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Expertise

Hans DHONDT* Hans DHONDT*
Hans DHONDT*

  • Partner

Expertise


Presentation


* SC Janson Baugniet CV

Hans Dhondt is partner at Janson since 2012 en co-heads the IP, IT and Trade practices department. 

Hans has over 20 years of experience in advising and assisting clients in all aspects of IP protection (advise, (cross-border) litigation, contracts, protection strategies, IP audits...), in drafting and negotiating complex agreements (license, SaaS, technology transfer, IT outsourcing, software development...), and in all aspects of data protection (GDPR compliance) and trade practices (advertising, distant sales, pricing, consumer protection...). He also represents clients in (national and international) dispute resolution and is an arbitrator and a third-party decider in domain name disputes.

His clients are active in various industries, including luxury, fashion, banking and finance, retail, engineering and food.

Hans has published, has lectured and held seminars on various subjects relating to intellectual property, fair trade practices, media and entertainment law and privacy.

References

  • Advising and representing a UK based multinational active in the production and distribution of vitamins and food supplements in a trademark conflict with a direct competitor before the General Court of the European Union
  • Advising and assisting HomeSend, a money remittance HUB and licensed payment institution in Belgium (a subsidiary of MasterCard) in its negotiations and contracting with various IT suppliers
  • Assisting and representing a very well-known fashion company (one of the global market leaders) in a multijurisdictional copyright and trademark conflict with an Italian, a French, an American and a Belgian company that all sell the same products that constitute an infringement upon the copyrights and trademark rights of our client
  • Advising and assisting a very well-known multinational large-scale non-food retailer, specialized in the distribution of consumer products and services (with at the time nearly 1,000 stores spread over The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom) in drafting and negotiating a complex IT agreement (and multiple ancillary agreements) with a leading global end-to-end provider of services, software and hardware for the financial and retail industries. The contract negotiations took several months and took place in Belgium, in Germany and in The Netherlands. The agreements relate amongst to GAP analyses, software license and development, hardware supply, implementation services and maintenance services

Recommendations

  • "Hans Dhondt is an intelligent and experienced yet down-to-earth lawyer" Legal 500 EMEA 2020
  • According to interviewees, Hans Dhondt is "very clear about the situation, wants to fully grasp the matter and can think several steps ahead." "He is well-versed in copyright and design rights cases as well as trade mark matters, and represents clients in litigation relating to infringement." - Chambers Europe 2019
  • Janson is highly regarded for its expertise in IP litigation; cross-border work frequently features in the caseload. The client base takes in prominent names from the food, luxury goods, retail and chemical industries, to name a few. Mireille Buydens and Hans Dhondt co-lead the practice Legal 500 EMEA 2019 
  • Hans Dhondt possesses nearly two decades of experience advising on trade mark, copyright and design litigation. Core sectors of expertise include medical devices, automotive and cosmetics.- Chambers 2017
  • Hans Dhondt comes highly recommended by clients, who report that "he is down to earth, conscious of deadlines and keeps things simple. I also appreciate that he is hands-on and sticks to the point." In addition to his broad IP practice he also sits as an arbitrator in domain name disputes. - Chambers 2014
  • "He is highly responsive, with an excellent grasp of commercial issues and crisp communication skills"- Chambers 2013

Languages: Dutch, English, French

Curriculum


Work experience

  • 2012 - ...: Partner - Janson
  • 2009 - 2012: Counsel - Loyens & Loeff
  • 2003 - 2008: Senior associate - Loyens & Loeff
  • 2000 - 2003: Associate - Bogaert & Vandemeulebroeke
  • 1999 - 2000: Associate - Law firm J. Blomme
  • 1998 - 1999: Junior associate - Monard-D'Hulst
Member of the Brussels Bar (admitted 1998) and the Bar of Ghent (admitted 2012).
Member of CEPANI (Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation), of the International Trade Mark Association (INTA), the European Community Trademark Association (ECTA) and the Benelux Association for Trademark and Design practitioners (BMM).

Other mandates

  • Global Chair of the special business team IP/IT within Interlaw

Education

  • 1999 - 2001: Master of Laws (LLM), Intellectual Property Law, Katholieke Universiteit Brussel
  • 1993 - 1998: Lic. Juris, University of Ghent
Contact

Brussels: + 32 2 675 30 30
Nivelles +32 67 21 79 95
Ghent: +32 9 240 77 20
Mons: +32 65 22 10 00
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