The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP’s comprehensive and ‘very good’ practice recently represented the SAirGroup and SAirLines liquidator in a case concerning claims brought by the Belgian government and the Sabena trustee following the bankruptcy of the Belgian flag carrier in 2001. Practice head Koen Van den Broeck specialises in corporate and banking litigation and arbitration. Tom Schoors is ‘a very intelligent lawyer’, who shows ‘accuracy and strong analytical skills’ and has particular expertise in antitrust and insurance litigation.

Boutique law firm Hanotiau & van den Berg focuses on international arbitration, and is also able to handle domestic arbitration and litigation. Albert Jan van den Berg is highly regarded for arbitration and Niuscha Bassiri was promoted to the partnership in January 2012. The ‘impressive’ Paul Lefebvre is licensed to appear before the Belgian Supreme Court.

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is ‘one of the best firms’ in dispute resolution and is ‘excellent, timely, thorough and very good value for money’. The team acts for a range of domestic and international clients in litigation and arbitration in Belgium and abroad. Joe Sepulchre and practice head Hakim Boularbah are recommended.

Linklaters’ ‘excellent team gives ‘practical, sound advice’. The practice mainly focuses on representing financial institutions before Belgian courts and arbitration tribunals and clients include Deutsche Bank, Ernst & Young and KBC Bank. The team also handles regulatory investigations, commercial disputes and investment arbitration. Practice head Joost Verlinden is ‘very good’, and Stefaan Loosveld is ‘knowledgeable and responsive’.

Lydian’s ‘very good’ practice shows responsiveness and ‘industry knowledge’. Insurance law is an area of strength and, after successfully representing Dexia Insurance Belgium in a class action initiated by 37 French-speaking agents, is now assisting the client in settlement negotiations with more than 200 Dutch-speaking agents. Sandra Lodewijckx and practice head Hugo Keulers are recommended.

NautaDutilh provides ‘an excellent level of service’, ‘responsiveness and flexibility’. Stan Brijs heads the practice, which covers corporate and commercial litigation and arbitration for a growing client base. Sophie Jacmain is also recommended and of counsel Marc van der Haegen is highly regarded, particularly for his securities expertise.

Simont Braun has an emphasis on corporate, banking, finance, commercial, real estate, and IP or IT matters, and clients appreciate the high level of partner involvement. Paul-Alain Foriers heads the practice, which continued to defend various investment funds and companies in major litigation against the former companies of the Fortis Group. Foriers and Caroline De Baets are admitted to the Supreme Court Bar.

Stibbe’s substantial dispute resolution practice handles the breadth of litigation and arbitration cases, and Bruno Maes and Jachin Van Doninck recently won a groundbreaking libel case for Skepp as plaintiff before the Court of Cassation. The matter concerned freedom of speech in relation to the use of alternative medicine.

Eubelius’ ‘personable’ team shows ‘excellent client focus’, has a strong network of contacts and its broad-based practice spans litigation and arbitration. Véronique Pede, who focuses on IP and IT matters, is recommended for her presence and ability in court, and Ignace Claeys specialises in commercial and civil litigation.

Loyens & Loeff is ‘excellent in terms of responsiveness, business acumen and quality of advice’. The practice covers a range of practice areas but its core focuses are corporate, commercial, banking and finance cases, particularly in relation to the retail, pharmaceuticals, energy and automotive sectors. Practice co-heads Peter Callens and Martine De Roeck are highly regarded. Grégoire Jakhian is ‘practical and effective’, and Dirk Slagmolen is also recommended.

Van Bael & Bellis’ team is led by Catherine Longeval, whose practice focuses on pharmaceutical law, employment law, and unfair trade. Clients include Boehringer Ingelheim, Medgenix, Novartis Consumer Health, and Qualiphar. Martin Favart and Peter L’Ecluse, whose practice covers EU and Belgian litigation, are the other key names.

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s emerging commercial dispute resolution practice is headed by the ‘very experienced’ and ‘capable’ Nathalie Colin, who joined from Linklaters in 2011. Thierry Bosly is another key partner, with extensive experience in insolvency and related litigation.

The well-regarded team at Altius (in co-operation with Tiberghien) regularly represents the Brussels regional government in Belgian court cases. Practice head Christophe Ronse specialises in commercial and IP litigation, notably involving the life sciences. Commercial litigator Alexander Hansebout was made partner in 2012, bringing the partnership to five. Paul Maeyaert is recommended for his IP expertise, notably complex trade mark and patent litigation.

Baker & McKenzie handles commercial litigation and is very strong in IP matters. Koen De Winter successfully represented O2 in a trade mark infringement case against Vlaams Belang, a far-right Flemish nationalist political party, over the use of the O2 trade mark. Pierre Sculier is also recommended and has extensive experience in labour, commercial and IP litigation.

CMS’ practice is ‘really pleasant to work with’, and provides ‘great responsiveness and practical solutions.’ It covers the spectrum of commercial disputes with particular strength in IP litigation, for which Renaud Dupont is the name to note. Jean-François Goffin has extensive experience in shareholders’ disputes, ‘hands-on lawyer’ Tom Heremans is an ‘experienced’ litigator, and the ‘solution-oriented’ Cedric Guyot is also recommended.

Clifford Chance represented the Belgian state in Council of State proceedings brought by a number of associations seeking the annulment of the guarantee scheme awarded by the Belgian state to the shareholders of the ARCO Group, which is one of the main shareholders of Dexia SA. Key partner Sébastien Ryelandt is particularly strong in financial services disputes.

DLA Piper’s ‘consistently excellent’ team has ‘a client-oriented approach’. Jean-Michel Detry heads the practice, which handles commercial, administrative and public law litigation and international arbitration. The ‘experienced and extremely knowledgeable’ Christian Van Buggenhout is also recommended along with Ilse Van de Mierop and Pierre Van Ommeslaghe, who is one of the 20 lawyers admitted to the Belgian Supreme Court.

Janson Baugniet’s ‘excellent’ practice, which concentrates on commercial, banking and insolvency cases, has ‘profound industry knowledge’ and provides ‘outstanding value for money’. Dominique Blommaert, who shows ‘experience and vision’, and Cédric Alter represented the temporary receivers and, subsequently, the trustees of Brink’s Belgium in numerous litigations against other Brink’s companies. The ‘knowledgeable’ Didier Bracke is also recommended, as is associate Tamara Hoogstoel.

Sébastien Champagne heads Jones Day’s team in Belgium, and handles commercial, distribution, trade practice, antitrust, and telecoms-related disputes. Counsel Werner Derijcke has a practice spanning bankruptcy, insolvency, securities, corporate governance, financial services, and distribution disputes.

At Laga, Jürgen Egger led the team’s representation of the liquidators of Lehman Brothers in several court proceedings. Corporate lawyer Emmanuel Leroux, who is part of the commercial litigation team, was promoted to the partnership in 2012. The firm also has a solid tax litigation team, in which Luc De Broe, Annick Visschers and Johan Speecke are the names to note.

Monard – D'Hulst is ‘very well organised and professional’, and the majority of the firm’s lawyers have a contentious element to their practice. Greet Schreurs is recommended along with Ben Hermans, who has developed a strong arbitration practice.

Olislaegers & De Creus represents domestic and international clients in litigation, arbitration and mediation. Noteworthy work included successfully representing the Belgian subsidiary of a US-based multinational in a dispute with one of its main packaging services suppliers. The key lawyers are Frank Roose, Michael Olislaegers, Kristof De Creus and Dylan Casaer, who focuses on employment litigation.

Verhaegen Walravens’ advice is ‘concise and practical’. Philip Walravens is ‘a seasoned practitioner’ who has ‘earned the respect of both the Bench and Bar’. Walravens is representing Vandevelde, a listed Belgian company, in the Court of Appeal regarding KBC Bank’s sale of CDOs to Vandevelde, which became worthless following the financial crisis.

Ambos NBGO’s 11-partner practice gives ‘clear and precise advice’, and has ‘demonstrable knowledge’. ‘Efficient’ practice head Ingrid Van Clemen is expert in international trade and transport cases, and the ‘experienced’ Kathleen Paisley focuses on international arbitration. Wilfred Goris is ‘thorough and unflustered’.

Dispute resolution is a core practice at niche firm contrast, which handles disputes relating to unfair trade practises, IP, distribution law, and contracts. Senior counsel Luc Demeyere has ‘outstanding knowledge’ and is ‘a strategic player’.

Cruyplants Eloy Wagemans & Partners has extensive experience in mediation, arbitration and litigation at national and international level. Marc Wagemans is a former head of the Brussels Bar and is chairman of the Disciplinary Council of the Brussels Court of Appeal.

Eversheds’ Koen Devos handles contentious matters as part of a broader corporate and commercial practice.

Eric Cusas heads Field Fisher Waterhouse’s practice, which acts for clients in contentious matters across a range of sectors and has particular expertise in real estate and town planning disputes.

‘Very good firm’ Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer represented Brussels Airport Company in Council of State proceedings initiated by the regulator relating to the Secretary of State’s decision to fix the company’s tariffs. Chris Sunt is recommended.

Koan Legal Strategies’ 40-lawyer team represents international and domestic clients in arbitration and litigation.

Laurius advocaten has ‘profound industry knowledge’ and is ‘real value for money’ in litigation and mediation. Practice head Bert Luyten is ‘a particularly good litigator’ and ‘has the client’s best interests at heart’.

Marx, Van Ranst, Vermeersch & Partners’ key lawyers for dispute resolution are Herman Croux, who has extensive experience in IP and IT matters, and Jan Ravelingien.

Quinz has developed rapidly since its establishment in September 2011. The firm provides ‘top-quality legal advice’ and ‘unmatchable value for money’. Benoît Allemeersch is ‘a star in complex litigation and disputes’.