The Legal 500

Within Aviation, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s transport department, which is led by the ‘pragmatic’ Marc Godfroid, excels at aircraft insurance matters. It acts for airlines and airports and has been developing its expertise in regulatory, commercial, contractual and claims matters on the African market.

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s team has ‘a very high level of knowledge’ and Thierry Tilquin recently led advice to the Belgian government’s Federal Participation and Investment Fund on the bailout of Dexia Bank. Jan Vincent Lindemans is the key debt finance lawyer with experience in cross-border finance deals. Financial regulatory expert Tom Van Dyck is 'knowledgable and strategic’.

Within Corporate and M&A, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is an ‘excellent firm’ with ‘top-level lawyers’. The team, headed by Thierry Tilquin, has experienced a rise in corporate advisory, corporate governance and restructuring work, and advised the Belgian government on the Dexia Bank bailout in October 2011. The ‘intelligent’ and ‘inspiring’ Philippe Malherbe assisted BMW with the Belgian aspects of the auction to buy ING Car Lease. Valérie Simonart and Christel Van den Eynden are also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a first tier firm,

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.

Within Environment, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s environment practice has ‘excellent industry knowledge’ and provides ‘a very high level of service’. Department head Bernard Deltour is ‘one of Belgium’s best environmental lawyers’, and handles transactional, litigious and administrative matters, with particular expertise in waste and soil pollution.

Within Fraud and white-collar crime, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick has significant experience in tax fraud and money laundering cases and also assists financial institutions with assessing potential infringements of Belgian criminal law when offering financial products or services. Corporate and tax partner Jacques Malherbe is recommended.

Within Information technology, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a third tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick handles IT advisory and disputes work, and represented Electrabel on the implementation of an e-invoicing strategy. Other clients include Nespresso Belgium and RTL-Tvi. Thierry Léonard and associate Hervé Jacquemin are the key lawyers.

Within Insolvency and restructuring, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick has developed a strong insolvency and restructuring practice, and is particularly good at advising financial services entities on potential or actual insolvency, credit and debt restructuring, rights of creditors, and liabilities. Paul Vandepitte works extensively in the area.

Within Intellectual property, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is ‘a good traditional law firm’ that provides ‘outstanding service, prompt responses and precise advice’. Mireille Buydens, who shows ‘a perfect understanding of IP law’, is defending the European Space Agency (ESA) before the ECJ in a case concerning the filing of the trade mark GALILEO by ESA and the European Union in the context of their GPS project. Associate Martine Berwette is also recommended.

Within Labour and employment, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s large practice has ‘expert knowledge of the law and industry’, and is praised for its ‘fast response times’. It advised a state-owned investment company on the nationalisation of a major bank, including all employment law issues, such as the transfer of 323 employees. Paul Geerebaert is ‘customer-focused, passionate and pragmatic’, and has ‘broad expertise’. Vincent Busschaert heads the practice.

Within Real estate, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a first tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick has ‘one of the best real estate practices in Belgium’. The practice advised GDF Suez in negotiations with developer Kairos to acquire a right of usufruct in a turnkey office building to be erected in the centre of Antwerp, and the simultaneous sale of its existing office building in Antwerp to the project developer. The team is led by the ‘very pragmatic’ Yves Delacroix, who has ‘outstanding knowledge of real estate law’.

Within Shipping and transport, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a second tier firm,

Marc Godfroid heads Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s transport and aviation practice, which covers related insurance and regulatory matters. The transport work covers contractual, litigious, administrative and regulatory matters relating to the shipping, rail and road-haulage sectors.

Within Tax, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick is a first tier firm,

Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s tax practice was significantly strengthened by the recruitment of Laurence Pinte, former head of tax at Dexia, in October 2012. The firm handles both advisory and contentious tax matters. Practice head Daniel Garabedian was a key figure in advising the Belgian government on the takeover of one of the largest Belgian banks by a state-owned entity. Jacques Malherbe is also highly recommended.