The Legal 500

Appreciated for its ‘in-depth knowledge’ and team stability, Allen & Overy LLP’s three-partner practice recently advised Telenet on its successful bid for the fourth 3G licence, as well as on its joint venture with cable operator Tecteo, to introduce a 3G mobile platform in Belgium. Tom De Cordier, who was promoted to counsel in May 2011, ‘follows the sector very closely and informs clients on the way that issues could impact a business’.

Benoit Van Asbroeck leads Bird & Bird’s media and entertainment group, which recently advised Belgacom and Scarlet in a case relating to internet service providers’ secondary liability in the context of peer-to-peer data exchange. The team is advising new client Universal Pictures on collective management and labelling issues.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP’s ‘absolutely top-rate’ group advises prestigious clients including Google, News Corp and Sky Italia on M&A, capital markets and antitrust matters. Recent highlights include representing Universal Pictures in a competition-related dispute, and advising Walt Disney on 3D/digital distribution issues. Maurits Dolmans is ‘quick to absorb legal rules and issues, and understands how they apply to businesses’.

DLA Piper’s ‘exceptional’ team ‘quickly grasps its clients’ business needs and the issues impacting the industry’. Patrick Van Eecke is ‘a step ahead of the game in identifying the latest trends in technology and providing business-focused advice’. New client Belgacom recently instructed the firm in a dispute with Telenet.

Koan Legal Strategies is ‘the firm to go to for pure media advice’; the service is ‘fast, professional and to the point’. Clients include Belgacom, SBS Belgium and radio stations NRJ and Nostalgie. Practice head Agnès Maqua is recommended for her industry know-how, and gaming law expert Jan Decorte is also highly regarded. Counsel Frédéric Vanbossele joined from Jones Day in 2010.

NautaDutilh is experienced in all regulatory, litigation and IP-related aspects of media and entertainment law. Philippe Péters, administrative law partner François Tulkens and IP specialist Florence Verhoestraete are recommended.

Recent work for CMS DeBacker includes acting for M7 Group in a Court of Appeal case against the collecting societies, relating to a royalties claim for the alleged retransmission of broadcasting signals via the ASTRA satellite. Tom Heremans, Veerle Raus and Renaud Dupont are noteworthy practitioners.

Crowell & Moring’s media and entertainment team provides ‘swift, clear and no-nonsense solutions’. It has notable reputations in gaming and betting matters and sports law, and it recently represented Telenet in a successful bid for Belgian top division football broadcasting rights. Flip Petillion and Thomas De Meese are the key contacts.

Field Fisher Waterhouse advises Mobistar on television content licence agreements and publicity rights claims, and uMedia on tax aspects of film finance schemes and contractual agreements. Stijn Debaene and senior associate Hakim Haouideg provide ‘the perfect mix of qualities for any media-sector transaction’.

Established in January 2011, Hoyng Monégier LLP includes lawyers from the former Brussels office of Howrey LLP as well as the highly regarded Benoit Michaux from Simont Braun, who co-heads the team with Fabienne Brison. The firm recently represented the Belgian Collective Management Society of Performing Artists (Uradex) in a case concerning cable retransmission of protected content.

Laurius advocaten’s media and entertainment team recently advised the agent of several Flemish artists on various contracts, and represented several individuals in libel litigation against the media. Christiaan Lesaffer is the key contact.

Loyens & Loeff’s media and entertainment team is a subset of the IP department and the firm’s broader commercial practice. The experienced Yves Van Couter is the partner in charge of all contentious and non-contentious media matters.

Marx, Van Ranst, Vermeersch & Partners acts for high-profile clients such as Dreamworks, EMI and BMG, and recently won a landmark case for Times Newspapers Ltd relating to right to reply issues under Belgian law. Peter Marx, Eric Laevens and Herman Croux are the key contacts.

Sidley Austin LLP’s ‘very responsive and customer-focused’ group advises on EU and competition aspects of media and entertainment cases. Clients include AOL, and BSkyB. Ken Daly is recommended for his expertise, which spans sports, film, music and broadcasting.

Stibbe has ‘a good knowledge of the media sector and the roles of distributors and broadcasters’. Practice head Erik Valgaeren ‘tackles the specific issues at stake with efficiency’. The firm’s prestigious client base includes Google, Belgacom and the Belgian Professional Football League.