Bird & Bird is noted for its strength in both pharmaceutical and telecoms patent litigation, working closely with the firm’s teams in Germany to handle infringement and opposition proceedings, and is also well versed in handling standard essential patent (SEP) and FRAND disputes. The firm’s overall IP team is headed by Manon Rieger-Jansen, and includes Wouter Pors, whose patents practice encompasses both life sciences and electronics disputes, and Marc van Wijngaarden, who co-leads the firm’s life sciences team, handling cross-border disputes concerning drugs and medical devices. Tjibbe Douma handles a wide range of cross-border disputes for tech companies and private equity houses, while Peter van Gemert, who was made partner in May 2023, specialises in telecoms patent disputes. Carlos van Staveren‘s practice includes telecoms and life sciences patent matters, which he litigates up to the Dutch Supreme Court.

Brinkhof is frequently tasked with co-ordinating multi-jurisdictional patent disputes, overseeing parallel European and global litigation for clients in the pharmaceutical, electronics and tech and consumer goods sectors. Daan de Lange tackles SEP disputes for telecoms clients and FRAND matters. The team is headed by Richard Ebbink, who handles European Patent Office (EPO) opposition proceedings and parallel national disputes, and Mark van Gardingen, who specialises in pharmaceutical, chemical and biotech patents. Koen Bijvank appears before the courts and the EPO for chemicals and life sciences clients. Jan Pot, who heads the firm’s litigation team, handles appeal and opposition proceedings before the Dutch Supreme Court and EPO.

HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER‘s ‘talented, highly responsive, and very knowledgeable’ team handles complex instructions on behalf of life sciences, telecoms and electronics sector clients, with experience taking on multi-jurisdictional patent disputes and assisting with patent prosecutions and portfolio management. Leading the team is Bart van den Broek, whose practice is centred on tech patents and comprises both cross-border litigation and patent protection strategies, with co-founding partner Willem Hoyng acting for a range of domestic and international pharmaceutical and biotech clients. Theo Blomme maintains a broad practice that includes both tech and pharmaceutical patent disputes, with Peter van Schijndel specialising in biotech, pharmaceutical and medical devices matters. Simon Dack departed the firm in July 2023.

A&O Shearman takes on both contentious and transactional patent advice, with clients from the pharmaceutical, tech and telecoms sectors seeking the practice out for advice on SEP and FRAND matters, in addition to licensing and R&D agreements. Practice head Frits Gerritzen represents clients in both enforcement and validity proceedings, with extensive experience in medical equipment, pharmaceutical and antibodies patents in addition to providing assistance with licensing contracts. Marleen van Putten acts for tech clients in patent disputes, with further experience in assisting with M&A-related patent transfers, while Sophie van Asten supports both tech and life sciences clients in validity and infringement proceedings.

With a ‘stellar reputation for patent litigation', BarentsKrans is a good choice for contentious matters in the pharmaceuticals and life sciences industries, with further expertise in taking on disputes in the telecoms and high-tech sectors. ‘Exceptional patent lawyer’ Jaap Bremer leads the team, specialising in tech patent litigation and also advising on cooperation and distribution agreements. Jarieke Timmerman is also noted for her tech-focused patent litigation practice. The October 2023 arrival Marc Elshof from Dentons, who acts at the intersection of IP, data protection and tech law, further strengthened the practice.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek moved to strengthen its patent litigation practice with the July 2023 arrival from NautaDutilh of Anne Marie Verschuur, who focuses on tech-related patent infringement and invalidity proceedings. She leads the team alongside Tobias Cohen Jehoram, who appears for pharmaceutical sector clients in patent appeals before the Dutch Supreme Court, in addition to the EUIPO and ECJ. Roos van der Poel handles transactional IP matters, advising on licensing and cooperation agreements, as well as matters of competition and contract law. Bertrand ter Woort's practice encompasses both life sciences and tech-focused patent disputes.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's patents team is described by a client as ‘one of the best in the Netherlands’, working closely with colleagues in London and Düsseldorf to coordinate major pharmaceutical patent litigation across Europe. The practice acts for clients bringing and defending infringement claims, while also assisting with FRAND licensing and SEPs. The practice is headed by Rutger Kleemans, who frequently pleads cases before Dutch and European IP courts, and Jelle Drok, who handles tech-related patent disputes. Ruben Laddé works closely with both practice heads, focusing primarily on contentious tech and telecoms patents matters, while Allard van Duijn is building up a strong pharmaceutical patent disputes practice.

Hogan Lovells International LLP acts for pharmaceutical clients on cross-border patent infringement disputes in and outside of Europe, and also takes on FRAND defences. The practice is led by the ‘very bright’ Ruud van der Velden, who represents pharmaceutical and high-tech clients in patent and trade secret disputes, and ‘practical and thoughtful’ Gertjan Kuipers, whose broad practice spans telecoms, life sciences and mechanical patent disputes. Bert Oosting handles patent litigation before the Dutch courts and the EPO and is also sought out for advice on patent prosecution and enforcement.

Simmons & Simmons' patents team splits its focus between pharmaceutical and TMT matters, providing advice across the spectrum of patent issues, including on prosecution, licensing agreements and regulatory issues, in addition to acting for clients in infringement proceedings. Bas Berghuis van Woortman heads the practice, representing a number of major smartphone and pharmaceutical manufacturers in multi-jurisdictional disputes. Johan Renes specialises in the life sciences sector, advising medical device producers and companies developing a variety of drugs, with Oscar Lamme taking on cases at the intersection of TMT patents and competition law. Regulatory specialist Machteld Hiemstra joined from Pinsent Masons LLP in May 2023, focusing on supplementary protection certificate litigation.

With a focus on pharmaceutical disputes but also taking on telecoms and mechanical patent work, Taylor Wessing is instructed on cross-border matters, including advising on patent strategies, licensing and freedom-to-operate issues. The team is led by Wim Maas, who heads the firm’s Belenux-wide patents group and specialises in tech patents; life sciences and industrial design specialist Charlotte Garnitsch; and Eelco Bergsma, who litigates in the field of electronic and mechanical patents. David Mulder advises on matters at the intersection of patent and competition law.

CMS is particularly well versed in patent protection and litigation for tech, engineering and media-focused clients, working closely with the firm’s offices and practice groups around Europe to provide support on international patent disputes, in addition to handling the IP aspects of corporate transactions. Leading the team is seasoned WIPO arbitrator Rogier de Vrey, who advises life sciences, media and sports sector clients on cross-border patent infringement disputes and trade secrets matters. Yasar Çelebi focuses on tech and engineering-centric patent issues.

DLA Piper assists clients with the protection of patents in the tech, industrial and agricultural sectors, representing clients in the Dutch and European courts and advising on licensing agreements, tech transfers and the patent aspects of M&A deals. The practice is led by Paul Reeskamp, whose contentious patent expertise extends across the pharmaceutical, biotech and offshore industries, and the ‘practical and thorough’ Alexander Tsoutsanis, who supports tech and biotech clients with patent, trade secret and plant variety rights.

Houthoff‘s patents team, led by IP and IT specialist Thomas de Weerd, is noted for its position as a Supreme Court appeals specialist, with Thijs van Aerde frequently being instructed by clients and other law firms on a variety of disputes, notably those concerning generic drugs. The practice also advises clients in the life sciences and automotive sectors, and handles patent licensing matters in addition to its contentious work. Fleur Tuinzing-Westerhuis is an agritech patent expert, litigating cases concerning national and community plant variety rights.

Oxon IP is a boutique that focuses exclusively on post-grant patent oppositions and appeals, acting for clients in the pharmaceutical, household goods and chemicals industries before the EPO. Founder Leythem Wall, who is admitted in the UK in addition to before the EPO, advises a variety of US-based clients before the EPO, and is also qualified to plead cases at the UPC.