JUVE Comment

The Dutch CMS branch had previously maintained a low profile in patent litigation, being recognised primarily as a general IP practice. However, it has been significantly strengthened by the arrival of a four-strong team of lawyers from NautaDutilh. The team is led by Jeroen Boelens, who joined as a partner in late 2025. Featured in JUVE Patent’s Ones to Watch in 2023, he brings broad patent litigation experience with a focus on pharmaceutical disputes. The team brought some work from its previous firm – including for clients such as NX Filtration – but now draws primarily on a steady stream of instructions from the extensive CMS network. In the highly competitive pharmaceutical sector, it is currently litigating for clients such as MSN Laboratories and Vivantes concerning Parkinson’s drug Xadago, and advising a Japanese manufacturer on market exclusivity for two of its drugs.

The team’s move represents a strategic step for the international firm, filling an important gap in its European network. The Dutch team is now better positioned to handle litigation for the firm’s international client base, including at the UPC. A team led by Boelens and Rogier de Vrey is already advising ABB in the sole Dutch UPC case concerning electrical installation boxes. However, since last year, the bar has been raised for the Dutch patent practice and its international partner teams at CMS. To challenge the market leaders in UPC litigation, the CMS firms have recently invested significantly in their pan-European patent litigation practice by hiring experienced partners in Amsterdam, Düsseldorf and Munich.

Strengths

Patent litigation regarding life sciences patents.

Recommended individuals

Jeroen Boelens

Team

9 lawyers

Partner moves

Jeroen Boelens (from Nauta Dutihl)

Clients

Litigation: Kiremko against Tomra over potato processing technology; MSN Laboratories and Vivantes against Newron over parkinson drug safinamide/Xadago; Sanovo Technology against Moba over machine-learning systems for automated egg classification; Rail2435 against We-Boost Tenders and KamPa over sensor technology for rail infastructure monitoring; FineLine Technologies and Ferm RFID Solutions against Avery Dennison over RFID chip technology for the automotive industry; NX Filtration against Teijin over membrane filtration technology.