Practice Areas
Bart Van Besien is a leading attorney and arbitrator in intellectual property law (copyright, trademarks, patents); internet and media law (domain names, e-commerce, advertising law, freedom of expression), privacy law, and art law. He has practiced law since 2001, both in his home country Belgium and in other jurisdictions. Bart was a panelist in over 100 domain name proceedings under the UDRP, URS and ccTLD dispute policies as a sole panelist, presiding panelist and co-panelist. Bart has worked as an attorney, as a corporate lawyer for an IT company in Ireland, and as a university researcher (Université Libre de Bruxelles and UC Berkeley).
Finnian & Columba – Law firm Intellectual Property and Copyright (finniancolumba.be)
Professional Experience
2017 – : Attorney at law (founder), Finnian & Columba, Belgium (Finnian & Columba – Law firm Intellectual Property and Copyright (finniancolumba.be)
2014 – 2017: Attorney at law, Sirius Legal, Belgium
2013 – 2013: Visiting researcher UC Berkeley, California, USA
2010 – 2013: Researcher ULB – Mediadem: EU Commission research on media law
2006 – 2010: Senior Legal Counsel (in-house) j2 Global Communications (cloud services & digital media), Dublin, Ireland
2004 – 2006: Attorney at law Janson Baugniet, Belgium
2002 – 2004: Attorney at law Allen & Overy, Belgium
Arbitration Experience
I am an arbitrator for UDRP and URS domain name disputes with Forum (National Arbitration Forum); with CAC (Czech Arbitration Forum); and with the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center. Also, I am an arbitrator for .be domain name disputes with Cepani in Belgium.
In total, I have rendered around 100 domain name decisions.
As mentioned above, I am also an arbitrator in IP disputes (Forum) and art disputes (CAfA).
Apart from my activities as an arbitrator, I often conduct domain name and other arbitration procedures as an attorney for one of the parties involved in the disputes. Specifically for domain name disputes, I believe that I represented clients in around 20 disputes in the last couple of years.
Finnian & Columba – Law firm Intellectual Property and Copyright (finniancolumba.be)
Professional and Other Activities
I am a “Trademark Representative” with EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) and a member of various organisations and associations, including BMM (Benelux Association for Trademarks and Design Law), BVA (Belgian Association for Authors’ Rights), IAL (Institute for Art & Law), Cepani40 (arbitration), Vlaams Pleitgenootschap, IABA (International Association of Boalt Alumni – University of California Berkeley Law), IBBA (Irish Belgian Business Association), VOKA (Flemish Netwerk of Enterprises), etc.
I serve in the Board of Directors of a couple of local organisations in my home country, mostly in the cultural sector.
Publications
- Van Besien, B.: “Kunst en vrijheid van meningsuiting” en “Provenance: over diefstal en vervalsingsproblematiek” in Handboek Kunstrecht, Lenaerts, O. (ed.), Intersentia, 2021, resp. 27- 45 en 365-383.
- Van Besien, B. en Buelens, B.: Auteursrechten en belastingen, Gompel & Svacina, 2020.
- Van Besien, B.: “Auteursrecht: over originaliteit bij minimalistische vormgeving”,Larcier, RABG – Intellectuele Rechten, Vol. 2018, december 2018.
- Van Besien, B.: “De verplaatsing van een kunstwerk: inbreuk op de morele rechten ofniet?”, Auteurs & Media2017/1, 58-72.
- Van Besien, B.: “An absolute ban on advertising for regulated professions deemedinvalid”, Leading Internet Case Law, July-August 2017, 18-19.
- Van Besien, B., “Kamers verhuren via Airbnb of andere sharing sites: een juridische analysevan de regelgeving in Vlaanderen en Brussel”, in Storme, M.E. en Helsen, F., Innovatie endisruptive in het economisch recht, Intersentia, Antwerpen-Cambridge, 2017, 279-311.
- Van Besien, B., “De reprografie uitzondering na het HP-arrest (C-572/13) en het recente voorontwerp van wet in verband met de reprografie”, Larcier, RABG – Intellectuele Rechten,Vol. 2016/20, december 2016, 1468-1482.
- Van Besien, B., Van de Kelder, L. en Henin, G., Auteursrecht voor Architecten, juridische enfiscale toelichting, NAV – Netwerk Architecten Vlaanderen, september 2016.
- Van Besien, B.: “De beoordeling van het ‘onderscheidend vermogen’ en het ‘beschrijvend’ karakter bij Benelux merkdepots”, Larcier, RABG – Intellectuele Rechten, Vol. 2015/18, 13november 2015, 1303-1308.
- Van Besien, B. en Van den Brande, B.: “Copyright – Belgium”, in Sherrell, Ph. (ed.), TheInternational Comparative Legal Guide to Copyright 2016, Global Legal Group, Oct. 2015, 14-18.
- Van Besien, B.: “Over auteursrecht, parodie en appropriation art: een voorlopige analyse van het vonnis Van Giel t. Tuymans in het licht van het HJEU arrest Deckmyn t. Vandersteen”, Auteurs & Media2015/2, 185-192.
- Van Besien, B.: “De prima facie geldigheid van octrooien: het belang van een werkelijkebeoordeling van de ogenschijnlijke geldigheid van octrooien in de nieuwe benadering vanhet Hof van Cassatie”, RABG – Intellectuele Rechten, Vol. 2014/18, 1275-1287.
- Van Besien, B.: “Airbnb, couchsurfing en de Belgische wet”, De Juristenkrant, 25 juni 2014, Vol.292, 6.
- Van Besien, B.: “Europees Hof van Justitie erkent ‘recht op vergeten’ – wat nu voor denieuwsmedia?”, De Journalist 30 mei 2014, Vol. 179, 6.
- Van Besien, B.: “EU-Hof laat hyperlinks toe (naar vrij toegankelijke webinhoud)”, DeJournalist 28 maart 2014, Vol. 177, 7.
- Van Besien, B.: “Google Books is geen inbreuk op auteursrecht volgens Amerikaanserechtbank”, Auteurs & Media 2014/2, 85-89.
- Van Besien, B.: “Copiepresse versus Google: a legal analysis of news aggregation andcopyright infringement under Belgian law”, R. D.T.I., 2013, Vol. 51, 39-61
- Van Besien, B. and Docquir, P-F, “Changing conditions of competition for public service and commercial media in Belgium: Implications for media independence”, in Psychogiopoulou, E. (ed.), Media Policies Revisited: The Challenge for Media Freedom and Independence, PalgraveMacmillan, January 2014, 147-159
- Van Besien, B. and Docquir, P-F, “Media policy in Belgium: How a complex institutional systemdeals with technological developments”, in Psychogiopoulou, E. (ed.), Understanding mediapolicies: A European perspective, Palgrave Macmillan, September 2012, 21-36.
- Van Besien, B. and Docquir, P-F, “Policy suggestions for free and independent media in Belgium”, in Mediadem Consortium, Policy report addressing state and non-state actors involved in the design and implementation of media policies supportive of media freedom and independence, the European Union and the Council of Europe, September 2012, 11-18, available athttp://www.mediadem.eliamep.gr/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/D4.1.pdf.
- Van Besien, B., Docquir, P-F, Müller, S. and Gusy, Ch., “Media Freedom and Independence: TheEuropean Judicial Approach in Fourteen Countries”, in Mediadem Consortium, Comparative Report: Media Freedom and Independence in 14 European Countries: A Comparative Perspective, July 2012, 158-188, available at http://www.mediadem.eliamep.gr/wp- content/uploads/2012/09/D3.1.pdf.
• Van Besien, B., “Does media policy promote media freedom and independence? The case of Belgium”, December 2011, available at http://www.mediadem.eliamep.gr/wp- content/uploads/2012/01/Belgium.pdf
- Van Besien, B., “Media policies and regulatory practices in a selected set of European countries, the EU and the Council of Europe: The case of Belgium”, October 2010, available at: http://www.mediadem.eliamep.gr/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Belgium.pdf
- Van Besien, B.,“La responsabilité des gestionnaires de forums de discussion non commerciaux”, Auteurs & Media 2010/5-6, 562-568.
- Van Besien, B. and Petillion, F., “Domain name recovery in Europe: ‘.be’”, Interlaw European IP/IT Newsletter, 2005, Summer edition
- Van Besien, B., “Wet tot bescherming economische mededinging gewijzigd”, RABG, 2004.
Academic Qualifications
Master of Laws, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven & Universidad de Barcelona.
Master European Union Law, Université Libre de Bruxelles.
Master of Arts in History, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
Researcher at UC Berkeley and Université Libre de Bruxelles (on media law and copyright law)