Sophie van Loon

Copyright / Copyright collecting societies / Intellectual property / Neighbouring rights / IP litigation / Online content / Portrait right / Database rights / Trade secrets / Licensing / Domain name disputes.

Sophie advises clients on complex copyright issues, such as collective management of copyrights. She does a lot of work for online platforms and clients in the audio-visual media sector, and is an experienced litigator. In addition, Sophie is an expert in drafting and negotiating (licence) contracts, and has extensive knowledge in the field of CMO supervision and copyright contracts law. Music contracting is also a key expertise.

Sophie started her career in academia: she obtained a doctorate at Radboud University with a dissertation on the relationship between intellectual property and competition. She is an editor of the journal Auteursrecht (Copyright) and regularly publishes articles. She also gives courses in her field.

Sophie is a member of the Copyright Association (Vereniging voor Auteursrecht, VVA) and the Licensing Executives Society (LES).

The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Healthcare & Life Sciences - Ranked

Jointly led by healthcare expert Fenna van Dijk and life sciences specialist Maarten Schut, Kennedy Van der Laan's team handles the full breadth of mandates across the healthcare and life sciences segments. Combining a corporate background with a focus on healthcare, Van Dijk advises on market entry, licenses, clinical research, PPPs and drafting contracts with medical devices companies; she played a key role in the vaccine strategy concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. IP expert Schut advises multinational companies including Nutreco and Syngenta and not-for-profit institutions on conflicts relating to R&D and licensing. With the addition of Joran Spauwen, the practice has gained a specialist in IP-focused transactions in the advanced technologies sector, assisting healthcare service providers with medical devices regulation and negotiating contracts with AI suppliers. He also links the M&A practice to the healthcare and life sciences practice, focusing on innovative companies investing in the health tech industry. Counsel Sophie Van Loon specialises in contract drafting, advisory work and litigation within the life sciences field and associate Eline Lam focuses on corporate, healthcare and regulatory law.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Industry focus: Media and Entertainment - Tier 1

Known for its freedom of speech and internet-related media practice, Kennedy Van der Laan is sought out by Dutch news outlets, broadcasters and production companies for advice on defamation claims and pre-publication reviews. Team head Jens van den Brink represents national and international media companies in free speech, copyright and digital matters. Content and technology specialist Joran Spauwen counsels the firm’s internet platforms and ISP clients on IP and transactional mandates. Counsel in the IP and media practice Sophie Van Loon is a key contact for social media platforms. Associate Lotte Oranje regularly acts for clients in disputes concerning press publications and online content.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 - Intellectual property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights - Ranked

Kennedy Van der Laan continues to build on its key areas of specialism; technology, media/the internet and the fashion/luxury goods sectors. It has attracted an impressive number of new clients in these areas and its ‘success rate has been remarkable throughout the years‘ in respect of trade mark protection matters. Maarten Schut, who heads the group with Alfred Meijboom, has extensive trade marks expertise, particularly in the areas of life sciences and advanced technologies and is also a deputy judge at one of the four courts of appeal. Founding partner, Meijboom is known for his work where IP and IT interface and for ‘complex multi-jurisdictional‘ cases. Joran Spauwen became a partner in 2021 – his focus is on internet-based disputes and transactions and he is noted for his cyber security expertise. The ‘exceptional‘ senior associate Reindert Van Der Zaal's focus is brand protection and entertainment law. Sophie Van Loon and Gaya Schultz are other core team members.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2020 - Intellectual property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights

Kennedy Van der Laan's IP practice handles both contentious and non-contentious work in the areas of trade marks, copyright, designs, licensing, R&D, trade secrets and patents. The firm has a strong presence in the technology, media, and fashion and luxury sectors. Alfred Meijboom and Maarten Schut lead the department. Sophie van Loon specialises in copyright law. Also recommended are senior associates Reindert van der Zaal and Joran Spauwen.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2019 - Intellectual Property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights

The 'efficient, well-synced team' at Kennedy Van der Laan 'has excellent communication skills; the advice is pragmatic and it has broad experience in brand protection matters'. Alfred Meijboom and Maarten Schut head the department and offer broad expertise in IP, media, and related technology issues. Schut also coordinates the European brand protection work for Nike. Counsel Sophie van Loon has a focus on copyright law and advises international media and publishing clients, including on matters relating to collective rights management societies. The team's impressive client roster includes Ikea, Facebook, and Tommy Hilfiger. Highlight work includes continuous assistance to Converse in its fight against counterfeiting in several European countries and wins against Dutch distributors Van Caem and Goeiemode.

• Advising a listed company on a dispute with a collective management organization;
• Representing a TV production and distribution multinational in a dispute about a program format;
• Advising a streaming platform on copyright contracts law;
• Representing an international organization for audio-visual producers in a dispute about CMO management;
• Drafting customized contracts and advising on contract management for an international reputable architectural firm.