From 1996 to 2001, Johan KAES studied law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, with a specialization in economic law. Intrigued by the role of artistic and innovative creativity he commenced working as a legal advisor for the Belgian division of Europe's leading Intellectual Property Company Novagraaf. Here he handled the IP portfolios of several multinational companies, developing a specialization in trademarks and patents.

In 2002 he returned to the VUB to start working as a researcher for the Institute for European Studies (IES) on a project on “Access to Information”. Within this research he can connect his specializations in International Economic Law and Intellectual Property matters to a personal interest in the effects of globalization on international social, political and legal structures.

In 2003 Johan Kaes finished a Master in Intellectual Property law at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIR) in Brussels, with a paper on the WTO and Transfer of Technology. Since 2003 Johan Kaes also serves as a member of ECOR, the Centre for Economic law of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Currently he is finishing a Phd., which focuses on searching for the justifications for modern Intellectual Property rights/policies and the effects of these on the global access to information.

Articles

Johan KAES, ‘RTL-Tvi' (noot onder R.v.St. 5 december 2001), Mensenrechten, Jaarboek van het Interuniversitair Centrum Mensenrechten 2001-2002, Antwerpen, Maklu, 2002, p. 300.

Johan KAES, ‘International Patentability of Software: Trading with Standards' in B. DE SCHUTTER, J. PAS (eds), About Globalisation: views of the trajectory of mondialisation, Institute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB Brussels University Press, p. 137.

Conference Papers

Johan KAES, “Protection of Technology within a Globalized Market”, paper presented at Social and Legal Science Association (SLSA), Annual Conference, University of Glasgow, April 7th 2004.

Johan KAES, “Het gebruik van auteursrechtelijk beschermde werken door een onderneming”, paper presented at ECOR, Permanente Vorming, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, October 14 th 2004.