The Legal 500

‘In a league of its own’, labour and employment specialist Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris is ‘undoubtedly number one’ when it comes to matters concerning human resources and personnel policy. This six-office firm is well equipped to deal with all facets of employment law, including pensions, immigration, data protection and unfair competition. Pensions expert An Van Damme, Olivier Wouters, and Chris Engels, who specialises in dismissal law, are recommended.

Pieter De Koster heads Allen & Overy LLP’s Belgian employment and benefits group as well as the employment practice globally; De Koster handles various employee benefits issues, labour matters, restructuring issues and outsourcing transactions. The team, which provides ‘excellent service’, was elected to General Electric’s Europe-wide panel of law firms; and advised other new clients G4S Security Services and Bank van Breda on outsourcing issues and employee benefits arrangements, respectively.

‘One of the best for employment matters’, Baker & McKenzie is ‘committed to its clients’ and gives ‘pragmatic and legally impeccable advice’. The ‘solutions-oriented’ François Gabriel heads the group, which recently advised Western Union Financial Services on restructuring its Belgian activities and consequently reducing the workforce. Nancy Luyten is ‘an expert in her domain’, and Jozef Slootmans has ‘very good know-how’.

At Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick, the advice is ‘always technically accurate and commercial, and the individuals not only understand the law but also what their client wants to achieve’. The group advises several large multinational companies on employment, pensions, immigration and social security law, and is handling a number of restructurings in the energy, chemicals and telecoms sectors. Practice head Vincent Busschaert and Aimery de Schoutheete are recommended.

Linklaters’ employment practice covers mass-dismissal projects, disputes, pensions, and general advisory work for clients such as Holiday Inn, Renault and ArcelorMittal. In 2011, it advised Johnson Controls Automotive on a complex reorganisation involving union negotiations, transfer of undertaking, relocation options and a collective dismissal process. Practice head Luc Vanaverbeke is the key contact.

Loyens & Loeff’s employment team is characterised by its ‘excellent industry knowledge and value for money’. Christian Willems, who has over 20 years’ experience, recently advised Kerry Group on the closure of its production department, which involved negotiations on the economics of the restructuring, as well as the social plan. Jean-Louis Davain is recommended for domestic and international human resources tax planning, and Filip Saelens is also a noteworthy contact.

Lydian’s employment team is valued for its ‘in-depth knowledge and practical advice’. Recent work includes a restructuring and outsourcing matter for Thomas Cook; a serious employee fraud case for Wolters Kluwer; and a project merging British American Tobacco’s Benelux operations. Managing partner Jan Hofkens, who leads the three-partner employment, pensions and benefits practice, is ‘extremely driven and responsive’, and has almost two decades’ experience acting for companies and executives in employment matters. Pensions team head Alexander Vandenbergen is also an active figure in the practice.

Stibbe’s employment group has a strong position in the market, and a top reputation for pensions law, an area where Corinne Merla is an ‘expert’; she has a ‘great view of the market and is a pleasure to work with’. Another niche is in sports-related employment matters, where Elisabeth Matthys is the resident expert. Matthys recently advised The Royal Belgian Football Association on a compensation claim following a breach of contract by the head coach of the Belgian national football team. Jean-Philippe Cordier heads the practice.

Van Eeckhoutte, Taquet & Clesse specialises in employment, labour and security law. The team – which operates from offices in Brussels, Ghent and Liège – assists individuals and organisations across the spectrum of employment law, both contentious and non-contentious. Willy van Eeckhoutte is particularly experienced in employment litigation and is a member of the Belgian Supreme Court.

Altius (in co-operation with Tiberghien) gives ‘top-notch advice and has a very good understanding of the business issues’, and ‘clearly implements a “customer-first” approach’. The team handles all types of employment law issues, including pensions, health and safety, and data protection, and has a niche sports practice. Sylvie Dubois and newly promoted partner Sven Demeulemeester are recommended. Philippe De Wulf and senior associate Stefaan Diels joined from Taylor Wessing in 2011.

Practice head Michaël De Leersnyder and managing partner Stanislas van Wassenhove are the key figures in CMS DeBacker’s ‘very good’ employment team; both have a strong focus on collective labour law. Also recommended, Jef Degrauwe advised Crédit Agricole on employment aspects of its acquisition of Centea Bank, a fully owned subsidiary of KBC Group, which involved due diligence and assisting with integration.

DLA Piper’s team has been busy handling numerous restructurings and has become increasingly active in the pensions and benefits sphere. Eddy Lievens leads the team, and works closely with Damien Stas De Richelle, who specialises in public sector labour relations.

Field Fisher Waterhouse benefited substantially from the recruitment of Stefan Nerinckx, who ‘always provides very prompt and appropriate answers; simply, he is a lawyer who can be trusted’. Nerinckx joined with three associates from Laga, doubling the department’s capacity and increasing its expertise in international mobility. Olivier Rijckaert co-heads the team with Nerinckx. Clients include Ericsson, Aldi and The Ministry of Social Security.

Laga recruited Karin Rasschaert plus a senior and junior associate from Monard – D’Hulst after Stefan Nerinckx joined Field Fisher Waterhouse and Erwin Vandervelde moved to Deloitte. The team is appreciated for its professionalism, accessibility and agility across a range of employment mandates; it has a focus on representing public companies and was selected to represent the City of Antwerp in all its employment files for a two-year period. Nicolas Vermandel and counsel Sofie Bontinck are also recommended.

When it comes to speed, professionalism and knowledge, NautaDutilh is ‘the top in Belgium’; ‘there is great communication between team members and the firm delivers a high-quality service’. This comprehensive employment practice represents clients such as FedEx, AstraZeneca and UBS Belgium on matters including data protection and tax-related issues. Practice head Philippe François is recommended for his solutions-oriented approach.

Reliance Advocaten’s employment, pensions and tax specialists are praised for their ‘excellent knowledge, business-oriented approach and competitive rates’. Co-founders Edward Carlier and Koen De Bisschop are ‘particularly outstanding lawyers, who deliver exactly the advice clients look for’. Recent work includes acting for Continental Airlines in a dispute relating to the restructuring of its Belgian operations.

Employment specialist firm Van Olmen & Wynant is recommended for its ‘client-oriented approach and excellent value for money’. While it is skilled in all aspects of employment law, it also has niche expertise in civil servants law and represents some of the largest local public companies, including Belgacom, bpost and SNCB Holding. Chris Van Olmen is highly regarded.

Ambos NBGO’s lawyers are ‘responsive, inquisitive and persistent in looking at all potential options for a favourable conclusion’. The department’s expertise includes advice on social security, benefits and pensions. The firm mainly represents mainly large corporate employers, including Expedia and Pfizer. Carl Bevernage and Johan Kerremans co-head the team.

De Wolf & Partners’ employment group is centred on Thierry Viérin, who has experience in transfer of undertakings, HR aspects of outsourcing deals, business immigration, and restructuring including collective layoffs. In 2011, the firm advised Xerox in Belgium on a layoff involving 20 employees, and advised WABCO on various issues, including matters relating to its European Works Council.

Eubelius has acted in a number of contentious employment cases recently, representing clients such as The Federal Ministry of Work and The Federal Ministry of Social Security. On the advisory side, the team acts for Infrabel and NMBS Holding on matters relating to wellbeing in the work place. Véronique Pertry is the key contact.

Eversheds’ ‘very accessible’ employment group is headed by the ‘straightforward and intelligent’ Stefan Corbanie, who shows cultural awareness and is adept at handling complex negotiations and company restructurings; he is also a deputy judge in the Labour Tribunal of Brussels. Senior associate Sylvie Cousin is recommended for compensation, benefits, and pensions advice.

Axel Haelterman and principal associate Julie Pankert are Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s main contacts for employment law. Recent work includes advising AstraZeneca on high-level expatriate contracts. BNP Paribas Fortis, BT and Arlington Medical International are also clients.

Jones Day ‘always delivers a prompt and efficient service’ when it comes to employment law. Clients include Alstom and MasterCard. Practice head Chantal Biernaux is ‘very good at putting points across in a commercial context’, and has vast experience in labour law and particular knowledge of occupational pension schemes.

Lorenz fields ‘top lawyers’, who have ‘impressive backgrounds but are still down-to-earth and accessible’. Practice head Bert Theeuwes provides ‘excellent service and practical insights’, and is competent in all aspects of employment law, including benefits and pensions. The firm recently welcomed employment litigator and sports law expert Sébastien Ledure to the team.

Marx, Van Ranst, Vermeersch & Partners’ clients include Intel Europe, Aldi and the Flemish government. The team has handled a number of collective dismissals, outsourcings and remuneration plans recently. Practice head Bruno Blanpain is an expert in restructurings and diversity matters.

Monard – D’Hulst’s ‘experience and knowledge of employment law is just great’. Piet Carlier recently advised the employer’s federation VOKA on establishing a protocol for employers on dealing with industrial action, which is an area of expertise for the firm. Karin Rasschaert joined Laga.

Van Bael & Bellis is representing MPS Group International (now part of Adecco) in a case bought by former employees claiming constructive or abusive dismissal. Clients also include Hyundai, Red Commerce and Deli XL. Practice head Catherine Longeval specialises in litigation concerning collective and individual employment law.