10 NLO patent attorneys in IAM Patent 1000 -2020 ranking

IAM about NLO: "Keeping “a sharp eye on clients’ commercial needs”, NLO secures ironclad patent protection both at home and far beyond. The Amsterdam-based practice “operates at the highest level and provides an excellent and careful service”. Fleet of foot across an array of technical domains, the team is always available and easy to reach."

Recommended individuals in the Netherlands

With enviable expertise in mechanical and electrical engineering, Maarten Ketelaars, Paul Clarkson and Hans Hutter are first ports of call. Ketelaars is “highly knowledgeable, proactive, tenacious and reliable”, and “understands intricate science”. Former EPO examiner Clarkson embraces all challenges thrown his way, but really shines when it comes to oppositions. Hutter deftly builds up portfolios to assist companies in staking out competitive market positions globally; he prosecutes a portion of Baidu’s patent applications in Europe. Fellow physicist Hans Bottema has ample in-house and private practice experience, which informs his sage, business-minded counsel. Debuting in the IAM Patent 1000 this year, Catherine Shultz “has a creative disposition and comes up with great ideas that best accommodate client needs. She knows that saving on cost does not have to mean compromising on quality and resolves matters with the snap of her fingers while maintaining the highest standards.” The firm also has a star-studded food, pharmacy and life sciences line-up, with David Bot, Arthur Meekel, Bart Swinkels and Mari Korsten taking centre stage. Bot dreams up profitable patent strategies for several multinationals but demonstrates agility by also acting for exciting start-ups. An ace on EPO oppositions and appeals, Meekel is steeped in organic chemistry, biochemistry and biotech know-how, making him a versatile performer across the life sciences; while Swinkels is active at the vanguard of developments in hot areas such as gene therapy. Korsten’s value lies in his contentious expertise, which he cultivated at Bird & Bird; another former in-house professional, he sees everything through clients’ eyes.

Recommended individuals in Belgium

This year, for the first time, we also received a recommendation for Belgium with an individual recommendation for Steven Sarlet: “The Belgian branch of Dutch firm NLO has been in expansion mode lately, making some significant additions to its local division. The ensemble is characterised by a passion for innovation and speaks the language of inventors – as evidenced by its recent work with the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre, for which it has been busy patenting in relation to semiconductors and 3D memory devices. It is likewise an invaluable partner to the in-house department at Atlas Copco. Steven Sarlet is the first port of call for high-tech companies.”

IAM Patent 1000 - edition 2020

About the IAM Patent 1000

The IAM Patent 1000 has become the definitive directory exclusively dedicated to identifying the world’s leading patent services providers. The extensive research process for this guide was conducted over several months by a team of full-time analysts, and involved more than 1,800 interviews with patent specialists across the globe. Legal and attorney firms and individual practitioners qualify for inclusion in the IAM Patent 1000 upon receiving sufficient positive feedback from market sources. "Only those individuals identified by market sources for their exceptional skill sets and profound insights into patent matters feature in the IAM Patent 1000."