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Jan-Diederik Lindemans

Partner

Overview

When their sensitive information, innovations, or creative efforts are at risk, clients find in Jan-Diederik Lindemans an experienced strategic adviser who can help mitigate risks and ultimately solve the challenges they are facing. While domestic and cross-border litigation is undoubtedly his forte, Jan-Diederik also regularly handles transactional matters, typically related to the science, technology, and media and entertainment industries. With a background in intellectual property and a knack for “impossible” contentious patent and trademark matters, Jan-Diederik today co-leads the largest, most-diverse, and truly full-service tech and IP team in the country.

For more than two decades, Jan-Diederik has helped his clients achieve business-oriented solutions to often strategically crucial issues within and outside the court room. Through secondments and external general counsel positions at clients, Jan-Diederik has honed a talent for striking the right balance between a legally correct and business-sound solution and the often very complex or delicate issues that clients face. His international professional network has been described by clients as “pure gold” and has enabled Jan-Diederik to deliver his clients tailor-made solutions around the globe.

Jan-Diederik is a partner in Crowell’s Brussels office. As a litigator, he most often defends his clients’ interests in ex partepreliminary, and permanent injunction proceedings and in accelerated and standard proceedings on the merits. He has dealt with issues relating to IP, trade secrets, unfair competition, and other contentious matters. Jan-Diederik is also often consulted by clients in pretrial  matters, such as pretrial discovery (saisie-contrefaçon), trade secrets compliance, and anticounterfeiting strategy. He further advises on noncontentious matters relating to licensing or transferring IP, (re)structuring IP portfolios, joint ventures, and other types of creative/technological collaborations.

Jan-Diederik’s focus is on legal advice that has an immediate impact on his clients’ businesses (e.g., product recall avoidance or opposition proceedings in relation to access to confidential information).

For his clients in the chemical, life sciences, and biotechnology sectors, Jan-Diederik has, among other actions, filed protective letters and represented clients in complex patent validity proceedings (often involving cross-border issues). His clients in entertainment and the media call on him to advise on negotiations as well as rely on him to defend their various IP rights (relating to on- and off-screen talent, content production and licensing, collecting societies, and more). For clients in the fashion industry, Jan-Diederik has assisted with their IP portfolios and represented them in commercial disputes, distribution, counterfeiting matters, search and seizure, and EU-wide or national border measures.

Career & Education

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    • Catholic University of Leuven, LL.M., 2001
    • Ghent University, post academic course in biotechnology, 2013
    • Catholic University of Leuven, LL.M., 2001
    • Ghent University, post academic course in biotechnology, 2013
    • Belgium
    • European Court
    • Belgium
    • European Court
  • Professional Activities and Memberships

    • The International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
    • Brussels Bar Association
    • Belgian Association for Copyright
    • International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL)
    • ICC Commission on Intellectual Property
    • ICC Task Force on Trade Secrets
    • Amcham EU Intellectual Property Committee

    Professional Activities and Memberships

    • The International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
    • Brussels Bar Association
    • Belgian Association for Copyright
    • International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL)
    • ICC Commission on Intellectual Property
    • ICC Task Force on Trade Secrets
    • Amcham EU Intellectual Property Committee
    • Dutch
    • English
    • French
    • German
    • Spanish
    • Dutch
    • English
    • French
    • German
    • Spanish
Jan-Diederik Lindemans’ straight forward, solution-driven way of thinking and communicating is something that we continue to appreciate tremendously.

Legal 500, 2024

Jan-Diederik's Insights

Client Alert | 6 min read | 10.29.24

EU Court of Justice Rules on Copyright Protection for Non-EU Designers of Works of Applied Art: A Kwantum Leap?

On October 24, 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down its highly anticipated ruling in the Kwantum v. Vitra case (C-227/23). In short, the CJEU held that EU Member States must afford copyright protection for works of applied art (i.e., furniture, lighting, home appliances, etc.) that meet the originality-requirement, regardless of the country of origin of these works or the nationality of the author....

Representative Matters

  • Defended leading pharmaceutical companies in preliminary injunction proceedings regarding generic versions of blockbuster medicinal products.
  • Defended a multinational active in the sweetener industry in ‘bet the company’ all-or-nothing third-party opposition proceedings against a direct competitor involving six appearances before the Belgian Supreme Court.
  • Executed the largest counterfeit seizure within the Benelux area on behalf of a producer of animal feed additives and upheld the client’s patent and trade secret rights in proceedings on the merits.
  • Initiated cease and desist proceedings against a multinational electronics manufacturer for breach of the terms of use of advertising material produced by the client.
  • Brought proceedings against the tabloid press on behalf of a well-known performer and his family in connection with the unauthorized use of images.
  • Defended shoe manufacturers against copyright and trademark claims by competitors relating to both orthopedic and high-end luxury shoes.

Jan-Diederik's Insights

Client Alert | 6 min read | 10.29.24

EU Court of Justice Rules on Copyright Protection for Non-EU Designers of Works of Applied Art: A Kwantum Leap?

On October 24, 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down its highly anticipated ruling in the Kwantum v. Vitra case (C-227/23). In short, the CJEU held that EU Member States must afford copyright protection for works of applied art (i.e., furniture, lighting, home appliances, etc.) that meet the originality-requirement, regardless of the country of origin of these works or the nationality of the author....

Recognition

  • Legal 500 EMEA: Belgium, Intellectual Property: Leading Individual, 2023–2024
  • Legal 500 EMEA: Belgium, Industry Focus: Media & Entertainment, Leading Individual, 2022-2024
  • Chambers Europe: Belgium, Intellectual Property, 2017–2024
  • IAM Patent 1000: Litigation and Transactions, Gold, 2024
  • IAM Global Leaders 2025
  • Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars: Trade mark contentious, Notable Practitioner, 2022–2024
  • World Trademark Review Global Leaders:Private Practice, 2024
  • World Trademark Review: Benelux: Belgium, Gold, 2024

Jan-Diederik's Insights

Client Alert | 6 min read | 10.29.24

EU Court of Justice Rules on Copyright Protection for Non-EU Designers of Works of Applied Art: A Kwantum Leap?

On October 24, 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down its highly anticipated ruling in the Kwantum v. Vitra case (C-227/23). In short, the CJEU held that EU Member States must afford copyright protection for works of applied art (i.e., furniture, lighting, home appliances, etc.) that meet the originality-requirement, regardless of the country of origin of these works or the nationality of the author....

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Jan-Diederik's Insights

Client Alert | 6 min read | 10.29.24

EU Court of Justice Rules on Copyright Protection for Non-EU Designers of Works of Applied Art: A Kwantum Leap?

On October 24, 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down its highly anticipated ruling in the Kwantum v. Vitra case (C-227/23). In short, the CJEU held that EU Member States must afford copyright protection for works of applied art (i.e., furniture, lighting, home appliances, etc.) that meet the originality-requirement, regardless of the country of origin of these works or the nationality of the author....