The Legal 500

DLA Piper’s sizeable team advises a broad spread of Belgian clients on environmental permits, waste regulation and litigation arising from land contamination. Bob Martens advises SITA on all of its environmental matters, including the implementation of the Waste Framework Directive, while Dominique Devos leads in contentious matters. The EC and Metso are also clients.

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s ‘very good’ team is ‘a standout’ for environmental advice: response times and knowledge are good and its ‘extraordinary network’ is a major asset to clients. Koen Van Maldegem advises on the use of biocides and other chemicals, and the team recently acted for a Spanish client to obtain a derogation to use a pesticide.

Hogan Lovells International LLP acts for a number of large technology firms on RoHS, packaging waste legislation and the shipment of hazardous waste. Jacqueline Mailly recently acted for an electronics manufacturer on EU eco-design rules and WEEE rules, and assisted a US conglomerate with its appeal against a European Chemicals Agency decision concerning chemicals registration.

Hunton & Williams LLP acts for clients across the defence, packaging and electronics industries. Practice head Lucas Bergkamp acted for Electronic Industries Alliance on environmental regulations pertaining to electronic products across EU member states, and also advised Natural Resource Damage Group on its involvement in a public consultation process. The Conference Board and MeadWestvaco are also clients.

Sidley Austin LLP has vast experience in handling risk management issues pertaining to climate change, eco-design and the production of nanomaterials. The team acts for various clients in the nickel industry, including Umicore and The Nickel Institute. Kristina Nordlander recently represented Rio Tinto Minerals before the European courts in a case concerning classification under the EU Dangerous Substances Directive and the CLP Regulation.

Steptoe & Johnson LLP provides ‘practical advice and solutions’ that go beyond the black letter law. Areas of specialism include waste regulation, environmental remediation and the new EU rules concerning environmental labelling of tyres. Darren Abrahams and the ‘knowledgeable’ Anna Gergely have practices spanning advisory and contentious work, and recently represented a chemicals company in litigation against environmental NGOs.

Stibbe represents architects, developers, environmental groups and public bodies, and is active across the entire Benelux region. Practice head Jan Bouckaert advised the Flemish Region in proceedings initiated by the EC at the European Court of Justice concerning the treatment of urban wastewater.

Van Bael & Bellis advises many large European clients, including Canon Europe, on the implementation of WEEE and RoHS directives as well as eco-design and battery waste regulations. The group receives a steady flow of instructions from Asian industry groups, including Japanese Business Council Europe and Japan Machinery Center for Trade and Investment.

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s ‘entire Brussels team is extremely competent’, and ‘service is excellent’. Practice head Jacquelyn MacLennan advises various manufacturers on renewable energy and climate change legislation, and David Strelzyk-Herzog shows ‘an in-depth understanding of environmental regulations as they apply to the consumer electronics industry’.