Wouter Mooij is one of three up-and-coming patent litigators highlighted in JUVE Patent’s new Dutch rankings. The Amsterdam-based attorney works at De Vries & Metman and has recently taken on increased responsibility as head of the chemistry and life sciences practice group. His career is advancing alongside significant changes in the legal environment, including the firm’s strategic expansion and evolving industry challenges.
Building an international practice
On the afternoon of 11 October, Mooij took a brief break outside an exhibition centre in Hamburg. The event inside was the AIPPI, the largest international conference for patent lawyers. Dutch attorneys attended alongside German counterparts, with Mooij moving quickly from one meeting to another before heading to Frankfurt. Since November 2024, Mooij has led his firm’s chemistry and life sciences group and is now involved in client acquisition. His approach to these tasks is described as eloquent and friendly by colleagues from Asia, North and South America.
The firm is undergoing a structural transformation to address rising international demands. De Vries & Metman recently joined forces with two other Dutch IP firms and the Swedish firm Ström & Gulliksson to create an international group. These participating entities will continue operating under their own names. The initiative consolidates management activities onto a shared platform and standardises service offerings. The group is a partner-driven entity co-owned with the Swedish private equity firm Consolid. This move positions the practice for a future under private equity ownership while preserving the individual brands of the founding firms.
Mooij, who is 35 years old, first encountered the profession in 2017 during an internship at the UK firm Boult Wade Tennant. He was working on a PhD at Imperial College London at the time and developed a strong interest in the blend of scientific content and business strategy. After completing the first half of his training in London at Kilburn & Strode, he finished his studies in Amsterdam in September 2021. The Amsterdam boutique consists exclusively of patent attorneys and is known for both prosecution work and litigation, particularly in the life sciences sector.
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Mooij represents generic drug manufacturers and has worked alongside mentor Lilian Hesselink on major disputes. The legal battle involved the apixaban substance, used to treat blood clots. In May 2022, the District Court in The Hague dismissed a preliminary injunction brought by the innovator company.
The Court of Appeal in The Hague ruled in August 2023 that the generic products infringed the SPC. After the Dutch Supreme Court dismissed cassation appeals by Sandoz and Teva in 2025, the case concluded successfully for the patent holder.
Colleagues describe Mooij as having excellent technical ability and great commercial skills. Despite the rapid pace of his career and the many challenges facing the industry, he remains optimistic about the future. The impact of AI tools on patent prosecution will be significant, yet there is still a need for highly responsible attorneys to review results and draft robust patents. This is particularly true in the pharmaceutical sector, where a handful of patents protect medicines worth millions. As the international group takes shape, Mooij will focus on handling these technical and commercial demands. For in-depth analysis on the Dutch patent market, read the JUVE Patent Netherlands ranking 2026.
The Unified Patent Court and AI tools
The Unified Patent Court is changing how Dutch patent attorneys handle litigation. The District Court in The Hague receives fewer cases because the UPC attracts them. This shift affects how experienced litigators structure their work. Mooij must adapt to this new reality while maintaining his expertise in the chemistry and life sciences sector. The international group provides resources to handle these changing demands effectively.
