Denis Philippe

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Leaders in Law endorses Denis Philippe as our exclusively recommended Arbitration expert in the Belgium. If you wish to get in touch with Denis, please use the contact information provided above.

Denis is one of the founding partners of Philippe & Partners. He has extensive experience in arbitration, banking and financial law, energy law, European law, insurance, torts and liabilities. He benefits from more than 30 years of professional experience in civil and commercial law and, more specifically, in drafting, reviewing and negotiating national and international contracts, as well as in transactions that include financing aspects.

From 1985 to 1998 Denis Philippe was partner at “Balon Buyle Maingain & Philippe” and from 1998 to 2000 he was partner at “Simonet, Kelder, Philippe, Domont, Lories & Mertens”. He is professor in banking and contract law at the University of Louvain and Paris and he is the author of various academic books, including a thesis on the change of circumstances in contract law and articles relating to privatisations. Denis has been appointed arbitrator by CEPANI and CCI and since 1960 he has been selected numerous times by the European Union to perform the function of expert for the implementation of European directives and for the approximation of legislation’s in Eastern European countries.

Denis Philippe is the current appointed arbitrator by the Arbitration Court of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce. He is also author of numerous publications on arbitration.

Practice Areas

  • Banking and financial law
  • Contracts and business relationships
  • Debt recovery
  • Energy
  • European, Chinese and competition law
  • Gaming and betting
  • Insurance and tort
  • Litigation, Arbitration & Mediation
  • Merger and acquisition, corporate and restructuring

Training

  • Licence en Droit, Université catholique de Louvain, magna cum laude, 1976
  • DESS en Droit européen, Université d’Utrecht, magna cum laude, 1977
  • Licence en Sciences économiques, Université catholique de Louvain, magna cum laude, 1978
  • Docteur en droit, Université catholique de Louvain, summa cum laude, 1983

Languages

  • English
  • French
  • Dutch
  • German
  • Italian
  • Luxembourgish
  • Slovak
  • Spanish

Firm Description:

What motivates us?

We are convinced that priority must be given to innovation as a source of progress.

Our action is therefore guided by a core value, a value reflecting a lawyer’s social role: the success of your projects.

How do we work?

Above all, we seek to understand you and your business.

This is why we do not see a lawyer’s role solely as describing legal rules, but much more as coming up with pragmatic yet legally sound solutions tailored to ensure the successful realisation of your projects. As many of us have worked within your companies (outsourcing/outplacement), we understand “how you tick”.

Anticipating legal developments helps ensure the long-term accuracy of legal solutions. This is the reason why our firm is made up of specialised lawyers. It has very close links with the academic world, and a number of our lawyers take on teaching assignments in the main Belgian universities and certain European ones.

Our firm has branches in several countries and our lawyers are multilingual. We have also developed, over time, privileged partnerships with international lawyer networks sharing our humanist values, allowing us to support your projects throughout the world.

Our firm is completely independent, has a human size and is guided by an irreproachable professional ethic.

Attentive to the sound financial management of our firm, we offer particularly attractive fees.

 

Joost Peeters

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Leaders in Law endorses Joost Peeters as our exclusively recommended Debt Collection Law Law expert in Belgium. If you wish to get in touch with Joost, please use the contact information provided above.

Joost, co-founder and partner of STUDIO | LEGALE started his Law Studies at the University of Antwerp (UA) and graduated via the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) from the University of Rome (LUISS Guido Carli, Italy) prior to being called to the Bar of Antwerp in 2001.

He is specialised in Insurance Law, Company Law (legal assistance in various takeovers and share transfers), Business Law, (Commercial) Tenancy Law, Contract Law, and Traffic Law.

He is liquidator in bankruptcy proceedings and he assist companies that are in difficulties (mainly in cases governed by the Belgian Continuity of Enterprises Act). He was sworn in as Deputy Justice of the Peace in Antwerp and is also a Legal Assessor for the Belgian Architects’ Association and Administrator. Joost is holder of the Special Training Certificate for Belgian Criminal Cassation Proceedings.

He recently obtained the DPO (Data Protection Officer) Degree concerning the new GDPR at the esteemed DPI (Data Protection Institute).

Firm Overview:

STUDIO | LEGALE was founded in 2009 and is a young and dynamic law firm with a single objective: to assist you quickly and pragmatically in your legal affairs.

STUDIO | LEGALE asserts itself in being a LEGAL ONE STOP SHOP. As it is very rare that in one case only one legal domain is concerned, STUDIO | LEGALE has the broad spectrum of expertise to truly be a full service law firm.

Through the membership of various international networks, this is even the case in cross-border matters. The service and assistance of STUDIO | LEGALE in the area of debt collection goes from the first demand for payment to the enforcement of positive judgments.

STUDIO | LEGALE represents very diverse clients: private individuals, SMEs, real estate giants and multinationals. Our office also assists governments, autonomous municipal enterprises, water companies and investment firms.

STUDIO | LEGALE has extensive expertise in many legal areas. Last year alone, STUDIO | LEGALE successfully assisted in numerous M&A deals.

STUDIO | LEGALE furthermore is very experienced in insurance law. Not only is Joost Peeters the lawyer of various Belgian insurance companies, he also delivers advice and assists the insured in and out of court proceedings.

Advisory Excellence Appoints Joost Peeters and STUDIO | LEGALE in Belgium (streetinsider.com)

Koen De Puydt

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Koen De Puydt heads the business law and public law department and is responsible for all real Estate / construction Law and intellectual property matters.

Koen DE PUYDT graduated in 1998 as a degree in Communication Sciences (VUB), while he worked for the independent music magazine RifRaf as a journalist. After his studies, he continued his career as a music journalist with De Standaard and Studio Brussel . At the same time he obtained his Licentiate Degree in Law, specializing in Public Law at the VUB (2002). In 2009 he obtained a Master in Business Law at the University of Antwerp.

In 2002, Koen joined a Brussels niche firm specializing in Administrative Law (urban planning and environmental law, expropriations, government contracts, and protection legislation). In the meantime he remained responsible at De Puydt van Caluwelaert for the files relating to commercial law and intellectual property law.

Two years later, Koen started working full-time at the Puydt van Cauwelaert. He was responsible for matters relating to urban planning and environmental law, real estate law, government contracts, contracting law, business law, corporate law and intellectual property law. He also publishes on these matters.

In 2010 the Puydt van Chauwelaert and GD & A Advocaten merged. Koen de Puydt, as partner, headed the Real Estate / Construction Law and Corporate Law units.

Since 2002 he has been lecturer “Contracts, Assignments and Mandates” at Syntra Brussels in the vocational training for real estate agents. In the course for Real Estate Experts, Koen lesson on construction law. He is the initiator of the Property Codex , a collection of legal texts tailored to the real estate professional. The codex is used throughout Flanders in the vocational training of the real estate agents within Syntra.

In August 2012, Koen co-founded the law firm ORYS. In April 2019, Koen together with Leo Peeters of Peeters Law have decided to set up a new law firm under the name of “Seeds of Law”. 

Koen developed a business pack. This pack allows companies to engage in legal aid without losing control of the cost of this assistance. You pay a fixed rate and enjoy numerous benefits, such as free first-line assistance, free credit management and conducting certain procedures at flat-rate prices.

Publications

Koen DE PUYDT, Ulrike BEUSELINCK en Stéphane DE KEYZER, Nieuwe woninghuur in Vlaanderen en Brussel: uw 60 antwoorden, Intersentia, 2019, 187 p.

Koen DE PUYDT, Marc LOYENS, Julie LAUWERS en Stéphane DE KEYZER, Vastgoedcodex 2018-2019, Mijnwetboek.be, 2018, (volledige editie).

Stéphane DE KEYZER en Koen DE PUYDT, “Le pouvoir discrétionnaire de l’administration. Une mise à l’épreuve en marchés publics”, Jaarboek overheidsopdrachten/ Chronique des marchés publics 2017-2018, Brussel, EBP Publishers, 2018, pp. 467-495.

Koen DE PUYDT, Marc LOYENS, Julie LAUWERS en Guy BAELDE, Stéphane DE KEYZER, Vastgoedcodex 2017-2018, Mijnwetboek.be, 2017, (volledige editie).

Stéphane DE KEYZER en Koen DE PUYDT, “Des standards privés en marchés publics. La normalisation en droit de la passation et en procédure d’exécution des marchés”, Jaarboek overheidsopdrachten/ Chronique des marchés publics 2015-2016, Brussel, EBP Publishers, 2016, pp. 753-772.

Koen DE PUYDT, Marc LOYENS, Julie LAUWERS en Guy BAELDE, Stéphane DE KEYZER, Vastgoedcodex 2016-2017, Mijnwetboek.be, 2016, achtste editie.

Stéphane DE KEYZER en Koen DE PUYDT, “Des droits de propriété intellectuelle en marchés publics“, Jaarboek Overheidsopdrachten/ Chronique des marchés publics 2014-2015, Brussel, EBP Publishers, 2015, pp. 699-712.

Koen DE PUYDT, Marc LOYENS, Julie LAUWERS en Guy BAELDE, Vastgoedcodex 2015-2016, Mijnwetboek.be, 2015, zevende editie (1ste, 2de jaar en volledige editie).

Bert KELCHTERMANS, Koen DE PUYDT en Stéphane DE KEYZER “ Enkele van de meest in het oog springende nieuwigheden met betrekking tot wijzigingen, herzieningen en onvoorziene omstandigheden in de uitvoeringsfase van overheidsopdracht“, Jaarboek Overheidsopdrachten/ Chronique des marchés publics 2013-2014, Brussel, EBP Publishers, 2014, pp. 951-965.

Koen DE PUYDT, Marc LOYENS, Julie LAUWERS en Guy BAELDE, Vastgoedcodex 2013-2014, Mijnwetboek.be, 2013, zesde editie (1ste, 2de jaar en volledige editie).

Koen DE PUYDT en Sofie ALBERT, “Schorsingsprocedure bij uiterst dringende noodzakelijkheid – Betichting van valsheid – Vertrouwelijke stukken”, noot onder arrest RvS van 23 augustus 2011, nr. 214.846,  T. Aann. 2013/2, 167-177

Koen DE PUYDT en Ulrike BEUSELINCK, “Verrijking zonder oorzaak – geval van zeldzame toepassing in het kader van overheidsopdrachten”, noot bij RB Dendermonde, 18 december 2009, T.ann. 2013, afl. 1, 75-83.

Koen DE PUYDT, Marc LOYENS en Julie LAUWERS, Vastgoedcodex 2012-2013, Mijnwetboek.be, 2012, 638 p., vijfde editie.

Raoul M. DE PUYDT, Deontologie van de Vlaamse advocaat, Intersentia, 2009, 263 p., zesde bijgewerkte en herziene editie.

Raoul M. DE PUYDT, “Overzicht van rechtspraak: Professioneel recht Vlaamse advocatuur (1987-2007)”, In: T.P.R. 2007, nr. 3, Kluwer, pp. 1733-1816.

Jan GHYSELS en Koen DE PUYDT, Parlementair Ontleed: Het Milieuvergunningsdecreet: Het basisdecreet, Uitgeverij Intersentia, Nov. 2004, 603 p.

Jan GHYSELS en Koen DE PUYDT, Parlementair Ontleed: Het Milieuvergunningsdecreet: De wijzigingsdecreten, Uitgeverij Intersentia, Maart 2005, 789 p.

Philippe Peters

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Philippe Péters specialises in intellectual property and information technology. He has significant experience in trademark, copyright, patent, IT and commercial litigation. He is also active in drafting and negotiating contracts in these areas of law. Philippe has represented Unilever, The Scotch Whisky Association, GlaxoSmithKline, Warner Bros, Nestlé,Henkel, Coca Cola, L’Oréal, Balterio, NOS, among others.

Philippe graduated from the University of Leuven (KUL) in 1980. He was called to the Brussels Bar that same year. In 1985, he worked in the telecommunications department of a large New York law firm for six months.

Philippe joined NautaDutilh as a partner in 1994. He currently heads the IP/ICT practice in Brussels. Philippe is a member of various international IP associations and a former president of both the Belgian Computer Law Association and the Standing Committee on Intellectual Property and New Technologies of the Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats.

Philippe taught IT law at the Haute Ecole Commerciale Saint-Louis for eight years and has been a deputy judge in Brussels since 1988. He is the co-author of a textbook and has published various articles on computer law.

IP Law Practice:

Marketing, know-how and innovation have become determining factors for a company’s success. Protecting and maintaining intellectual property (IP) is essential. For many companies, success and growth may be dependant on their intellectual property and innovation strategy.

Our Intellectual Property team works nationally and internationally, both at a Benelux and a European level. We work together with the global specialists in our network, which spans Europe, the U.S. and Asia. We frequently represent clients in the national courts in the Benelux and at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. We apply customs and excise litigation procedures in order to prevent the importation of infringing goods.

NautaDutilh works for a wide range of corporations and institutions in many sectors. Our spectrum of clients ranges from leading multinationals to innovative start-ups, covering such areas as consumer goods (e.g. luxury articles, fashion and food & drink) and the life sciences industry (e.g. medicines, medical aids, biotechnical products and healthcare). In addition, NautaDutilh is very active in the telecom, electronics and entertainment sectors.

NautaDutilh:

Meeting the legal challenges of our clients and contributing to the success of their business is our primary purpose. We do this by not only providing top legal advice and excellent services, but by focussing on their specific needs, communicating openly and being approachable.

For our clients, we continuously keep our knowledge of their markets and sectors up-to-date. We are therefore able to oversee new developments and their legal impact rapidly. Our multidisciplinary teams combine sector knowledge with the highest level of legal expertise. Because our portfolio of services is unsurpassed in its breadth and depth, we offer business solutions to every legal challenge. We value the partnerships we have with our clients, some of which have existed for more than 100 years.

We are one of the largest, independent and international law firms in Europe and firmly rooted in the jurisdictions of Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. Thanks to our close and long-standing relationships with other leading law firms around the globe, we always have the most qualified lawyers at hand.

Daniël Van der Mosen

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Leaders in Law endorses Daniël Van der Mosen as our exclusively recommended Banking & Finance Law expert in Belgium. If you wish to get in touch with Daniël please use the contact information provided above.

Daniel obtained his Law Degree at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in 1983 and in 1995 a degree in Corporate Finance, Department of Applied Economics at the same university; he is registered with the Brussels Bar since 1983.

Daniel Van der Mosen specializes in banking & finance.

Whether companies are facing litigation or setting up transactions, his main focus is to assist clients from a risk management perspective with the design and the implementation of a comprehensive cost-efficient strategy with the goal to achieve the client’s targets in the most optimal way. His approach is hands-on, based on an in-depth understanding of the client’s needs.

While working with major Belgian, Dutch, German, French and US banks and financial institutions, Daniel gained a vast experience with litigation and transactional work in banking and financial matters e.g. company loan restructuring, payment systems, clearing and settlement, documentary credits, standby letters of credit, asset based finance including leasing and factoring, conflicts with other banks concerning insolvency, litigation concerning private banking and stock exchange transactions.

Daniel has a significant track record in transactional work involving corporate and structured finance, including M&A, joint ventures, venture capital, project financing, private and retail banking.

During almost 20 years, Daniel gained substantial management expertise: he has been a member of the board of Philippe & Partners, buyle legal and Law Europe International. He actually is the managing partner of buyle legal and he served as the chairman of Law Europe International during almost 10 years.

As a Dutch native speaker, he is also fluent in English, French and German.

Firm Description

Our law firm provides a quality service to private and public enterprises, to traders and to individuals.

We offer more than just an expertise focused solely on legal aspects. Throughout the management of a case we combine rigour with a pragmatic approach.

Our first priority is to meet our clients’ expectations and help them take the best decisions and make cost efficient choices.

We consider our practice as an art, driven by imagination, experience and rigour. The Art of Law is our motto.

 

Lieven Peeters

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Lieven Peeters is a renowned expert in the field of real estate and construction. He has a deep knowledge of contracts law and general commercial law.

Lieven advises his clients in all aspects of complex real estate transactions, including: the structuring of real estate projects; real estate M&A; sale-and-leaseback transactions; joint ventures; leasing; split structures. Lieven has advised on various major transactions in the Belgian market involving: large shopping centres and several logistic centres; office buildings; commercial properties; large inner-city (re-)developments; and on other real estate niche products (including senior citizens’ housing and mixed-use projects).

Lieven has been recently appointed Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), the world’s leading professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property, infrastructure and construction. He is also a member of the Professional Association of the Real Estate Sector (BVS – UPSI); the Belgium-Luxembourg Council for Shopping Centres (BLSC); the Belgian Association for Construction Law (BVBR – ABDC); and the International Bar Association. He is a speaker at various seminars and conferences.

Clients point to his “technical knowledge and practical experience” as notable strengths and also praise his negotiation skills. – Chambers Europe, 2018

“The ‘smart and responsive’ Lieven Peeters heads the group at ALTIUS which is ‘outstanding in the field’, ‘dedicated’ and shows ‘very good industry knowledge'” – Legal 500, 2016

“Lieven Peeters of ALTIUS is very pleasant to work with and takes an excellent, no-nonsense approach.” – Chambers Europe, 2014

Winner of the ILO Client Choice Award – Real Estate Belgium in 2015, 2012 and 2011.

Firm Overview:

We are an independent full-service Belgian law firm with an international focus. Our teams are all hands-on, thorough and approachable.

We have a collective drive for excellence and innovation in servicing your legal needs.

Feel free to contact us and find out. We would be pleased to meet you.

Annick Vroninks

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Leaders in Law endorses Annick Vroninks as our exclusively recommended Competition Law and EU Law expert in Belgium. If you wish to get in touch with Annick please use the contact information provided above.

Annick is a partner in the Competition and EU law department in Brussels. 

She has a broad experience in all areas of competition law.

Annick acted in a number of high-profile cartel and abuse cases before the Competition Authorities in Belgium and the EU and built up a particular expertise in defending dominant companies in different industries.

Annick also represents clients before the Belgian and European Courts in contentious competition law related cases.

In addition, she advises a wide variety of mainly industrial clients on EU and Belgian merger control matters and has inter alia been involved in a large number of energy related mergers (including second phase).

Annick handled competition law cases and advised on compliance with competition law in a broad range of industry sectors such as energy, consumer goods, retail, waste, cement, packaging, etc.

Annick is a Belgian advocaat/avocat and a member of the Brussels Bar. She is fluent in Dutch, French and English.

Annick is ranked by Chambers and Legal 500. Recent client quotes include:

“She has a combination of legal understanding and a willingness to go a step further in terms of understanding the economic and business issues and how business functions”. CHAMBERS – BELGIUM – COMPETITION – 2018.

“Her personal involvement in the matters, her efficiency and her very practical approach”. CHAMBERS – BELGIUM – COMPETITION – 2017.

 

Xavier Dieux

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Xavier Dieux is a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department and in the Litigation Department. His practice areas includes public offerings (including TOB), capital market operations and regulation, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance and financial regulation, as well as litigation in all areas of financial, corporate, commercial and contract law. As to his litigation practice, Xavier is also frequently appointed as arbitrator with respect to international or domestic proceedings. He practices in French and in English.

Chambers has been ranking Xavier as a leading individual for the last 16 years.

Recognition, Honors & Awards

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP:

Located in key business centers throughout the world, Willkie is comprised of the best local market talent in shared strategic areas of practice.  Our firm’s areas of concentration and services are aligned to ensure high quality and consistently responsive counsel across our international network of offices.  Our continuous focus on the synergies within our firm is supported by a firm culture that values collaboration and cooperation.

Willkie’s international experience – including the representation of U.S. and international corporations and investment banking clients in mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, joint ventures, and private equity transactions – is both deep and broad.  Our ability to negotiate and close deals, coupled with in-depth knowledge of a region’s particular rules and regulations, financial and political regimes, and customs and culture ensures that clients seeking to conduct cross border business get the maximum benefit from our experience.

 

Yves Lecot

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Yves was a past member of the Accountancy committee and held the position in 2014.

Yves Lecot –  Practice Areas Include:

  • Asset Finance;
  • Audit Services;
  • Business Advisory Services;
  • Company Formation;
  • Company Law;
  • Compliance;
  • Corporate Finance;
  • Debt Restructuring;
  • Employment Law;
  • Financial Accounting Law;
  • Foreign Investment;
  • Inheritance Tax;
  • Mergers & Acquisitions;
  • Real Estate;
  • Tax Law;
  • Tax Planning;
  • Transfer Pricing;
  • VAT

Comptafid Benelux NV:

Comptafid Benelux NV is a Belgian company established in Brussels since 1978 and Antwerp since 1995. The company is mainly active in accountancy and tax advice (national and international). Additionally to its own services, Comptafid Benelux guides its clients to the different specialists on the Belgian market such as notary firms, law firms, insurance brokers, real estate and financial specialists, marketing and publicity firms, etc.

Comptafid Benelux NV services Belgian clients and the same time focuses on foreign clients for their Belgian as well as their international transactions. Located in the capital of Europe, Comptafid Benelux NV is committed to produce high quality work on a personal basis, delivered and aimed at practical solutions.

 

Chris Van Olmen

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Leaders in Law endorses Chris Van Olmen as our exclusively recommended Employment Law expert in Belgium. If you wish to get in touch with Chris, please use the contact information provided above.

Chris Van Olmen is founding partner of the law firm Van Olmen & Wynant and head of the employment law practice. He is also chairman of L&E Global, an integrated alliance of premier employment law boutique firms.

Chris covers all aspects of employment and industrial relations, including employment-related issues connected to reorganisation and restructuring processes, collective dismissals and closures and individual and collective employment disputes, including litigation for the Belgian Labour Courts. His clients include national and international companies and top executives.

Chris regularly writes and lectures on a variety of employment law topics. Most recently he contributed the Belgian Chapter in ‘Employment and Labour Law’, published in: The European Lawyer 2017, and ‘The Employment Law Review’, published in: Law Business Research 2017.

Chris is listed as a leading individual in The Legal 500 (2017), in Chambers Europe (2017), in The International Who’s Who of Management Labour & Employment Lawyers 2017 and in Best Lawyers (2017).

Chris has been a speaker or moderator at numerous national and international seminars and conferences such as the IBA Conferences in Rome (April 2015), Vienna (October 2015) and Mexico (April 2016), at seminars organised by the Institute of Company Lawyers (November 2016), at seminars organised by FEB (Federation of Enterprises in Belgium) (November 2015 and September 2016), and by the World Bank Group in Washington (December 2015).

Chris is National correspondent of “European Employment Law cases”.

Chris served as a member of the Brussels Bar Council, and is Board Member of the ‘Association for Social Law’. Since 1999, he has been lecturing on social law in the traineeship programme organised by the Brussels Bar.

Chris was Co-Chair of the IBA Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee in 2014-2015 and is now Vice Chair of the Global Employment Institute. Chris is also a member of EELA (European Employment Lawyers Association) and of the American Bar Association (Labour and Employment Law Section).

Employment Law Practice:

The employment practice is headed by Chris Van Olmen. Our client peer group is essentially composed of large and medium corporations. We also act for top executives.

Our attorneys cover the full spectrum of employment law:

  • Individual employment law, including employment agreements, service agreements, individual dismissals, self-employment and discrimination;
  • Collective labour law, including company restructuring, transfer of businesses, collective dismissals, outsourcing, collective bargaining agreements and complex employment issues connected with M&A;
  • Compensation and benefits, including executive remuneration and benefits and international compensations schemes;
  • International employment, including expatriation and secondments;
  • Social security;
  • Internal policies and codes of conduct.

We have a substantial litigation practice in these areas, before all Belgian labour courts.

Acting for the three largest public companies in Belgium, we have developed a specific expertise in civil servants law and litigation before the Belgian administrative courts, including the Raad van State / Conseil d’Etat.

Van Olmen & Wynant is one of the driving forces behind L&E Global, giving the firm a distinctive international dimension in employment law.

Van Olmen & Wynant:

Van Olmen & Wynant is an independent law firm offering quality services with a personal touch.

A dedicated team of experienced, multilingual professionals serves business clients in employment and corporate law. We have developed distinctive expertise in the areas of private equity and venture capital, and civil servants law.

We value empathy, trust and long-term, personal relationships. Our size matters, because it allows us to combine professionalism with a personal and pragmatic touch.

Based in Brussels, the firm enjoys outstanding international contacts and has developed close working relationships with high quality law firms across the globe.