The WTR 1000 focuses exclusively on trademark practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal trademark expertise.
Recommended - Firms
One of the biggest and most well-known IP agencies in the Benelux, De Clercq & Partners (DC&P) is lauded by its patrons for its efficiency and thorough knowledge of trademark law: “We wanted a sparring partner for more strategic discussions, and we definitely found a good partner in DC&P.” In addition to providing the full menu of prosecution services, it also goes beyond the typical remit of trademark agencies and skilfully tackles transactional mandates. “Clients are in excellent hands with Joost Muylle, a highly experienced attorney who provides exceptional service at a reasonable price.” As head of the trademark department, Muylle “is a natural authority, has an excellent grasp of the legal and economic issues involved, and is all around a pleasure to work with”. He works closely with Thomas Baudewijn, whose “solution-oriented nature calms clients’ minds”. “Thomas embodies DC&P as a whole. He is reliable, precise and pragmatic, while also being friendly and easy to communicate with.”
De Clercq & Partners is your partner for personalised IP protection and enforcement. We have extensive experience in assisting clients in building up, evaluating and maintaining a relevant IP portfolio that will both maximise your company’s competitive advantage and ensure optimal use of your IP assets.
Based on the concrete needs of each client, our services may extend from assisting in addressing specific IP issues to developing a complete IP strategy. Where necessary, we help our clients to understand and feel comfortable with all aspects of IP processes and their requirements. We aim to give our clients complete peace of mind in relation to all IP issues and strive to provide advice tailored to our clients’ requirements.
Who we are
De Clercq & Partners is an established firm of experienced and highly motivated patent attorneys and trademark and design attorneys. We have offices in Sint-Martens-Latem, Leuven and Hasselt, all very close to Europe’s capital city of Brussels.
Our attorneys have strong academic and technological credentials, with PhDs in science and/or LLMs in IP law. The combination of high-level scientific skills and strong expertise in IP law enables us to provide you with the highest standards of service in all aspects of IP practice in Belgium, Europe and across the globe.
It is also important to be able to rely on the same quality for the prosecution of your intellectual property abroad, while having a handle on the costs involved. De Clercq & Partners has a strong link with carefully selected and trusted IP firms all over the world that also rely on our firm for their IP prosecution in Belgium and Europe. This reciprocity ensures that both quality and costs are very closely controlled.
Thanks to the international diversity of our professionals, we can offer our services in at least seven different languages.
Customised IP protection
De Clercq & Partners offers expertise in determining a tailor-made IP strategy and also provides strategic advice in that regard. These services include:
- identifying an optimal protection strategy;
- developing an appropriate IP portfolio tailored to the product and market;
- managing IP portfolios with a clear view on costs involved;
- advising on tax benefits related to innovation income in Belgium; and
- providing strategic advice on the acquisition, maintenance, exploitation and valuation of intellectual property as part of the company’s overall business strategy.
Trademarks and designs
Our team of experienced trademark and design attorneys offers expertise and services such as the drafting and filing of trademark and design applications. We advise on validity, infringement and the enforcement of our clients’ portfolios. To that end, De Clercq & Partners can initiate and conduct opposition, cancellation and/or revocation proceedings before the competent administrative authorities, help clients negotiate friendly settlements, draft co-existence agreements, and more.
We represent our clients directly before the Benelux Intellectual Property Office, the EUIPO, the World Intellectual Property Office, the French Institute for Intellectual Property, the UK Intellectual Property Office and before the national IP offices of all other countries worldwide through a network of trusted foreign associates
Patents
De Clercq & Partners provides services in all areas of technology encompassing – among other things – drafting, filing and prosecuting Patent Cooperation Treaty, European and national patent applications, and representing parties in examination proceedings, oppositions and appeals. We can directly file and validate European patents in Belgium and provide worldwide IP services via our extensive network of trusted foreign associates.
In order to obtain adequate patent protection for technological developments made in different specialised fields, it is important to know how to highlight the aspects of an invention that can be protected and to be aware of the recent developments on these issues. Through our extensive experience in these specific areas of patent protection, we are able to provide guidance to clients on how to obtain optimal protection for inventions in these fields as our patent attorneys closely follow both national and international case law.
Awards and recognition
We pride ourselves on our continuous rankings and awards from leading industry publications such as Managing Intellectual Property, World Trademark Review, Intellectual Asset Management, the Financial Times, Leaders League and Global Law Experts.
Jurisdiction