Bird & Bird houses a deep bench which handles the full spectrum of issues for its lucrative client base of pharma, medical device, and biotech companies. The group regularly advises on marketing authorisations and EU regulations concerning the use of human tissue and allocation of biological material, with the practice experiencing growth on the digital health front. Practice head Marc Martens is known for his expansive regulatory expertise, with particular emphasis on clinical trials and biobanking; Martens regularly appears before the European Court of Justice in disputes concerning data exclusivity, in addition to advising on the lifecycle of biotech products and advanced therapies. Jean-Christophe Troussel has vast knowledge of both contentious and non-contentious IP and technology related matters, with a strong focus on the monetisation of innovation, research and development (R&D) deals, and enforcement strategies. Paul Hermant exhibits broad experience in handling venture capital financings, securities offerings, and M&A within the life sciences space.

Peter Bogaert and Bart Van Vooren jointly lead the practice at Covington & Burling LLP, which leverages its international presence to act for a varied client base of trade associations and companies in the cosmetic and food,  pharmaceuticals, and diagnostic spaces. The group is well versed in advising on reimbursement procedures, novel IVD regulations, and global pathogen sharing rules. Bogaert is known for his longstanding expertise in domestic and EU regulatory systems, frequently advising medical device and biotechnology companies on policy assignments. Van Vooren regularly appears before the General Court (EGC) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), representing both human and veterinary pharmaceutical, and medical device companies.

Praised for its ‘fierce‘ intelligence, the team at Crowell & Moring stands out for handling a myriad of issues relating to generics, with particular emphasis on off-label uses, parallel imports, and data exclusivity. Practice head Kristof Roox has deep expertise in handling patent disputes concerning trade marks and copyright with ‘gravitas and charisma‘, in addition to advising on a myriad of regulatory and commercial matters concerning medical devices and pricing. Senior counsel Jurgen Figys is known for advising European industry associations and biotech companies on advertising issues, clinical trials, and market authorisations, while recently promoted counsel Matteo Mariano is adept at advising technology and life sciences clients on patent enforcement and questions surrounding ownership of data. Associate Wietse Vanpoucke joined the team from Quinz, contributing his expansive knowledge of EU regulatory issues, including the EU pharmaceutical package and CE markings.

Pan-European IP boutique HOYNG ROKH MONEGIER houses a broad team which advises on a variety of matters, including filing interventions with regulatory entities, patent infringement proceedings, and discriminatory market access related disputes. Liesbeth Weynants heads up the practice, maintaining both a patent litigation and regulatory focused practice. Weynants regularly assists with compliance training and drafting agreements concerning pricing and reimbursement, data protection, and supply chain management. Benoît Strowel stands out for his vast expertise in multi-jurisdictional patent disputes across Europe, and is supported by Tim Robrechts, who regularly acts for international clients within the life sciences and software industries. Charlotte Behets Wydemans and Ine Letten joined the team in December 2022 and April 2023 respectively.

With an 'unsurpassed level of excellence', the team at Quinz is hailed by clients as the 'finest life sciences and healthcare practice in Belgium', dispensing advice to international consortiums and biotech companies on both domestic and international projects. Practice co-head Olivier Van Obberghen stands out for his 'visionary passion' for strategic transactions, including supply chain and spin-off projects, in addition to pharma compliance work. Co-head Pieter Wyckmans is noted for his 'unequalled' regulatory knowledge surrounding clinical development, pricing and reimbursement, and market access issues. Michiel D'herde is particularly adept at advising on international research collaborations, while Marion Lapage is known for handling a broad range of issues arising throughout product life cycles, such as logistics services, licensings, and R&D outsourcing projects.

Van Bael & Bellis houses a broad practice which advises a lucrative client base, which notably includes Amgen, Eli Lily, and Gilead. The group is proficient in handling product liability issues, parallel import disputes, and distribution strategies. Catherine Longeval co-heads the team alongside Peter L’Ecluse. Dispute resolution specialist Longeval has a great deal of knowledge spanning medicines, cosmetics, and biotech products, while L'Ecluse is noted for handling a broad range of issues, including pricing and reimbursement mandates, and advertising matters, regularly appearing before the Council of State to challenge reimbursement decisions. Michael Clancy is known for his competition law expertise, particularly in relation to promotional activities, R&D collaborations, and pricing strategies.

Co-headed by Filip Van Elsen and Tine Carmeliet, the practice at Allen & Overy LLP is known for advising a diverse client base on a broad range of mandates, including product approvals, and licensing and collaboration agreements. The group assists numerous sell-side targets and private equity investors, in addition to domestic scale-up companies and global pharmaceutical giants. In Antwerp, Van Elsen maintains a digital transformation-focused practice, often handling digital medicine-related technology transactions and outsourcing issues; while Carmeliet, based in Brussels, stands out for her deep knowledge of regulatory exclusivities, transparency regulations, and digital health solutions. Brussels’ Geert Glas retired at the end of 2023.

Housing a team which is praised by clients for its 'unmatched' quality, ALTIUS dispenses expert advice to a varied client base of pharmaceutical, biotech, and software developers. The practice handles a broad range of issues, including pricing and reimbursement work, data related license agreements, and hospital tenders. Christophe Ronse leads the team alongside Philippe de Jong. Ronse is noted for his expertise in acting for domestic and international healthcare clients in both national and international patent disputes, while de Jong handles a broad range of IP issues concerning parallel imports and plant variety rights. Promoted to partner in September 2023, the 'hands-on' Kirian Claeyé contributes his deep regulatory knowledge of marketing strategies, clinical trials, and life cycle management.

The team at Jones Day handles the full gamut of issues for a varied client roster of pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, and medical device manufacturers. Leveraging its network across the European Union, the firm advises on numerous digital health matters, pre-market clinical trials, and post-market studies. Practice head Cristiana Spontoni is known for acting on a variety of matters concerning product regulation, in addition to both pre and post-market issues relating to product liability, distribution, and data privacy. Ursula Schliessner maintains a health and safety focused practice, while Jörg Hladjk focuses on privacy and cybersecurity mandates, regularly advising research centers and medical device companies.

'Top-class IP litigator' Florence Verhoestraete and Philippe Remels jointly lead the team at NautaDutilh, which is praised by clients for its 'very creative' approach to IP litigation. The group appears before courts across the EU in product liability disputes, in addition to advising on IPOs and competition issues concerning unfair business practices. Verhoestraete is noted for her longstanding expertise in transactional IP issues, including research collaborations and IP assignments, often acting for research centres, start-ups, and large international life sciences companies. Remels has notable knowledge surrounding transactional issues, and is known for handling an array of private financing rounds and general corporate matters.

Exhibiting 'outstanding' proficiency in handling regulatory matters concerning medical devices and biopharmaceutical products, Simmons & Simmons is noted for advising a notable client base which includes GlaxoSmithKline, Haleon, and Sanofi. The 'very balanced and effective' Olivier Mignolet and Annabelle Bruyndonckx lead the team. Mignolet has vast knowledge of regulatory issues and commercial litigation, while Bruyndonckx maintains a medtech and digital healthcare-focused practice, often advising global biotech and pharmaceutical companies on qualification, product liability, and marketing authorisation issues, supported by Nele Jonckers, who has a great deal of knowledge in handling cross-border compliance matters. Alexander Wenzel joined the practice from Cooley LLP, contributing his deep experience in advising biotech manufacturers.

The team at Stibbe handles the full gamut of regulatory issues relating to hospitals, EU co-promotion agreements, and cases concerning public procurement contracts. Practice co-head Ignace Vernimme is known for his longstanding experience of representing clients before regulatory authorities, including the Belgian Medicine Agency and the Belgian Pharmaceutical Association, while co-head Philippe Campolini primarily focuses on patent litigation and joint research agreements. Louis Bidaine has a great deal of experience in handling multinational patent disputes, in addition to a wide array of non-contentious matters, including rebates, marketing strategies, and promotional practices.

The ‘diplomatic‘ and ‘passionate‘ team at Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL leverages the firm’s international network to assist its broad client base with disputes concerning tenders, corporate financing issues, and competition issues involving pricing. Els Janssens and Roel Meers jointly lead the team. Janssens advises numerous clients in the medical device, pharmaceutical, and health services industries, primarily focusing on assisting industry associations with EU policy. Meers is noted for his transactional experience within the Benelux biotech and healthtech markets, where he often advises clients on corporate finance and capital markets transactions. Elisabeth Dehareng maintains a technology and IP focused practice, with particular emphasis on data protection and privacy in the healthcare sector.

Jointly led by Bruno Fonteyn and Virginie Dor, the team at CMS acts for a varied client base of hospitals and pharma companies. Dor has a great deal of expertise in public procurement policy, regularly advising clients on the tendering and execution of public projects, while Fonteyn frequently represents pharma companies and healthcare providers before public authorities and national courts. Fonteyn is also noted for his regulatory knowledge surrounding medical devices, biocides, and the ethics of clinical trial assessments and medical experiments.

Primarily based in Brussels, the team at Deloitte Legal exhibits ‘clear, in-depth‘ expertise across a broad range of areas, with particular emphasis on medtech regulatory matters. Practice head Christoph Michiels has ample expertise in venture capital and private equity transactions, regularly assisting investor syndicates and management teams with early stage spin off projects. Jean-Christophe Top acts for numerous pharma, digital health, and medtech clients in matters concerning ethics compliance and the commercialisation of novel therapies, while Matthias Vierstraete maintains an IP and IT focused practice in Ghent.

DLA Piper leverages its international network to assist its clients with EU marketing authorisations, data transparency, and mandates concerning the public procurement of medicines. Dividing his time between Brussels and Rome, Marco de Morpurgo leads the team, regularly advising on sector specific behavioural and compliance related matters; he is also known for his extensive knowledge of national and EU regulations governing the pharma and biotech industries.

Loyens & Loeff houses an experienced team which is known for acting in a wide variety of mandates, including tax structuring issues, actions against the European Commission (EC), and public procurement tenders for healthcare providers. Notable clients include AstraZeneca, Galapagos, and Demant. Stéphanie De Smedt leads the team with her deep knowledge of both GDPR and the Clinical Trials Regulation, often advising on the negotiation and drafting of collaboration agreements. Valentijn De Boe has a great deal of experience in public procurement contracts, and regularly assists hospitals and healthcare institutions.

Rated by clients for the regulatory capabilities across the team, Osborne Clarke acts for a broad client base which notably includes Coopervision, OncoDNA, and Medi-market. The ‘excellent‘ Hadrien Chef leads the team and has vast corporate expertise, regularly assisting medical diagnostic, medtech, and biotech companies with financings and reorganisations. Praised for his ‘sharp edge‘, Vladimir Murovec is known for his deep regulatory knowledge, particularly in relation to digital health, pharma, and medical device issues.

The team at Simont Braun exhibits expertise across a variety of areas, including disputes concerning the corporate branding of generic medicines, and trade mark cases. Practice co-head Eric De Gryse is particularly knowledgeable in international patent cases concerning the market entry of biosimilars and medical devices, while co-head Rafaël Jafferali handles a broad range of class actions and arbitrations before the Belgian Supreme Court. Axel Maeterlinck is noted for his longstanding expertise in corporate governance and M&A work.

Jointly led by Christian Dekoninck and Patricia Cappuyns, the team at Taylor Wessing is proficient in advising on the full spectrum of IP-related issues, including UPC matters, SPC litigation, and data exclusivity questions. Dekoninck has a great deal of knowledge surrounding patent litigation, while Cappuyns focuses on European Commission investigations involving both competition and patent law aspects. Marie Keup is noted for her expansive expertise in trade marks and design rights within life sciences.