Stephanie Sarlet Joins Global Law Experts as Belgium’s Leading Intellectual Property Specialist

Welcome Stephanie Sarlet

Global Law Experts is pleased to welcome Stephanie Sarlet as the Exclusive Member for Intellectual Property in Belgium. Stephanie joins the network with a distinguished track record as a European patent attorney and litigator who has spent more than two decades guiding innovative companies through complex IP challenges. Her combination of technical acumen, strategic focus, and hands on experience in both private practice and leadership roles positions her to provide exceptional counsel to clients seeking robust IP protection and sustainable growth in Belgium and across Europe.

Background and Experience

Stephanie Sarlet offers more than twenty years of private practice, bringing a depth of experience in patents and broader IP matters. Her career began with roles at notable IP firms, where she developed and prosecuted large patent portfolios for multinational corporations, universities, and research institutions. Her technical grounding in electronics, mechanics, computer implemented inventions, and telecommunications underpins a practical, business minded approach to patent strategy. Stephanie has consistently emphasized the alignment of IP decisions with overall business objectives, ensuring that protection supports commercial goals while preserving flexibility to respond to market dynamics.

Throughout her career, Stephanie has held leadership positions that shaped the direction of patent practice within her organizations. She served as Head of Patents at Gevers during 2013 to 2014, where she oversaw the development of patent prosecution and portfolio management strategies. From 2017 to 2022, she acted as Associate Partner at NLO, where she was responsible for a significant portion of Samsung’s European patents. These roles reflect a track record of managing high stakes portfolios and collaborating with major industry players, research institutions, and technology developers to secure comprehensive IP protection and competitive advantage.

Stephanie is admitted to practice before a number of leading IP institutions, underscoring her broad reach and international capability. Her credentials include recognition by the European Patent Office (EPO), the Unitary Patent Court (UPC), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Belgian IP Office, EUIPO, and BOIP. She is fluent in English, Dutch, French, and German, enabling effective communication with diverse clients across the European patent system and beyond. Her involvement in professional organizations, such as EPLIT where she has served as treasurer, and her coordination of patent litigation and IP management courses within the ie-net community, demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional development and to advancing the field for colleagues and clients alike.

Beyond the technical and regulatory dimensions, Stephanie has consistently emphasized practical strategy. She works with SMEs and startups to design patent portfolios that support business growth, while also considering other forms of IP protection such as trademarks, designs, copyright, and trade secrets to deliver a holistic approach to asset protection. In addition to portfolio development, she has experience guiding clients through freedom to operate analyses and responsive portfolio management to accommodate evolving markets and competitive landscapes.

Pitch.law and the Intellectual Property Practice

Stephanie is a key member of Pitch.law, a Belgium based IP and IT law firm known for its multidisciplinary, technology enabled approach to legal services. Since launching Pitch at the end of 2021, Stephanie has helped shape a practice that serves SMEs, startups, and larger entities with a clear focus on practical IP strategy and innovative problem solving. The firm operates from bases in Antwerp and the Brussels region, reflecting a strategy that places clients close to European decision makers while maintaining an international outlook on IP governance and enforcement.

The firm emphasizes a 360 degree approach to IP strategy, a framework often described as Intellectual Property 360° Patent Strategy. This approach integrates patent prosecution with brand protection, licensing, and broader IP portfolio management to maximize value and support strategic business initiatives. Stephanie’s leadership within Pitch.law aligns with this philosophy, combining technical proficiency with a practical, business oriented mindset to deliver tailored IP solutions for every client.

Pitch.law positions itself as a forward thinking firm that couples traditional patent practice with modern innovations in IP management. Under Stephanie’s guidance, the practice blends strong European patent expertise with the ability to coordinate cross border protection strategies across the European Union. The firm’s workflow emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and outcomes, ensuring that clients understand both the protections in place and the strategic rationale behind them. Stephanie’s own experience with large scale portfolios and her familiarity with the needs of startups and growth oriented companies complements Pitch.law’s mission to turn IP into a strategic business asset.

In addition to patents, Stephanie is involved in broader IP discussions within the firm. Her approach often encompasses the evaluation of trademarks, designs, and other IP assets that may contribute to a robust brand and market position. Her emphasis on freedom to operate and the dynamic management of portfolios allows clients to adapt as technology and markets evolve. This comprehensive perspective is especially valuable for Belgian clients who operate in the EU and engage with international markets, providing a bridge between local legal requirements and global IP strategy.

Intellectual Property Practice Areas

Intellectual property is the core focus of Stephanie’s practice, with an emphasis on patents and the strategic management of IP assets for a range of clients. Her background enables her to guide clients through all stages of patent life cycles, from initial invention assessment and drafting to prosecutions before the EPO and other major offices, as well as coordinating with litigation strategies when enforcement is necessary. The combination of prosecution expertise and litigation readiness makes her a versatile resource for companies seeking to safeguard innovations across Europe and beyond.

Stephanie’s patent practice concentrates on creating portfolios that reflect a company’s business strategy. She advises on how to align patenting decisions with product development cycles, regulatory considerations, and competitive dynamics. This includes advising on freedom to operate, prior art considerations, and the potential value of cross jurisdictional filings. Her technical versatility covers electronics, mechanics, software implemented inventions, and telecommunications, enabling her to engage with a broad spectrum of technologies and to craft protection strategies that are proportionate to the client’s development stage and market ambitions.

In parallel with patents, Stephanie integrates coverage for other IP rights and protective measures. She maintains an eye on trademarks design rights, copyright, and trade secrets as essential components of a comprehensive IP program. This holistic view supports clients in building durable brands and preserving competitive advantages, especially in technology driven industries where branding and IP often intersect. The aim is to deliver practical, implementable strategies that help clients grow with confidence while minimizing risk and exposure in cross border contexts.

Belgian and European clients benefit from Stephanie’s proximity to EU IP frameworks and her experience with cross border matters. Her familiarity with the UPC and EPO processes equips her to advise on both protection and potential disputes that may arise in a European context. This international orientation complements her deep local knowledge, enabling her to offer counsel that respects Belgian regulatory specifics while leveraging European level opportunities for stronger IP positions. For startups and SMEs seeking to translate technical ingenuity into market advantage, Stephanie provides a clear framework for turning ideas into protected assets that endure through product cycles and competitive shifts.

Global Law Experts welcomes Stephanie as an exclusive member and looks forward to the collaboration that will connect Belgian IP leadership with a global network. Her unique combination of hands on portfolio management, courtroom readiness, and business minded IP strategy is well suited to addressing the needs of clients who operate at the intersection of technology, innovation, and commerce. Stephanie’s presence strengthens the network’s ability to support cross border IP initiatives and to deliver outcomes that reflect both local nuance and international standards.