Belgium

Firm overview

In an innovative, knowledge-intensive market, the value of an organisation largely depends on IP rights. An effective patent, trademark or design strategy saves and can even make money. For strategic choices involving their IP portfolios, clients naturally wish to receive advice from different perspectives – and NLO provides comprehensive, tailor-made advice.

NLO Belgium consists of a Biotech team led by Caroline Pallard, a Pharma team led by Jaap Mannaerts and a multidisciplinary team of patent attorneys led by Ben Brigou.

Together our attorneys can advise clients in all traditional technical domains. Additionally, NLO Belgium is particularly well positioned to offer solutions relating to ‘smart’ products involving: complexity in multiple dimensions, combining e.g. mechanical design, chemical reactions or material properties, as well as smart control.

Firm overview

AWA is a leading IP firm with over 370 employees across 22 offices in Belgium, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

We believe tomorrow is today’s emerging business – rising up from untapped potential within established industries and start-ups. No matter the size or industry, we help our clients create business out of their ideas and innovations.

AWA was founded in 1897 by Swedish engineer Anders Wilhelm Anderson. His initials form our company name and remind us of our proud history.

We supply a full-service offering of IP law services in prosecution, dispute litigation, aftermarket services, legal advice, strategy and commercialisation. Our IP professionals are experts in patents, trademark, design, copyright and domain names.


What sets up apart

Global: AWA has a presence in Europe and Asia with an extensive network of qualified preferred partners all over the world. We can handle your IP needs globally and follow-up in real-time.

Diversity and Colloboration: Our people come from diverse backgrounds with practical industry knowledge. Their technical capability means they understand the small details and how this differentiates you in the marketplace. Our teams comprise engineers working closely with attorneys at law and vice versa. This seamless collaboration ensures that the right skillset and legal knowledge is available and utilised for our client’s innovations. We pride ourselves on our comprehensive trainee programme for future IP leaders.

Strategy: We focus on the long-term – building a business is a journey that requires strategy. We support companies throughout the corporate cycle to protect and enforce IP rights, but to also identify and capture the value of intellectual assets.

Digital Innovation: We live in the digital era and are constantly looking at tools that reduce workload and save time. From the AWA Client Porta, to our domain management services – we are innovating the IP tools of the future.

Employee Owned: AWA is 100% owned by the employees with more than 50% of us choosing to invest or hold shares in the Group. This reflects our personal and long-term commitment to both our firm and our clients.

AWA Asia

Part of the AWA Group, AWA Asia supports and manages international clients’ IP needs throughout the region with a head office in Hong Kong – a location known for its successful business environment, world-class infrastructure and effective legal system.

Our Beijing office is our wholly owned licensed trademark agency, allowing us to file and enforce trademarks directlybefore the China Trademark Office and the administrative authorities, without the need to use local third-party agents.

Today, China is one of the largest IP markets in the world and is increasingly being selected as a key venue for IP litigation by foreign and local entities alike.

AWA Asia has strong value proposition that consists of an East-meets-West approach, with a bilingual and bicultural team of IP professionals (trademark lawyers, patent attorneys and IP strategists). Our international-level service delivery comes with deep local knowledge and is business minded, pragmatic and tailored.

Network memberships: AIPPI, APAA, ECTA, epi, FICPI, INTA, The Lawyer Network, LES Scandinavia, MARQUES, Union-IP

Firm overview

GEVERS is market leader in Belgium for intellectual property and one of the leading IP offices in France. In both France and Belgium, GEVERS is recognised by peers for its capabilities in patent services. Collaborating with GEVERS is to choose more than 125 years of experience in patents, trademarks, designs and much more.

As an IP service provider GEVERS is committed to being its clients’ privileged partner for the identification, protection, management, exploitation and enforcement of IP rights throughout the full lifecycle of our clients’ assets.

GEVERS provides best-in-class IP services totally aligned with its clients' business strategy, including specialised services such as contracting, valuation, valorization and dispute resolution.

Adding value to clients' ideas through quality, security, innovation and excellence is what GEVERS stands for.

With more than 250 professionals at the GEVERS Group, representing more than 10 native languages including all official languages of the European offices, GEVERS is a one-stop IP firm with expertise and practical experience in different domains and sectors: from aeronautics, watch making, information and communications technology, industrial chemistry, physics, electronics, automotive, pharmaceutical, energy, mechanics and biotechnology to fast-moving consumer goods, the entertainment sector, agriculture and nanotechnology.

Whatever IP needs you may have in Europe, GEVERS provides services suited to your expectations, at both the regional and national level.

GEVERS offices are located in the heart of Europe, with 75% of the EU market within 500km of a GEVERS office. This allows GEVERS professionals to travel to any location in Europe according to clients' needs.

GEVERS acts before multiple national IP offices in Europe, including the EPO and the EU Intellectual Property Office.

Its locally qualified patent attorneys file national patent applications in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. GEVERS professionals validate granted European patents directly at the national patent offices of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Netherlands. Further, using the centralised location of GEVERS in Europe and its broad European network, GEVERS can validate your granted patents in all other member states of the European Patent Convention. Experienced GEVERS opposition attorneys can oppose granted European patents before the EPO.

Firm overview

V.O. is one of the larger independent Intellectual Property firms in Europe. We offer services in patent and trademark protection, as well as market and engineering intelligence in terms of IP. These include, for example, prosecution and litigation support before the national and European patent offices and courts, such as before the Unitary Patent Court by our team of European patent litigators.

We have wide expertise and many years of experience in Chemistry, Electronics, Life Sciences, Mechanics and Physics. More than 70 attorneys support clients worldwide to maximize the value of their intellectual property.

Clients range from tech starters and midsized innovators to knowledge centers and multinationals. They include leading national and international companies and institutes. With eight offices in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, we operate in a global network of professionals.