Intellectual Property

Intellectual property is extremely valuable for many companies. By exploiting intellectual property rights, investments in innovation can be recouped. By enforcing intellectual property rights, competitors can be kept at bay. The structuring and restructuring of intellectual property portfolios can yield strategic benefits and tax benefits. Houthoff's IP Team advises national and international clients in all intellectual property areas, including copyright, trademarks, design rights, trade name rights, domain names, database rights and patents. We are also one of the few firms that specialise in plant breeders' rights. Our IP Team also advises clients on the protection of trade secrets.

“The firm has a refined understanding of the local court system; possesses up-to-the-minute knowledge of trends on a global scale; and, when mandates cross borders, the IP squad can tap into its vast network of alliances across the world to dispense sage advice.”
IAM Patent 1000, Intellectual Property (2022 Edition)
“Houthoff has an excellent IP-team that works with dedication for their clients. The level of services is very high. The team members are very responsive.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights (2022 Edition)
“The IP practice of Houthoff is specifically renowned for cassation work (specialised litigation in front of the Dutch Supreme Court), which only few IP lawyers do at that high level.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights (2022 Edition)
“The team is unique because of its breadth from high-level supreme court litigation to transactional work.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2022 Edition)
“Their thoroughness, friendliness and very strong in IP.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2021 Edition)
“The team at Houthoff has a rare in the market all-around profile being involved in high profile corporate transaction work in the tech field for blue-chip clients to Supreme court patent litigations. At the same time, they represent tech startups and operate internationally within a ‘best friends’ type of network. This makes the team exceptionally versatile and a go-to firm for procedurally complex patent litigation matters. These capabilities have translated into (what I can see) an ever-increasing flow of tech-related work whereas some other firms seem to be struggling more in the Covid-era.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2021 Edition)
“The team at Houthoff has a rare in the market all-around profile being involved in high profile corporate transaction work in the tech field for blue-chip clients to Supreme court patent litigations. At the same time, they represent tech startups and operate internationally within a ‘best friends’ type of network. This makes the team exceptionally versatile and a go-to firm for procedurally complex patent litigation matters. These capabilities have translated into (what I can see) an ever-increasing flow of tech-related work whereas some other firms seem to be struggling more in the Covid-era.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2021 Edition)
“Strong IP and contracting capabilities, easiness working together with other departments, such as competition.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2021 Edition)
Recommended
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2021 Edition)
“Esteemed law firm with an excellent IP litigation team. Strategic thinkers.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights (2021 Edition)
Recommended
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights (2021 Edition)
Recognised Practitioner
Chambers Global and Europe, Intellectual Property: General - Mostly Trade Mark/Copyright (2020 Edition)
Recognised Practitioner
Chambers Global and Europe, Intellectual Property: Patent (2020 Edition)
“The team at Houthoff provides high quality, corporate-faced patent litigation services. Houthoff has a long tradition in litigation and this shows – also in the patent field.”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights (2020 Edition)
“The team at Houthoff provides a high quality corporate faced patent litigation services. Houthoff has a long tradition in litigation and this shows – also in the patent field. Supreme court litigation is combined with litigation and non-contentious work in first instance and the level is very consistent. They deliver their services to high tech companies, and in the life sciences field and it surprises me that they are not more visible in the market”.
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: Patents (2020 Edition)
Recognised Practitioner
Chambers Global and Europe, Intellectual Property: General - Mostly Trade Mark/Copyright (2019 Edition)
“The lawyers have a thorough and deep understanding of the law combined with a hands-on and service-oriented approach.”
Chambers Europe, TMT: IT & IT Outsourcing (2019 Edition)
“Sources say the firm’s offering is ‘excellent’ and entails a ‘high-level service.’”
Chambers Europe, TMT: IT & IT Outsourcing (2019 Edition)
“The practice at Houthoff is recognised for its ‘very strong Supreme Court practice.’”
Legal 500, Intellectual Property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights (2019 Edition)

Our IP specialists assist clients in complex IP cases and have extensive experience in litigating before the Dutch Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice. They represent pharmaceutical companies in patent disputes and are also sparring partners for tech start-ups. They give clients from Houthoff's market-leading automotive practice group advice on a wide range of IP matters. The IP Team is often involved in M&A and technology-related transactions, in which they work closely together with our experts in other areas.

Our IP Team is known for its involvement in groundbreaking IP-related cassation cases and is valued by our clients because of the practical solutions and well-considered advice the team provides.

The Life Sciences, Agrifood and TMT sectors benefit from lawyers with comprehensive sector knowledge. Our IP specialists are part of sector-specific teams, including Healthcare, Life Sciences, Agrifood and Technology, Media & Telecom.

The team was rewarded the Managing IP Award 2021 for "Best law firm in Copyright & Design (EMEA)".

Highlighted Matters
Lodged a B2B complaint with the Dutch Advertising Code Committee (RCC) on behalf of Marktplaats (a classified advertising site based in the Netherlands) against Pakkie (a payment and delivery service company)
Highlighted Matters
Represented classified advertisement platform Marktplaats, seeking the transfer of the domain names <marktplaatsnederland.nl> and <marktplaatsbelgie.be>. The disputed domain names were used to operate a scam by redirecting Internet users to third-party websites and fake advertisements.
Highlighted Matters
Advised European private equity firm CastikCapital on the acquisition of TBAuctions, a leading European online auction platform.
Highlighted Matters
Advised Mzuri Holdings Ltd, owner of amongst others Decora Blind Systems, a European manufacturer and distributor of indoor window coverings on the acquisition of Coolblinds, an online retailer of made to measure blinds (better known as 123jaloezie.nl, plissegordijn.nl and rolgordijnland.nl).
Highlighted Matters
Houthoff represented Mr Perridon and current management of Trust, a consumer electronics manufacturer, on the sale to Egeria. Trust's current board of directors will maintain its active role within the company.
Highlighted Matters
Houthoff advised Poiesz Supermarkten B.V., a chain of supermarkets in the Northern Netherlands, on the acquisition of Zorggroep Friesland B.V., sole shareholder of Van Smaak B.V.. Van Smaak B.V. delivers meals to healthcare institutions and individual customers and has the whole relating process (including the purchase of the raw materials, processing and logistics) in house.
Highlighted Matters
Succesfully representing Rotterdam's Erasmus University Medical Center, one of the largest and most authoritative scientific University Medical Centers in Europe, and Erasmus University in summary proceedings before the Rotterdam interim injunction judge against a spin-off company about the licensing and development of software for laboratory information management and the early detection of hospital-acquired infections (HAI's).
Highlighted Matters
Successfully representing Ryanair in litigation before the Dutch Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice against PR Aviation and their online booking website Wegolo which also sells tickets for Ryanair flights. The ECJ ruled that a maker of a database which is not protected by copyright or database right, may impose contractual limitations on the use of that database. The ECJ has referred the case back to the Dutch Supreme Court.
Highlighted Matters
Successfully representing Nador Cott Protection sarl, holder of the Community Plant Variety Rights relating to the leading mandarin variety Nadorcott, in plant variety rights disputes against various Dutch importers.
Highlighted Matters
Representing the French medical device company Biobank in patent litigation proceedings, relating to both validity and infringement of its patents relating to a process for preserving and regenerating human bone.
Highlighted Matters
Representing the Italian (veterinary) pharmaceutical company Innovet (part of Epitech Group) in patent litigation proceedings, relating to both validity and infringement of its patent relating to pharmaceutical compositions containing micronized compounds.
Highlighted Matters
Representing the French medical device company Biobank in patent litigation proceedings, relating to both validity and infringement of its patents relating to a process for preserving and regenerating human bone.
Highlighted Matters
Successfully representing Pictoright, the Dutch author’s rights organisation for visual creators, in copyright litigation against Allposters before both the Supreme Court and the European Court of Justice.
Highlighted Matters
Advising VAR, a subsidiary of Attero, in a patent infringement dispute relating to a concrete crushing installation.