JUVE Comment

Vereenigde Octrooibureaux is not only the largest patent filing firm in the Netherlands, it also litigates with a high number of patent attorneys. Like most of its competitors, the firm is involved in mobile communication and pharmaceutical disputes. Currently, the firm represents Assia in a dispute over DSL technology and Eli Lilly concerning the cancer drug pemetrexed. The patent attorneys work beside external lawyers here. Vereenigde Octrooibureaux also enjoys a strong reputation for litigation concerning mechanical patents and boasts two of the leading individuals in the Dutch market here, Bernard Ledeboer and Leo Jessen. Only De Vries & Metman can currently rival the firm’s technical breadth. However, the latter has a higher profile in mobile communication and pharmaceutical disputes.

Strengths

Patent litigation conducted by patent attorneys regarding mechanical engineering and pharmaceuticals. Patent prosecution across a broad spectrum of technology.

European strategy

Vereenigde Octrooibureaux has an unusually international setup. Like Arnold & Siedsma and NLO, the firm has Belgian offices in Leuven and Liège. It also has an office in Munich. With a further office in Regensburg, including two German patent attorneys, the firm advises the highly active biotech scene in Bavaria.

Recommended individuals

Marco Box (“great to work with in telecommunication disputes”, competitor; digital communication and computer technology, electronics), Bernard Ledeboer (mechanics, process and mechanical engineering), Leo Jessen (“always performs excellently in the courtroom”, competitor; mechanics, process and mechanical engineering), Otto Oudshoorn (“specialist for SPC litigation”, competitor; pharma and biotechnology, chemistry), Jetze Beeksma (“very good in pharmaceuticals, definitely a younger patent attorney to have an eye on in the future”, competitor; pharma and biotechnology)

Team

38 patent attorneys

Specialties

Full service in IP with a strong focus on patents. Patent prosecution across a broad spectrum of technology. Litigation together with law firms.

Clients

Litigation: Assia (claimant) against KPN and Nokia over DSL technology; Eli Lilly (claimant) against Fresenius Kabi concerning cancer treatment drug pemetrexed; Tomra (claimant) against Kiremko in infringement and revocation cases over steam peeling technology; V.G. Colours (defendant) against HE Licenties over technology for artificial colouring of orchids; manufacturer of packaging machines for pharmaceuticals in a dispute with competitor. Patent filing and oppositions: Comcast Cable Communications, Prolynx, Dynamic Logic. Patent filing: Dow Global Technologies, DSM, Hitachi, Koninklijke Douwe Egberts, Neopost Technologies, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Solaredge, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (all public knowledge).