaene holds a Master in Biology (Zoology) from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and a PhD in Sciences (Biotechnology) from the University of Leuven. She combined her research on oesophageal cancer with a position as University Assistant, teaching students at the faculty of Medicine (KUL, Kortrijk branch), Histology. After her PhD she worked in a postdoc position (FWO) at the Laboratory for Thrombosis Research (KUL, Kortrijk branch). During her academic period, she gained broad experience in Life Sciences.
Ann’s career in Intellectual Property started in 1999 in the start-up of Ann De Clercq & Co BVBA afterwards named De Clercq & Partners, where she qualified in 2003 as a European Patent Attorney. In 2004 she moved to industry where she headed the IP Department of Devgen, a spin-off of the University of Ghent and the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), active in Molecular Genetics and Agriculture, and she participated in Devgen’s successful IPO in 2005. After the acquisition of Asian seed companies, she became Head of IP for all Devgen affiliates worldwide, also managing the PVP and trademark portfolios for all seed products in the Asian production and export countries. In R&D, she coordinated within a multicultural team the regulatory and stewardship activities for deregulation of transgenic rice.
In 2012, Ann was part of the Due Diligence team that resulted in the acquisition of Devgen by Syngenta, one of the top 5 Agribusinesses worldwide. In Syngenta, she was responsible for the RNAi patent portfolio and she was the IP Business Partner for Rice Globally. In September 2015, Ann re-joined De Clercq & Partners.
Areas of practice
- Strategic drafting and prosecution of European, PCT and national patent applications worldwide
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advice and compliance with Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD)
- Contract review, negotiation, drafting and advising in IP matters in major transactions and R&D collaborations, and in- and out- licensing
- IP portfolio management, advice and strategy, including managing IP budgets
- IP due diligence during mergers and acquisitions, and integration or carve-out of intellectual property
- Strategic advice related to patents and other intellectual property matters such as trademarks, plant variety protection and trade secrets, for companies involved in discovery, acquisition, developing and commercialization of innovations and products
- In-house support of IP services during replacement or during short or longer leave of Patent Attorneys, IP officers or Legal Officers in R&D transactions
Languages
Ann is a native Dutch speaker and is very fluent in English, fluent in French with working knowledge of German.
Competences
Ann has scientific and patent experience in various fields of biotechnology and related life sciences with working knowledge of chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Ann has worked in the field of nucleic acid-based technologies (RNA interference, enabling technologies, …), biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based screening assays, biomarkers, veterinary products, recombinant microorganisms, genetically modified plants, plant breeding, agrochemicals and pest control.
She further has experience in trademarks, plant variety protection strategies, trade secrets and other related IP tools as well as in legal aspects of intellectual property as in R&D collaborations and licencing. Ann has extended exposure at interacting with and advising business executives as well as scientists active within business’s company.
Sarah Thysen
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European Patent Attorney
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Belgian Patent Attorney
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European Patent Litigator
Sarah Thysen holds a Master's degree and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven, Belgium. She performed the research for her Master's thesis during a 6-month stay at Tsinghua University, China, and for her PhD thesis at the Skeletal Biology and Engineering research center, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Sarah worked for one year as a scientific collaborator at the same research center.
She joined De Clercq & Partners in October 2015. Sarah obtained a Master's degree in Intellectual Property Rights and ICT law at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 2016 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2019 and as a Belgian Patent Attorney in 2021. In 2023, she successfully obtained the Certificate on Patent Litigation in Europe from Politecnico di Milano, 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, 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian patents
- IP due diligence
- 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)
Languages
Sarah is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Sarah has scientific experience in various fields of life sciences, including biotechnology, biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology – in particular, recombinant gene techniques, genetically modified plants and animals, regenerative cell therapy, in vitro cell-based assays, signal transduction cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, diagnostics including nucleic acid- and protein-based diagnostic and screening assays, immune cell therapy, pharmaceuticals, small molecules, peptides, dietary supplements and personal care compositions.
Giel Vandemoortele
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European Patent Attorney
Giel Vandemoortele obtained a Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in immunology and infection in 2013 at Ghent University, Belgium. His Master's thesis was centered on characterizing protease substrate specificity and was conducted under supervision of Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert (VIB-Ghent University). Subsequently, Giel obtained a PhD at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sven Eyckerman and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert. Entitled ‘Towards a genome engineering toolbox for proteomics’, the aim of the thesis was to explore the opportunities recent advances in the genome engineering field (i.e. CRISPR/Cas9) entail for mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein-protein interactions at endogenous expression levels.
Giel joined De Clercq & Partners in 2019 and qualified as a European Patent Attorney in 2022 and successfully passed the exam for Belgian Patent Attorney in 2023.
His areas of practice include
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of Belgian patent applications
- 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
- Legal IP advice on Belgian Patents
- IP due diligence
- Patent literature searching and analysis
- Portfolio management, advice and strategy
- Validations of European patents in Belgium
- 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
Languages
Giel is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French.
Competences
Giel obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as molecular biology and biochemistry - especially in discovery proteomics, targeted proteomics, precise gene editing in mammalian cell lines using different techniques, proximity-labeling technologies, immunology and cell biology in general.
Katty Josson
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Patent Adviser
Katty Josson holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, under Prof. Van Montagu and Prof. Zabeau and worked as a research scientist at Plant Genetics Systems (Bayer CropScience). She worked in the laboratory of Molecular Biology under Prof. W. Fiers and at the School of Medicine, Ghent State University, Laboratory of Endocrinology under Prof. Vermeulen. She also has several years of postdoctoral experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University, New York, USA. For more than six years, she was a senior scientist at the Biochemical Pharmacology Department of the Janssen Research Foundation (Janssen Pharmaceutica), Beerse, Belgium.
Katty joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser in 2000.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third party observations before the EPO
- Providing opinions regarding to patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
Languages
Katty is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and French, and has a working knowledge of German.
Competences
Katty has general scientific experience in various fields of technology including molecular biology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, genetics, cellular and molecular immunology, microbiology, cell biology, virology, bio-informatics, physiology, protein chemistry, biochemistry, high throughput screening, agricultural sciences, pharmacology, life sciences and animal behavior.
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.
Anne-lore Bex
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Patent Adviser
Anne-lore Bex obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Science, with a major in clinical molecular science at The University of Hasselt and Maastricht. She went abroad for her Master’s degree to study epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in early esophageal tumourigenesis at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, she continued her scientific career in Cambridge, where she studied the behaviour of epithelial stem cells in the esophagus upon injury. Next, she challenged herself to study epithelial-immune cell cross-talk in pancreatic cancer at the Technical University of Munich.
Prior to joining De Clercq & Partners, Anne-lore started working in private practice in February 2020. In April 2023, she joined De Clercq & Partners as a Patent Adviser.
Areas of practice
- Drafting and prosecution of national, European and PCT patent applications
- Advising for oppositions and third-party observations before the EPO
- Opinions regarding patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Patent literature searching and analysis
Languages
Anne-lore is a native Dutch speaker, is very fluent in English and has a working knowledge of German and French.
Competences
Anne-lore obtained scientific experience in several life science fields such as biotechnology, immunology and molecular and cellular biology - especially in cell lineage tracing, recombinant gene technology, precise gene editing tools, genetically modified animals, regenerative cell therapy, oncogenic therapy, signalling cascades, proteomics, biomarkers, mechanics, agricultural machinery, medical devices, biogas plants, organic waste systems, and construction systems.