Marleen van den Horst joins LGGA to develop patent practice in The Hague

On 1 February 2023, Marleen van den Horst moved from her long-held role as head of patent litigation at BarentsKrans to become a partner at another full-service firm, La Gro Geelkerken Advocaten (LGGA). After 33 years at BarentsKrans, 27 of which she spent as partner, van den Horst is looking to develop LGGA’s patent litigation offering during a period of change for the European patent market.

Marleen van den Horst

Wealth of expertise

Joining BarentsKrans in 1989, van den Horst initially worked in the firm’s M&A, accountancy and bank liability departments, before founding its IP practice in 1994. The firm elevated her to partner in 1996, a position she held until earlier this year. Although van den Horst is predominantly known for her work in life sciences and pharmaceutical patent cases, she also has experience in other sectors.

For example, she recently worked on a case involving mechanical patents, in which she defended the client against enforcement of a Dutch patent. She also worked on a recently settled telecommunication case, and is bringing a telecommunication client with her to LGGA.

On the life sciences side, biopharmaceutical client Amgen will move with van den Horst to her new firm. She is also currently working on cases for Stada and Spanish company Insud, which are at the appeal stage.

Speaking to JUVE Patent, Marleen van den Horst says, “I spent 33 excellent years at BarentsKrans, but I am excited by the chance to develop the patent litigation team at LGGA – a firm with a nice spirit and an enthusiastic patent practice. With the firm looking to establish itself in the Dutch patent market, I am keen to share my past experiences in helping achieve this. With the upcoming UPC and the new LGGA office in The Hague, we are well-positioned to achieve strong results for clients in the pharmaceutical and telecommunication sectors.”

LGGA builds up practice

Van den Horst joins another small team at LGGA, becoming the second patent-specialist partner alongside Benjamin Niemeijer, who founded the firm’s IP department. LGGA’s patent team also has three associates, although it is also looking to cement its capacities before the UPC begins.

Niemeijer says, “Marleen joining the Intellectual Property & Technology team of LGGA is of great strategic value. Her in-depth knowledge and expertise in patent law fits into our ambition to become a major player in patent litigation and services a wider range of clients in the healthcare & life sciences sector.”

LGGA is the result of a 2018 merger between the La Gro law firm, and Leiden-based law firm Geelkerken & Linskens. Now that the firm has fully integrated its services, it is now focusing on raising its visibility in the Dutch and European market. This includes investing in its IP practice, with the hire of Marleen van den Horst a strategic move to strengthen the firm’s presence in patent matters. Furthermore, while the firm is currently spread across three locations, it will soon consolidate its entire presence in The Hague.

Like BarentsKrans, LGGA is a full-service firm with a propensity for life sciences client work. Recent cases include assisting a Dutch company in proceedings regarding a new patented technology to produce protein meat replacements, and work for another Dutch company in PI proceedings regarding patented technology in colouring orchids. LGGA is also assisting a biotech company, which aims to introduce a new gene therapy in the Netherlands.

BarentsKrans looks forward

For BarentsKrans, van den Horst’s departure leaves one patent-specialist partner in Jaap Bremer, as well as four associates. However, the full-service firm, which is also based in The Hague, is looking to rebuild and reinforce its patent capabilities. This is especially crucial for its pharmaceutical clients, for which the firm has a strong reputation at the Dutch patent courts. However, BarentsKrans also has an eye on attracting telecommunication clients who will litigate their patents at the UPC.

Speaking to JUVE Patent, Jaap Bremer says, “We wish Marleen all the best at her new firm. At BarentsKrans, we are keen to secure and further expand our reputation as a leading practice for patent litigation and we remain very busy for our clients, especially in life sciences.”

He continues, “To that end, BarentsKrans is actively recruiting for two lateral hires at the partner level, as well as looking to reinforce our associate numbers. Expanding our team now is especially important for us, given the impending UPC.”

Patent market on the move

Van den Horst’s move to LGGA is not the only recent high-profile move in the Netherlands, or even in Europe. Last week, Hogan Lovells’ patent litigation team in Amsterdam announced that patent lawyer Gertjan Kuipers will join the practice at the beginning of April.

His move comes after over 27 years at national full-service firm, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek. With Kuipers moving to Hogan Lovells almost exactly two months before the UPC is set to open its doors, the international firm is clearly strengthening its teams in key locations such as the Netherlands. After all, The Hague will host a local division of the court.

Furthermore, patent practices in France, the UK and Germany have been preparing their teams in light of the court’s imminent launch. JUVE Patent’s most recent long read, which explores how firms and individuals are gearing up to be at the forefront of the UPC, analyses these strategies in more detail.