Karel Nijs

Counsel | Brussels

Karel Nijs is a member of the Brussels Bar Association since 2006 and a Counsel, member of the Intellectual Property & IT law and of the Commercial & Corporate law departments, at Pierstone Brussels.

Karel Nijs is fluent in fluent in Dutch, French, English and German.

Expertise:

Karel provides legal advice, drafts and negotiates contracts and litigates in intellectual property and commercial law-related matters, which encompass the following areas:

  • Intellectual Property (advice, portfolio management, contract drafting, IPR enforcement);
  • Media law;
  • Commercial law, with a particular focus on commercial cooperation agreements (including distributorships, agency and franchise agreements) and obligations in terms of precontractual information;
  • Trade practices, including advertising, promotions, contests and prize draws, general terms & conditions and consumer contracts;
  • IT / e-commerce;
  • Privacy

Karel has successfully represented numerous leading national and international companies from various industries, including in the automobile, luxury, fast moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical sector.

Karel has also gained extensive in-house experience as legal counsel in several leading companies, allowing him to better understand the actual needs of clients and to provide hands-on, to the point advice and assistance, with the business in mind.

Karel has published several articles and contributions to international publications on trade mark, copyright, design law and trade practices.

Professional experience:

  • Since 2017 : Counsel at Pierstone, Brussels
  • 2014 – 2017 : Senior associate at LMBD, Brussels
  • 2006 –2014 : Associate / Senior associate at NautaDutilh, Brussels

Education:

Karel received his law degree from the University of Leuven (KUL) in 2005, having completed his Bachelor at the University of Namur (FUNDP). During his studies, he spent one year at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

Karel also holds an LL.M. degree obtained in 2006 from the University of Münster (WWU), Germany.

Publications:

  • “Une copie scannée d’une signature manuscrite vaut-elle une signature électronique ?” (Does a scanned copy of a handwritten signature constitute an electronic signature?), L’Echo, January 10, 2017 (with C. De Boe)
  • Chapter on Belgian copyright law in Getting the Deal Through – Copyright, Law Business Research Ltd, July 2016 (with V. Bracke)
  • Chapter on design law in Belgium in International Design Protection: A Global Handbook, Globe Law and Business Ltd, 2016 (with Ph. Péters)
  • “De boedelbeschrijving”, in Répertoire Notarial, Brussels, Larcier, 2016, October 2016 (with C. De Boe and -Fr. van Drooghenbroeck)
  • Chapter on Belgian copyright law in Getting the Deal Through – Copyright, Law Business Research Ltd, July 2015 (with V. Bracke)
  • “La loi relative à l’information précontractuelle « nouvelle mouture »” (The Act on precontractual information « new style »), L’Echo, June 12, 2014 (with Ph. Péters)
  • Contribution on Belgian copyright law in International Copyright Law, A Practical Global Guide, Globe Law and Business, Global Business Publishing Ltd, 2013 (with P. Vanderbeeken and Ph. Péters)
  • Contribution on Belgian design law in International Design Protection : A Global Handbook, Globe Law and Business, Global Business Publishing Ltd, 2012 (with Ph. Péters)
  • “Toujours mieux couvert – vers une protection uniforme élevée du consommateur européen?” (Better covered still : towards a high and uniform protection of the European consumer?), L’Echo, February 9, 2012 (with Ph. Péters)
  • “Max Planck studie. Voorstellen voor een vernieuwd merkenrecht” (Max Planck study. Proposals for a renewed trade mark system), BMM Bulletin, 2/2011 (with F. Verhoestraete)
  • Les Codes Thématiques Larcier – Droit pénal de l’entreprise 2010 and Larcier Thematwetboeken – Ondernemingsstrafrecht 2011 (Theme codes on corporate criminal law – published in French and Dutch), Larcier, Brussels, December 2010/January 2011 (co-author)
  • “Bewijs van gebruik in het kader van procedures voor het BHIM” (Proof of use in the scope of proceedings before the OHIM), BMM Bulletin, 3/2010 (with F. Verhoestraete)
  • “Offres conjointes et services financiers” (Tied offers and financial services), L’Echo, June 10, 2010 (with Ph. Péters)
  • “Offres conjointes : des exceptions à l’exception” (Tied offers : exceptions to the exception), Solvay Business Journal, 02-03/2010 (with Ph. Péters)
  • “Belgium leads the way – Belgian Senate voted to approve bill on counterfeiting and piracy”, Trademark World, #199, Juli/August 2007 (with Ph. Péters)