Alfred Meijboom

Trademark law / Patent law / Sport marketing / Sponsoring / Domain name disputes / Intellectual property / IP litigation / Online content / Trade names / Design law / Database rights / Licencing / Emerging technologies / IT litigation & arbitration / Fashion Retail / Cyber security.

Alfred Meijboom is counsel, former partner and one of the firm’s founders. Alfred advises and litigates on the full spectrum of Intellectual Property. Alfred is renowned for his work regarding (online) trademark law, licensing and domain name issues, IT, Sports marketing and sponsoring. His practice includes contentious and non-contentious work.

Alfred is a qualified arbitrator at SGOA (Dutch Foundation for the Settlement of Automation Disputes), the Court of Arbitration for Art and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and a domain name panelist at WIPO and the Czech Court of Arbitration. He is co-chair of the Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee of the IBA (International Bar Association). Furthermore he is a member of the Benelux Association of Trademark and Design Law, the Netherlands Associations for Information Technology and Law, and founding member of the Netherlands Association for Computer Lawyers (VIRA).

The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Intellectual Property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights - Ranked

Kennedy Van der Laan represents high-profile clients active in a range of sectors, especially in the advanced technologies, life sciences, fashion and media industries. Maarten Schut is a key name for technology and innovative life sciences companies for trade mark and trade secret issues, while Alfred Meijboom is recognised for his intersecting IP and IT work, and also advises sports-sector clients and handles arbitration cases involving art. Joran Spauwen assists emerging companies and foreign clients with investments in innovative technologies, requiring licensing and IP transactions. Counsel Sophie Van Loon is a specialist in collective rights management issues and in copyright law, and senior associate Reindert Van Der Zaal leads on brand protection, anti-counterfeiting and trade mark infringement mandates for sports, luxury and fashion brands.

Testimonials

‘Alfred Meijboom brings superb legal analysis and works with commercial and tactical acumen.’

The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 - Intellectual property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights - Ranked

Kennedy Van der Laan continues to build on its key areas of specialism; technology, media/the internet and the fashion/luxury goods sectors. It has attracted an impressive number of new clients in these areas and its ‘success rate has been remarkable throughout the years‘ in respect of trade mark protection matters. Maarten Schut, who heads the group with Alfred Meijboom, has extensive trade marks expertise, particularly in the areas of life sciences and advanced technologies and is also a deputy judge at one of the four courts of appeal. Founding partner, Meijboom is known for his work where IP and IT interface and for ‘complex multi-jurisdictional‘ cases. Joran Spauwen became a partner in 2021 – his focus is on internet-based disputes and transactions and he is noted for his cyber security expertise. The ‘exceptional‘ senior associate Reindert Van Der Zaal's focus is brand protection and entertainment law. Sophie Van Loon and Gaya Schultz are other core team members.

Testimonials

‘Alfred Meijboom is a smart and experienced lawyer, capable of handling complex multi-jurisdictional intellectual property cases. Gaya Schultz, who assists Alfred on cases, is very well versed in trademark law and office practices.’

World Trademark Review 1000 - Benelux: Netherlands - Recommended Individual

For three decades, Kennedy Van der Laan has maintained its position as “an outstanding partner for IP matters”. It draws judiciously on talents from across its comprehensive range of practice areas to pool together resources and coordinate decisive strategies that ensure favourable long-term results for brand owners. Since adding prosecution to its offering, the outfit has received a flood of instructions on the non-contentious side; but dispute resolution remains its strongest suit. Founding partner, division lead and “excellent all-round IP lawyer” Alfred Meijboom acquits himself with distinction when domain name issues arise; while “highly experienced trademark litigator” Maarten Schut is “brilliant in court”. Together they have built a robust anti-counterfeiting practice, assisting fashion designers and retailers such as Converse with their infringement battles across Europe.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2020 - Intellectual property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights - Ranked

Kennedy Van der Laan's IP practice handles both contentious and non-contentious work in the areas of trade marks, copyright, designs, licensing, R&D, trade secrets and patents. The firm has a strong presence in the technology, media, and fashion and luxury sectors. Alfred Meijboom and Maarten Schut lead the department. Sophie van Loon specialises in copyright law. Also recommended are senior associates Reindert van der Zaal and Joran Spauwen.

Testimonial

‘Alfred Meijboom and Jens van den Brink are both excellent lawyers’

The Legal 500 EMEA 2019 - Intellectual property: Trade marks, copyrights and design rights - Ranked

The 'efficient, well-synced team' at Kennedy Van der Laan 'has excellent communication skills; the advice is pragmatic and it has broad experience in brand protection matters'. Alfred Meijboom and Maarten Schut head the department and offer broad expertise in IP, media, and related technology issues. Schut also coordinates the European brand protection work for Nike. Counsel Sophie van Loon has a focus on copyright law and advises international media and publishing clients, including on matters relating to collective rights management societies. The team's impressive client roster includes Ikea, Facebook, and Tommy Hilfiger. Highlight work includes continuous assistance to Converse in its fight against counterfeiting in several European countries and wins against Dutch distributors Van Caem and Goeiemode.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2018 - Intellectual Property

"Alfred Meijboom leads the ‘extremely efficient’ team at Kennedy Van der Laan; he and Maarten Schut are ‘deeply knowledgeable about trade marks, copyrights and design rights’, and have ‘a remarkable understanding of the market’. Schut represented Converse in anti-counterfeit proceedings, and advised Tommy Hilfiger on various soft IP infringement matters."

Sarah Humphries, Orange Brand Services Ltd. 2018 - Intellectual Property

“Orange has worked with Alfred Meijboom at KVdL for a number of years and very much values his high quality advice. He consistently obtains the best results for our Orange Brand in the Netherlands

WIPR 2018 - Intellectual Property - Ranked