Intellectual Property

Kennedy Van der Laan represents high-profile clients active in a range of sectors, especially in the advanced technologies, life sciences, fashion and media industries. Maarten Schut is a key name for technology and innovative life sciences companies for trade mark and trade secret issues, while Alfred Meijboom is recognised for his intersecting IP and IT work, and also advises sports-sector clients and handles arbitration cases involving art. Joran Spauwen assists emerging companies and foreign clients with investments in innovative technologies, requiring licensing and IP transactions. Counsel Sophie Van Loon is a specialist in collective rights management issues and in copyright law, and senior associate Reindert Van Der Zaal leads on brand protection, anti-counterfeiting and trade mark infringement mandates for sports, luxury and fashion brands.

Practice heads: Alfred Meijboom; Maarten Schut; Joran Spauwen

Leading Individuals

Maarten Schut

Rising Stars

Reindert van der Zaal

Testimonials

• ‘KVDL lawyers are true legal and judicial experts who have the added advantage of being very pragmatic. They deliver effective, business-oriented advice and strategies and are smart experts before Courts and offices.’
• ‘Technically excellent with first-rate client service and a focus on the commercial imperatives.’
• ‘Maarten Schut is rightly highly rated in relation to brand protection and enforcement, as is Reindert van der Zaal. On the commercial side, Martine de Koning is superb.’
• ‘Alfred Meijboom brings superb legal analysis and works with commercial and tactical acumen.’
• ‘Maarten Schut and Sophie van Loon are both very easy to deal with and efficient in the conduct of matters.’
• ‘The individuals I work with are Reindert van der Zaal, Joran Spauwen and Jens van den Brink. All very specialised, pragmatic and always deliver on time.’
• ‘The firm has a good team for IP matters. They are approachable and provide a good service.’

Kennedy Van der Laan often assists clients with the negotiation of intellectual property licences. The law firm also handles a number of contentious matters, including representing clients in trade mark infringement and invalidity proceedings, as well as advising on trade secrets litigation and copyright disputes. The team has experience in anti-counterfeiting mandates and regulatory compliance obligations.

One commentator reports that the lawyers are "super responsive and good value."

Maarten Schut often advises clients on IP licensing as part of R&D agreements. He also represents clients in trade secrets and trade mark litigation. "Maarten Schut has the ability to understand the technical questions well."

Kennedy Van der Laan often assists clients with the negotiation of intellectual property licences. The law firm also handles a number of contentious matters, including representing clients in trade mark infringement and invalidity proceedings, as well as advising on trade secrets litigation and copyright disputes. The team has experience in anti-counterfeiting mandates and regulatory compliance obligations.

"The team at Kennedy Van der Laan is very strong, pragmatic, reactive and knowledgeable."

"The lawyers do an outstanding job and provide clear advice."

Maarten Schut often advises clients on IP licensing as part of R&D agreements. He also represents clients in trade secrets and trade mark litigation. "Maarten Schut is a very knowledgeable lawyer and pleasant to contact."

Kennedy Van der Laan advised VodafoneZiggo on trade mark infringement litigation against O2.

Kennedy Van der Laan represents high-profile clients active in a range of sectors, especially in the advanced technologies, life sciences, fashion and media industries. Maarten Schut is a key name for technology and innovative life sciences companies for trade mark and trade secret issues, while Alfred Meijboom is recognised for his intersecting IP and IT work, and also advises sports-sector clients and handles arbitration cases involving art. Joran Spauwen assists emerging companies and foreign clients with investments in innovative technologies, requiring licensing and IP transactions. Counsel Sophie Van Loon is a specialist in collective rights management issues and in copyright law, and senior associate Reindert Van Der Zaal leads on brand protection, anti-counterfeiting and trade mark infringement mandates for sports, luxury and fashion brands.

Practice heads: Alfred Meijboom; Maarten Schut; Joran Spauwen

Leading Individuals

Maarten Schut

Rising Stars

Reindert van der Zaal

Testimonials

• ‘KVDL lawyers are true legal and judicial experts who have the added advantage of being very pragmatic. They deliver effective, business-oriented advice and strategies and are smart experts before Courts and offices.’
• ‘Technically excellent with first-rate client service and a focus on the commercial imperatives.’
• ‘Maarten Schut is rightly highly rated in relation to brand protection and enforcement, as is Reindert van der Zaal. On the commercial side, Martine de Koning is superb.’
• ‘Alfred Meijboom brings superb legal analysis and works with commercial and tactical acumen.’
• ‘Maarten Schut and Sophie van Loon are both very easy to deal with and efficient in the conduct of matters.’
• ‘The individuals I work with are Reindert van der Zaal, Joran Spauwen and Jens van den Brink. All very specialised, pragmatic and always deliver on time.’
• ‘The firm has a good team for IP matters. They are approachable and provide a good service.’

Kennedy Van der Laan often assists clients with the negotiation of intellectual property licences. The law firm also handles a number of contentious matters, including representing clients in trade mark infringement and invalidity proceedings, as well as advising on trade secrets litigation and copyright disputes. The team has experience in anti-counterfeiting mandates and regulatory compliance obligations.

One commentator reports that the lawyers are "super responsive and good value."

Maarten Schut often advises clients on IP licensing as part of R&D agreements. He also represents clients in trade secrets and trade mark litigation. "Maarten Schut has the ability to understand the technical questions well."

Kennedy Van der Laan often assists clients with the negotiation of intellectual property licences. The law firm also handles a number of contentious matters, including representing clients in trade mark infringement and invalidity proceedings, as well as advising on trade secrets litigation and copyright disputes. The team has experience in anti-counterfeiting mandates and regulatory compliance obligations.

"The lawyers are super responsive and good value."

Maarten Schut often advises clients on IP licensing as part of R&D agreements. He also represents clients in trade secrets and trade mark litigation. "Maarten Schut has the ability to understand the technical questions well."

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.

Practice head(s): Alfred Meijboom; Maarten Schut

Other key lawyers: Reindert van der Zaal; Sophie van Loon; Gaya Schultz; Joran Spauwen

Leading Individuals

Maarten Schut

Rising Stars

Reindert van der Zaal

Testimonials

• 'KVDL lawyers are true legal and judicial experts who have the added advantage of being very pragmatic. They deliver effective, business-oriented advice and strategies and are perfectly adapted to their interlocutors: concise and pragmatic for operational clients, and legal smart experts before Courts and offices.’
• ‘Alfred Meijboom is a smart and experienced lawyer, capable of handling complex multi-jurisdictional intellectual property cases. Gaya Schultz, who assists Alfred on cases, is very well versed in trademark law and office practices.’
• ‘Marteen Schut is a proven expert in anti-counterfeiting and trademark protection, with extensive experience in the fashion and retail sectors. Reindert van der Zaal, in Maarten’s team, is also excellent in this field.’

An interviewee reports that Maarten Schut is "easy to talk to and easy to work with." Maarten Schut often advises clients on IP licensing as part of R&D agreements. He also represents clients in trade secrets and trade mark litigation.

Kennedy Van der Laan often assists clients with the negotiation of intellectual property licences. The law firm also handles a number of contentious matters, including representing clients in trade mark infringement and invalidity proceedings, as well as advising on trade secrets litigation and misleading advertising disputes. The team has experience in anti-counterfeiting mandates and compliance with copyright directives.

A market source highlights the firm's "really good commercial approach" and "forward-thinking attitude."

An interviewee reports that Maarten Schut is "easy to talk to and easy to work with." Maarten Schut often advises clients on IP licensing as part of R&D agreements. He also represents clients in trade secrets and trade mark litigation.

"For three decades, Kennedy Van der Laan has maintained its position as “an outstanding partner for IP matters”. It draws judiciously on talents from across its comprehensive range of practice areas to pool together resources and coordinate decisive strategies that ensure favourable long-term results for brand owners. Since adding prosecution to its offering, the outfit has received a flood of instructions on the non-contentious side; but dispute resolution remains its strongest suit. Founding partner, division lead and “excellent all-round IP lawyer” Alfred Meijboom acquits himself with distinction when domain name issues arise; while “highly experienced trademark litigator” Maarten Schut is “brilliant in court”. Together they have built a robust anti-counterfeiting practice, assisting fashion designers and retailers such as Converse with their infringement battles across Europe."