JUVE Comment

The departure of partner Arvid van Oorschot has not diminished the visibility of this well-regarded Amsterdam-based patent litigation team. Instead, it has allowed the team around the two remaining partners, Otto Swens and Ricardo Dijkstra, to position itself more efficiently in the declining market for Dutch patent litigation. The increasing use of AI tools also helped the team to strengthen its offering. With this the firm remains highly visible in national pharma cases for key clients like Teva and Boehringer Ingelheim. Sandoz is another key client the team frequently represents in Dutch cases.

Contrary to market speculation when the UPC launched, the patent practice has seen a stable number of national cases. Outside the pharma field the representation of Capsul’In Pro over biodegradable coffee capsules is another highlight that shows the team is not limited to the life sciences sector. Over the past 18 months, the team has also significantly increased its UPC workload, securing instructions from clients such as Eppen Biotech, HyGear, Schippers and Mammoet. These cases concern biotech but also electronics and transportation technologies.

Vondst continues to rely on its independence, operating through informal cooperations with other European boutiques. This positions Vondst as one of the few remaining truly independent litigation teams in the Dutch market. It is therefore a go-to partner for independent law firms from Europe or the US seeking cooperation in Dutch proceedings. For instance, Vondst recently worked with German firms like Arnold & Ruess, Eisenführ Speiser and Maiwald in cross-border cases.

Strengths

Patent litigation regarding pharmaceutical drugs for generic drug manufacturers.

Recommended individuals

Ricardo Dijkstra (“diligent and knowledgeable litigator especially in mechanics”, competitor), Tjeerd Overdijk,Otto Swens (“very competent in pharma disputes but also other technical fields”, competitor)

Team

7 lawyers

Partner moves

Arvid van Oorschot (to own firm)

Clients

Litigation: Teva against Bayer over anticoagulent rivaroxaban/Xarelto; Teva against Novartis over anti-tumour drug evorolimus/Afinitor; Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica against the Dutch Patent Office regarding an SPC for the veterinary medicinal product containing ciclesonide; Capsul’In Pro against Ox Barrier over biodegradable coffee capsules; Impextraco against Dutch Patent Office regarding patentability of a method for increasing selenium deposition in animal tissue; Graafstra against Van Dijke over bulb sorting machines; frequent litigation for Sandoz.