Tjibbe Douma

I am a partner in the Intellectual Property Group based in Amsterdam, with a focus on technology-related matters, in particular patents and trade secrets.

I advise and litigate for clients in among others the life sciences, technology & communications and energy & utilities sectors. I have extensive experience in high-end multi-jurisdictional patent disputes before national courts, at the EPO and in the Unified Patent Court.

I am a UPC representative and am representing/ have represented clients in 16 cases before the UPC in Europe and in 10 of these cases I am the lead representative (which information is publicly listed in the UPC register):

Lead representative for Dexcom as defendant in UPC proceedings against Abbott before the Local Division in The Hague regarding continuous glucose monitoring devices

Lead representative Dexcom as defendant in UPC proceedings against Abbott before the Nordic Baltic Regional Division in Stockholm regarding continuous glucose monitoring devices

Representative for Maxeon Solar as claimant in UPC proceedings against AIKO before the Local Division of Dusseldorf regarding solar panels

Lead representative for BSRP as defendant in UPC proceedings against HL Display before the Local Division in The Hague regarding a product in the retail sector

Representative for KPN as claimant in UPC proceedings against Oppo before the Local Division in The Hague regarding a SEP case concerning mobile phones
- Lead representative for Cardo Systems - in a Dutch-Italian team - as claimant in UPC proceedings against ASMAX before the Local Division in Milan regarding a motor cycle product in the retail sector. We succesfully obtained and enforced a UPC ex parte PI order at a trade show in Milan.

Lead representative for Sinocare in UPC PI proceedings brought by Abbott at the Local Division in The Hague

Lead representative for GSK in two UPC actions brought against Moderna at the Local Division in The Hague and representative in two further UPC actions brought against Pfizer and BioNTech at the Local Division in The Hague

UPC milestones include:

The first ever UPC expert witness hearing (in the Nordic Baltic division).

The first main hearing before the Nordic Baltic Regional Division.

The first ex parte Preliminary Injunction obtained at the Local Division in Milan (and only the fourth thus far in the UPC)

Our Bird & Bird international team of UPC litigators has recently been ranked Tier 1 in the Juve Patent 2025 UPC ranking.

I have acted for both opponents and patentees as co-counsel in EPO opposition proceedings. I have also represented clients in contractual disputes, including contractual litigation involving milestone claims in the life sciences sector and in arbitration proceedings regarding IP warranties.

I also advise clients on IP strategy and on technology-driven M&A deals including in the venture technology field.

My work has been recognised by rankings over the past years in Chambers Global & Europe, Legal 500 and in 2020 and 2022 by receiving the Client Choice Award for Intellectual Property - Patents in the Netherlands.

• US life sciences company: advised on freedom to operate aspects of a digital health solution.
• Dutch startups: strategically advising on aspects of their own IP position (patents and trade secrets) as well as freedom to operate.

• US life sciences company in the medical devices and digital health: representing in two UPC cases, one pending in the The Hague Local Division and one in the Nordic-Baltic Regional Division. These proceedings are part of a multi-jurisdictional patent dispute with pending national and UPC proceedings both on the offensive and defensive side.
• Multinational energy company: representing in Dutch PI proceedings against a competitor on solar panel technology as well as in UPC proceedings.
• US semiconductor company: representing in Dutch patent infringement proceedings against an implementer of video coding technology, with invalidity and FRAND defences raised, as part of a multi-jurisdictional dispute.
• US life sciences company: representing in various patent infringement actions in the Netherlands regarding medical devices, as part of a multi-jurisdictional dispute.
• Israeli medical device company: Representing and strategically advising on European patent defence and enforcement. This includes (co)representing the company in three EPO opposition proceedings.