

Florence Verhoestraete Partner
Florence Verhoestraete has practiced intellectual property law since 1994, with a focus on patents, trade secrets, trade marks and unfair competition.
She represents clients in the life sciences, food and consumer goods sectors, amongst others, ranging from start-ups to large multinationals and research centres.
Florence has both extensive litigation and transactional experience (including assisting with complex financing and corporate matters in which IP is key) as well as a thorough understanding of regulatory issues, in particular in the food and life sciences sectors.
She co-heads NautaDutilh's life sciences sector team and is a member of the European Patent Lawyers Association (EPLAW), Licensing Executive Society (LES), International Trademark Association (INTA), the European Food Law Association (EFLA) and the Beneluxvereniging voor Merken- en Modellenrecht (BMM). Florence also serves on the INTA Bulletin Committee and the editorial board of the BMM Bulletin, the leading Benelux journal for trademarks and designs. She publishes and speaks regularly on selected IP-related topics.
Florence is mentioned in:
- Chambers & Partners - 2022 edition: "A commentator calls her "commercial and legally very savvy."; 2021 edition: "One client particularly appreciates that Florence Verhoestraete "knows what the sensitive issues for us are and what is important and less important."; 2020 edition: "Florence Verhoestraete represents clients in both contentious and advisory matters […]. She is also highlighted for her work on patent litigation."; 2019 edition: "Commentators say that she is a "tactical and experienced litigator with a strong commercial approach," as well as having "a real talent for developing meaningful and impactful strategies";
- Pritchard's Legal 500 - 2020 edition: "The multidisciplinary team is jointly led by Florence Verhoestraete, who handles a range of transactional and contentious patent, trade secret, trade mark and unfair competition matters";
- IAM Patent 1000 - 2021 edition: "Florence Verhoestraete is another crack litigator who earns plaudits for her “candid input and effective defence strategies”. “She is direct and to the point, quickly getting to the heart of the matter, and a cool, impartial adviser. She is always well prepared in court, where she appears to be equally calm and confident."; 2019 edition: "Florence Verhoestraete is the set’s food and life sciences doyenne."; 2018 edition: "In litigation, it's always more fun to have a good opponent and Florence Verhoestraete is exactly that. She's a great litigator whose talents enable her to dictate the issues on which a case will be fought.";
- World Trademark Review - 2022 edition: "Rounding out the troupe is the “intelligent and sharp” Florence Verhoestraete: “She has a wide range of experience and a global network, and can always come up with creative solutions. Florence is a natural negotiator who never disappoints.”; 2021 edition: "Florence Verhoestraete also garners effusive praise from peers: “I truly believe she is one of the best. She is extremely intelligent, sharp, strategic and a magician before the courts – everything a good lawyer should be.”; 2020 edition: "The solution-driven Florence Verhoestraete is a contentious and transactional whizz." "A friendly and approachable practitioner, she is excellent in the courtroom, particularly when it comes to convincing her audience of her mode of thinking and guiding them through her persuasive narratives."
- Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars - ranked in the Top 250 Women in IP since 2016.
- Who's Who Legal ranked Florence as a "Global Leader" in Life Sciences, Patent Litigation, Patents and Trademarks in 2020.