Image of Filip Van Elsen

Filip Van Elsen

Partner

Filip is Technology Sector Lead. He advises leading corporations, private equity funds, technology companies and emerging growth companies on strategic technology transactions.

Disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and cloud change the way businesses operate in nearly every industry. Filip has particular experience in assisting established and emerging companies on digital transformation projects in the pharmaceutical, banking, energy, mining and digital infrastructure sectors.

Filip works with our clients to negotiate strategic alliances and partnership deals, IP licensing agreements, cross-border outsourcing, cloud computing, AI collaborations, data centre service agreements and IP and data driven joint ventures. He helps clients to develop a go-to-market strategy for maximizing their IP and data assets. He is specialized in advising clients to navigate the often diverging regulations on data, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Filip has developed a deep understanding of the legal issues associated with these new technologies, knows where to look for risks in M&A transactions, joint ventures and alliances and how to solve them pragmatically.

He has developed a strong track record of assisting industry leaders around the globe on their most complex digital transformation projects. Filip lectures at the Law Faculty of the University of Leuven on technology transactions and is regularly invited to speak at conferences and industry roundtables on intellectual property and technology law. Independent legal directories (including Chambers and Legal 500) have been highly recommending Filip for the past 15 years and have consistently ranked his practice in Band One.

Experience

Representative matters

  • A leading pharmaceutical company on its first ever “telehealth” project involving Qualcomm Life, aimed at the development and commercialisation of a new internet-enabled inhaler for the treatment of lung patients, including data protection guidelines and their implementation in various agreements. 
  • A global car manufacturer on the regulatory and privacy aspects of a global project to develop and commercialise "connected cars". We advised the client on the integration of telematics technology and the use of the data collected with such technology. We also advised on the setting-up of a Pan-European data management governance model. 
  • A Middle-Eastern oil company on a partnership (potentially a joint venture) with one of the world’s largest technology companies, for the establishment of countrywide IT cloud capabilities. 
  • A leading Asian financial services provider, on a number of cloud and data protection issues, including the implementation of the GDPR, data retention policies and the transfer of data to third countries.

Recognition

dedicated, thorough and hands-on approach” as a key asset and describe him as “down to earth and pleasant to work with”.
Chambers Europe (TMT), 2018
Really customer-focused, easy to reach and ready to do what is necessary.
Chambers Europe 2016, TMT

Qualifications

Admissions

Stagiair, Belgium, 1990

Admitted as advocaat, Belgium, 1993

Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2021

Academic

Master, International & Comparative Law, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1988

Law Degree, Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen (UIA), 1987

Languages

English, Flemish, French
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.