Eric De Gryse 

specialises in intellectual property law. He mainly deals with matters of patent law, know-how and technology transfer in diverse technical fields, in addition to trade mark and design law. He advises clients and acts in national and international litigation, particularly in the areas of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, engineering, food products and retail services.

He also has in-depth experience and knowledge of certain specific branches of intellectual property law (such as plant varieties and geographical indications) and in consumer law, trade practices, unfair competition and other regulated areas (advertising in the pharmaceuticals sector, regulation in life sciences, e-commerce, standardisation, certification, collective trademarks and quality labels, labelling and regulation of foodstuffs, wines and spirits, fight against piracy, etc.).

He is a lecturer at the University of Liège, where he teaches the course entitled “Food Industry: geographical indications, certification and labelling” (Master’s in European law: Competition Law and Intellectual Property Law). He has been a researcher with the Intellectual Property Research Centre at the University of Leuven (1994 to 1998) and visiting professor at the University of Ghent (2014-2017).

Eric is an editor of Revue de Droit Commercial Belge (section on intellectual property rights, law and technology) and is the author and co-author of several publications in his areas of practice.

He is ranked in Band 2 in Intellectual Property by Chambers & Partners, and as a Leading Individual by The Legal 500. He is recognised in the Silver band in Trademark by WTR1000, and in the Silver band in Patent by iAM Patent. He is recognised as  Trademark Star and as Patent Star by IP Stars, and he is Recommended in Patents and in Trademarks by Who’s Who Legal (Global Leaders Guide).

Eric is an active member of a number of professional associations. He is a former board member of the European Patent Lawyers’ Association (EPLAW) and a current member of the advisory board. He is also a member of the Geographical Indications Committee within the International Trademark Association (INTA), which he chaired in 2016-2017. He has participated in the publication of several reports for the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI).

Eric is also a member of the Benelux Association of Trade Mark and Design Law (BMM), of the Deutsche VereinigungfürgewerblichenRechtsschutz und Urheberrecht (GRUR), the International Competition Law League (LIDC) and the Belgian Copyright Association (ABA).