10 NLO patent attorneys in IAM Patent 1000 -2021 ranking
IAM about NLO: "NLO is a stalwart of the Dutch patent prosecution scene and an excellent firm with a team that is always up for a challenge. Headquartered in The Hague, with a further three offices in the Netherlands and two additional outposts in Belgium, it is a trusted ally for ambitious medium-sized local companies and multinationals looking to enter the Dutch market or expand into surrounding territories."
"Building on its impressive presence in the Netherlands, NLO continues to consolidate its foothold in the Belgian market. Committed to staying ahead of the curve, it recently established an AI taskforce to assist clients in this burgeoning sector."
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It has all disciplines on lock, with Mari Korsten, Bart Swinkels holding things down in the life sciences and Arthur Meekel and David Bot in chemistery. Having previously worked in-house at Novartis, Korsten “is super-experienced in the biotech field and has great skills in contentious matters”. Drawing on over 25 years at the patent coalface, Swinkels is a strategically creative, commercially aware attorney with a rare aptitude for genetics. Organic chemistry and biochemistry are the specialist subjects of Meekel, a familiar face before the EPO who attends 15 to 20 oppositions and appeals a year. A key partner for start-ups, Bot always puts clients’ ultimate business goals front and centre.
Mechanical and electrical engineers Paul Clarkson, Hans Hutter and Maarten Ketelaars also bring something unique to the table. Having served as an examiner at the EPO, Clarkson has a wealth of knowledge on patent office procedures, which gives him an edge on his competitors. Hutter has been assisting Nokia with an infringement action regarding ADSL technology; while Ketelaars’s mechanical, electronic and physics background makes him favourite of innovative players in the medical devices and alternative energy arenas.
The in-house insight that fellow physicist Hans Bottema gained at industry-leading companies translates into resolutely business-minded counsel. Companies with overseas interests flock to Catherine Shultz. Her diverse experience – she has spent time as an oil and gas field engineer and at a US law firm – and European training give her a 360-degreeperspective.
The management of Samsung’s patent portfolio, the Belgian component is entrusted to the capable hands of Stephanie Sarlet. Making her debut in the guide this year, Sarlet has a keen nose for guiding patent strategy and takes a solutions-oriented approach to European and global disputes; computer-implemented inventions are aforte.
About 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."