People

UPC Representative and European & Belgian Patent Attorney
Founder of Altius De Clercq

Ann De Clercq (PhD) is a Founding Partner of De Clercq & Partners, European and Belgian Patent Attorney and a registered UPC Representative with extensive experience in patent prosecution, opposition and appeal proceedings and litigation, particularly in biotechnology and life sciences. She advises and represents innovative, research-driven companies on the protection, enforcement and strategic management of high-value patent portfolios. 

Ann holds a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from Ghent University and combines strong academic credentials with in-depth institutional and industrial experience. After completing her doctorate, she worked as a substantive examiner at the European Patent Office in Munich. She subsequently headed the patent department of a Belgian biotechnology company active in human healthcare. This background gives her a comprehensive understanding of patent matters from both an examiner’s and an in-house perspective. 

In 1998, Ann founded what later became De Clercq & Partners and has since played a key role in developing the firm into a leading European IP practice. Ann’s technical expertise spans a broad range of biotechnology and life sciences fields, including molecular and cellular biology, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, genome editing, regenerative medicine, food technology and medical applications. She is frequently involved in complex strategic matters such as freedom-to-operate analyses, IP due diligence and long-term portfolio structuring. 

Alongside her client work, Ann is actively involved in the IP community. She holds several professional mandates including as Deputy Secretary General of the EPI. She regularly lectures on patent law and life sciences IP, and is a co-author of authoritative publications on European patent law. Her work is consistently recognised by leading international legal directories.