‘A creative interaction with the client and mutual understanding lead to the most valuable IP creations.’
Kristel Van den Broeck
- Chemistry
- European Patent Attorney
- Senior Associate
As a European patent attorney Kristel Van den Broeck has18 years of experience, of which 12 years as in-house patent attorney in the chemical industry. She spent most of that time working for Huntsman, where she was in-house patent attorney for the patent portfolio within the polyurethane division. In this position, she was responsible for drafting patent applications and associated global prosecution; advising on invention valorization; assessing patent validity, freedom to operate studies and European oppositions. Before working for Huntsman, Kristel worked within IMEC’s patent department, working on microelectronics-related patents.
News
Remembering Mark Einerhand
It is with great sadness that we have received the news of the passing, on 14 April, of our dear colleague and partner, Mark Einerhand. Mark joined V.O. in 1998 and has made a lasting contribution to the success of our firm.Continue reading
Validation agreement with Laos in force
As of 1 April 2025, the validation agreement between the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Lao PDR has entered into force. As a result, granted European patents can now be validated in Laos according to that country’s national patent law.Continue reading
Column: Can I only get a patent for breakthrough inventions?
In my work as a patent attorney, I notice that there is a lot of confusion among inventors about the requirements for a patent. Many inventors seem to be under the impression that patents are only granted for “breakthrough inventions”, such as the mRNA technology underlying – among others – the Covid vaccines, or novel […]Continue reading