Member Profiles

Van Aerde & Partners is a solid team of outstanding lawyers. They are available for legal advice, mediation, negotiations and the drafting of contracts, as well as for litigation and the defence of clients’ interests before any court, judge, arbitrator or other authority anywhere in Belgium. The lawyers of Van Aerde & Partners are renowned for the first-rate quality of their services.

Dieter's focus is on intellectual property related litigation. His experience covers a variety of subject matters, including complex patent disputes, trademark infringement proceedings and litigation over copyrighted work of all kinds (audio-visual productions, tv-formats, original fashion and other designs, publications etc.). He also assists clients in proceedings on other, related subjects: unfair competition, freedom of speech, contractual disputes, etc. His transactional expertise includes drafting and negotiating a wide range of license and other collaboration agreements, and assisting companies with the intellectual property aspects of corporate transactions (IP due diligence). In addition to traditional IP work, Dieter advises clients who operate in a creative and innovative environment (in particular in media & entertainment and life sciences) on other legal issues affecting their business. Such advice includes informing clients of the impact of the regulatory framework in which they operate, clearing proposed advertising campaigns, weighing privacy and personality rights against freedom of speech, safeguarding the protection of confidential know how, etc. Dieter studied law at the University of Ghent and subsequently obtained an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law at the George Washington University in Washington DC (LL.M.). He authored various contributions to legal journals, and is often called upon by newspapers and radio stations to comment on intellectual property related news items. He is recommended by legal directory LEGAL 500.

Patrice Vanderbeeken is a member of the Brussels Bar Association since 1999 and a Founding Partner, co-head of the Intellectual Property & IT law department, at Pierstone Brussels. He is fluent in Dutch, English, French and German. Expertise Patrice enjoys a reputation as a prominent technology lawyer recognised by Chambers (since 2009) and the Legal 500 for TMT, association work and data protection. He has extensive experience in IT and IP law, with a focus on the following areas: Data Protection (IT) Contracts Distribution Standardization Copyright Licensing Patrice has a vast experience in data protection advising international clients in the aviation, hospitality, life sciences, finance and TMT sector on various questions including extra territorial applicability, international transfers, website policies, agreements (DPA, joint processing,…) and internal regulations. He and his team are regularly performing privacy audit and compliance schemes at international levels. Patrice is also well rounded in copyright and data licensing questions. Patrice is well recognized for his work in distribution contracts and related (pre-)litigation. He has written various articles on the subject and has litigated some high profile cases regarding newly set principles of law on assignment of contracts, territorial scope, etc.. Patrice is also strongly recognized for his data protection and general corporate assistance to international associations, for which he has been praised in the Legal 500. His 20 years of experience in IP and TMT allow him to better understand the associations’ needs in term of articles of association and contracts (data protection, website, R&D, consultancy, licensing, IPR policy, etc.), standardization (IEEE, ITU-T, Cenelec, …) and subsidies (Horizon 2020, Life, etc.). Professional Experience Since 2013: Founding Partner at Pierstone Brussels Since 2012: Board Member at Licensing Executives Society Since 2015: Board Member at Fonds Joseph Maisin pour la Recherche contre le Cancer 1999-2013: Attorney at Law at Nautadutilh, including secondments at the tech transfer of the University of Louvain and at GSK Vaccines 1998: Legal Assistant to the German Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union S. Alber 1997-1998: Intern at Janssen Inc. (Johnson & Johnson) 1996: Intern at BNP Paribas Fortis Patrice is also an Active Member of the Europe India Chamber of Commerce and the Belgo-Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Patrice has developed a particular interest in India and its culture and is therefore heading the Pierstone Indian desk since his participation to Prince Philip’s mission to India in 2010 during which he organized a seminar with the Indian Merchants’ Chamber in Mumbai on the Benelux as the gateway to Europe. Education As a former external advisor to the technology transfer office of a leading university and GSK Vaccines’ US general counsel, Patrice has gained an excellent understanding of both the industry’s and the academics’ perspective with regard to technology and life sciences contracting (privacy, R&D and licensing). He has also developed extensive knowledge in EU and regional Research Framework Programmes. He has been trained at the Universities of Leuven (1997 – Masters in Law), Namur (1995), Passau (1998) and at the Vlerick Leuven Ghent management School (1999 – MBA) which are strongly recognised in the QS and Times Higher Education rankings. Patrice also has followed the masterclass of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Business Administration

ADMISSION Brussels Bar, 1986 EDUCATION Law degree, KULeuven LANGUAGES Dutch, French, English REFERENCES • Assistant lecturer at the University of Leuven (KUL): The sources of the law, The law of property and securities • PRACTICE AREAS : • Debt Recovery, Commercial Law, Litigation and Arbitration

Cédric Alter (born 1972) graduated from the Brussels University School of Law in June 1995 (Lic. Juris, graduated magna cum laude, ULB, 1995). Prior to joining Janson Baugniet as Partner as of 1 September 2007, Mr Alter was Special European Counsel at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Brussels office (2005-2007), and an associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (2002-2005) and Stibbe (1996-2002). Mr Alter has gained significant experience of business law and contract law working for both Belgian and foreign clients. He also regularly acts in judicial and arbitration proceedings (as counsel or arbitrator), and is a member of the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (CEPANI and CCI). Mr Alter was an assistant professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in the field of civil obligations and contract law from 1998 to 2012. In 2012 he became a professor of business law at the Solvay Brussels School of Economic and Management of ULB. He is the author or co-author of numerous publications in the field of contract law, as well as in banking law, insolvency and securities and guarantees. In 2010 he wrote a book on general banking law and recently co-author several books on the Belgian Business Continuity Act (Belgian equivalent of the US Chapter 11 procedure) with Alain Zenner and Jean-Philippe Lebeau. Chambers & Partners 2013 commented: "Clients say that Cédric Alter of Janson Baugniet 'picks up on the technicalities, understands the nuances of the process, and works well with local counsel'. He represented Oxycure in litigation with competitors up to the Supreme Court." Chambers Global Guide 2014 stated: "Cédric Alter is a growing presence in the field of dispute resolution and has recently handled litigation and arbitration matters in Belgium and abroad; he acts as both counsel and arbitrator." Legal 500 (2013) recommends Cédric Alter in banking and finance, dispute resolution, insolvency and restructuring. Mr Alter's working languages are French and English.