The Legal 500

Joost Everaert’s team at Allen & Overy LLP assists a blue-chip clientele facing criminal proceedings. Everaert advised Citibank, the defendant in a criminal trial, concerning the ultimately worthless sales of structured notes, issued by Lehman Brothers to 4,000 retail customers, originally worth €132m, illustrating the high-profile context of his criminal work, and ability in demanding and extensive proceedings over a six month trial.

DLA Piper’s fraud team is defined by both experienced advocacy, and detailed forensic skill. Pierre Van Ommeslaghe’s skill as an advocate at all tribunals, including the Supreme Court, comes with an impressive track record in acting for financial sector clients, including insurance companies, on corporate fraud matters; Christine Van Buggenhout’s ability is noted by her peers.

Eubelius’ Raf Verstraeten leads the white-collar crime practice, notable for the breadth of work received. With strong links to Belgian regional and state institutions and complementing a mainly corporate client base (including household name privately-owned firms), the team’s experience ranges from public law criminal offences, such as tax and customs fraud, to financial services crimes. Both corporate criminal liability and high-profile individual instructions are handled.

Linklaters has seen an increase in white-collar cases, linked to related commercial disputes. The team’s caseload of criminal allegations of complex tax fraud has also grown, with Johan Verbist and Françoise Lefèvre well placed to assist. Multijurisdictional advice in relation to alleged employee misconduct, potentially costing $200m, was an advisory highlight.

Monard – D’Hulst’s experience in tax fraud cases is personified by Christiaan Barbier, whose clients included company directors of a foreign bank accused of fraud over back-to-back loans. He also represented the director of a transport company in proceedings regarding alleged fictitious invoicing worth €50m. Frédéric Lettany is also recommended.

Stibbe’s Hans Van Bavel is ‘well regarded in this field’. Aligned to a broad sectoral experience across the pharmaceutical, finance and insurance fields, his strong trial lawyering skills extend to appellate litigation before the Supreme Court. His work for ABN AMRO, following criminal proceedings over a bank robbery involving €25m of diamonds, is indicative of a high standard of instruction.

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Emmanuel Roger France skills extend to representing Belgian corporates across a number of industries, including banking, aviation, pensions, and real estate; specific assistance included advising on VAT fraud, money laundering and criminal trial proceedings.

Hanotiau & van den Berg’s expertise extends to appellate litigation, including to Supreme Court level, thanks to Paul Lefebvre’s membership of the court’s Bar. Bernard Hanotiau is recognised for his international connections spanning several jurisdictions; a growing associate base provides support.

Laga’s Jürgen Egger handled director-level advice in relation to possible market abuse cases, and the team secured appellate victories for clients accused of tax fraud and forgery, including at Supreme Court level. Laga’s experience has assisted clients in the building, professional services, legal and financial sectors. Johan Speeke is also recommended.

Whilst Lydian’s ability in director liability cases is well known, the team’s forensic abilities extend to sequential, civil, criminal and employment cases where employee embezzlement and criminal fraud are all involved. Jan Hofkens has experience, whilst Hugo Keulers’ fraud practice saw instructions from AIG in relation to motor insurance fraud.

Simont Braun’s white-collar crime work is focused around Jean-François Terlinden’s experience in economic crime, both for individual director’s liability cases, and also on corporate criminal liability issues. Tax fraud, insider trading and market abuse cases are all handled.

Verhaegen Walravens represented one of the defendants in appellate criminal proceedings, in the Lernout & Hauspie case, putting forward a persuasive mitigation of sentence, whilst also enabling the acquittal of a managing director of a large construction company against charges of corruption. Philippe Walravens, Jean Pierre Renard and Emmanuel Szafran are all recommended.