Liedekerke > Brussels, Belgium > Firm Profile

Liedekerke
BOULEVARD DE L'EMPEREUR 3 KEIZERSLAAN
PO-MBD-2023-154
1000 BRUSSELS
Belgium

Belgium > Environment Tier 1

Liedekerke's large regulatory practice handles a significant volume of high-profile environmental matters encompassing both advisory and contentious work. The practice is led by François Tulkens and Dominique Devos, who are well-versed in public law litigation and real estate matters and frequently advise public and private clients on on issues related to soil pollution, waste management, and nuclear regulations as well as on high-profile noise limitation and noise nuisance cases. Filip De Preter, who has ‘deep understanding of Flemish urban planning law‘, and Bert Van Herreweghe  also play key roles in the practice.

Practice head(s):

François Tulkens; Dominique Devos

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘I enjoy working with Liedekerke Environment team. They have a high level of expertise, are pragmatic, solution oriented and efficient.’

‘I’ve worked with François Tulkens. I value his expertise, his ability to understand one’s needs and to come up with creative and pragmatic solutions as well as his availability.’

‘Team members I’ve worked with are reliable, calm and confident, experienced lawyers.’

‘In my personal experience, Dominique Devos has in-depth knowledge of environmental law matters (Flemish Region) and more specifically of soil sanitation. Clients and even parties on the other side of the table strongly rely on that knowhow.’

‘The Liedekerke team is well equipped with a large team, working on both French and Dutch language cases. They provided us with a pragmatic advice and thorough assistance in legal procedures. ’

‘Dominique Devos (environment – Flemish region): Dominique has a long experience in environmental law matters, helping us mostly in environmental permitting and environmental compliance questions. He provides a clear advice, alerting us for possible legal risks but providing pragmatic solutions to go forward. We also appreciate him being readily available, especially with deadlines sometimes being short.’

‘François Tulkens (environment – Walloon region): As with Dominique, François too has a broad experience in environmental law matters. He has assisted us in complex permitting procedures as well as with more specific matters of environmental law. We deeply appreciate his pragmatic approach, providing to the point advice over an unnecessary theoretical discourse. He is one of the references in Walloon/Brussels environmental law, and for good reason.’

‘Filip De Preter (urban planning- Flemish region): Filip has assisted us in a legal procedure. He appreciated his proactive approach in that procedure and in the permit matters associated with that procedure. He has a deep understanding of Flemish urban planning law and his experience in other cases helped us build a strong defense and ultimately win a tricky case. ’

Key clients

Brussels Capital Region

Matexi Projects

LIDL (Europe’s retail leader)

TotalEnergies (Belgium’s leader of oil and petrochemicals, incl. its different subsidiaries active in Belgium)

City of Bruges

ELIA (the single power transmission system operator in Belgium)

Bruxelles Environnement

Veolia

STIB (Brussels Public Transport Company)

Engie Electrabel (Market leader for electricity)

Work highlights

  • Advising the City of Bruges regarding several aspects of the permit application for a new football stadium for Club Brugge, the most succesfull Belgian footballclub in the last decade.
  • Assisting LIDL with the development of new state of the art distribution centres in Herentals (Flemish Region) and La Louvière (Walloon Region), including advising on all permit aspects and environmental assessments.
  • Advising TOTALENERGIES with their energy transition, more specifically guiding them through the permitting process of a huge industrial solar panel site in Wallonia.

Belgium > Industry focus: Energy Tier 1

Liedekerke's broad-ranging energy practice, which sits in its regulatory group, continues to take a lead role in a diverse portfolio of projects, including large solar farm developments, battery electrical storage systems, and carbon capture storage and usage infrastructure, as well as being a key advisor on carbon emissions regulations, hydrogen projects, and capacity remuneration mechanisms. Practice head Damien Verhoeven, who has ‘a very sharp mind in providing advice and is outstanding in providing the right message in court pleadings‘, and regulatory specialist Lola Malluquin regularly represent major power and gas companies and federations in proceedings before Belgian and EU courts. Thibaut Hollanders has extensive experience in hydro and solar power projects, while regulatory partner François Tulkens stands out for advice on matters in the nuclear sector and Olivier Vanden Berghe focuses on commercial contracts. As a climate change specialist, Jonas Van Orshoven is a key adviser on carbon regulation.

Practice head(s):

Damien Verhoeven

Testimonials

‘Damien Verhoeven is a very sharp mind in providing advice and is outstanding in providing the right message in court pleadings. Lola Malluquin is an excellent and promising lawyer, with a real understanding of the client’s business and an ability to provide strong and efficient advice in very technical matters.’

Key clients

Elia

Air Liquide

TotalEnergies

Engie Electrabel

Luminus

Eneco

Veolia

FEBEG

PerPetum Energy

Work highlights

  • Assisted the federation of energy stakeholders FEBEG with the opposition to the Belgian implementation of EU Regulation 2022/1854, an emergency intervention to address high energy prices.
  • Assisted Imerys with the development of a power plant in Willebroek.
  • Acted for Luminus in a litigation regarding the reimbursement of the federal levy on gas used to generate power.

Belgium > Industry focus: Retail Tier 1

Liedekerke wins plaudits for its ability to assist a far-reaching range of brands connected to retail and consumers goods with an array of issues connected to the supply of goods and services to customers. A quartet of partners head up the practice: Olivier Vanden Berghe is a key contact for commercial contracts and litigation; Etienne Kairis‘ mixed contentious and non-contentious practice extends to issues connected to distribution law; Yves Delacroix is an expert in real estate; and Paul Geerebaert is able to bring his employment expertise to bear on retail matters. Vincent Busschaert and Sarah Van Den Brande are further names to note.

Practice head(s):

Olivier Vanden Berghe; Etienne Kairis; Yves Delacroix; Paul Geerebaert

Other key lawyers:

Sarah van den Brande; Vincent Busschaert

Testimonials

‘The team acts as a business partner, meaning that it understands the business and focuses on a pragmatic approach, finding easy to implement solutions to sometimes complex questions.’

‘Etienne Kairis knows how to approach difficult negotiations with a balance between precise knowledge of the case and a pragmatic solution-oriented mindset.’

‘Great multidisciplinary real estate team.’

Key clients

Colruyt

Decathlon Belgium

Grand Opticiens Belgium

INNO

Kia Motors Belgium

LIDL

Louis Vuitton Services Europe

Pandora

PROVERA

Wereldhave

TESLA

Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg

Coolblue

Honda Motors Europe Benelux Branch

Work highlights

  • Representing major department store operator Inno in a dispute against Mirakl, a French cloud-based e-commerce software company, in relation to the launch of the Inno Marketplace.
  • Assisting Grand Opticiens with the transfer of 35 shops of the Grand Optical brand to EssilorLuxottica as well as on various employment law questions ranging from the closure of shops to dismissals.
  • Assisting Lidl with all of its matters in the three Belgian regions in which a real estate and/or environment question is involved and advising the retailer on all its expansion plans in Belgium.

Belgium > Real estate and construction Tier 1

Liedekerke is ‘a one-stop shop for all real estate related issues and has some of Belgium’s finest lawyers‘. Calling on its tax, corporate and finance, and planning and environment groups, the firm provides comprehensive advice to high-profile clients such as LIDL, IKEA, GSK and Total Group. Head of the real estate and regulatory practice Yves Delacroix leads a group of ‘available, highly professional, efficient and business-oriented‘ lawyers, among them Alexandre Emond, who frequently handles major development projects. Up-and-coming partner Julie de Bonnet  moved to NautaDutilh.

Practice head(s):

Yves Delacroix

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘I work a lot with Yves Delacroix with whom I have a deep trust. He knows my exigence and is able to protect my interests during deal negociations.’

‘Liedekerke’s real estate and construction team is highly complementary, available and business-focused. It can quickly identify its clients’ needs and provide them with pragmatic, effective advice.’

‘Each member of the real estate team is available, highly professional, efficient and business-oriented. Each of them knows how to anticipate our expectations and needs.’

‘Liedekerke is a one-stop shop for all real estate related issues and has some of Belgium’s finest lawyers in the matter. Especially the combination of real estate matters/tax/public procurement is on point and at an exceptionally high level. Communication and coordination between departments is excellent, which is a strong point when dealing with complex and multi-layered issues. Advice is legally sound, but more importantly, every advice is accompanied with a pragmatic translation so that it is not merely an academic reflexion but also offers a practical solution. The team of Liedekerke is very approachable, responsive and offers swift advice and if needed and asked, is able to assist clients on short notice. Lastly, Liedekerke has taken several initiatives to promote gender balance and well being at work. ’

‘Yves Delacroix is an extraordinarily gifted law practitioner and belongs to the absolute top tier real estate lawyers in Belgium. What makes him stand out, is that he has the rare capability to combine his legal knowledge with a pragmatic approach and an understanding of of his client, whereby the client receives an advice that is legally well founded, practical and valuable to his business. Additionally, he is perfectly trilingual (French, Dutch, English), immensely friendly, thoroughly dependable and extremely efficient. Vincent Ost is an authority when it comes to public procurement.’

‘Yves makes detailed analysis of the matter and guides his client through this complex and fast evolving matter by accompanying his advice with clear executive summaries. His sense of humour and wittiness make that it is always a pleasant experience to work with. Pierre Desenfans is a very knowledgeable real estate tax specialist with a no nonsense and hands on approach. He is very responsive and to the point. Not only does he know the ins and outs of the tax regulations, he maintains contacts with tax stakeholders so that he remains up to date of the possible changes and policy that is being followed. ’

‘The Real Estate team is characterised by a very good legal knowledge, enabling them to work quickly and provide support in making the right choices. The inter-company relations between the different departments are very smooth, which is an important added value in complex files with different legal facets. Last but not least: in billing, we feel we got value for our money. ’

‘Yves Delacroix has an engaging personality and quickly manages to gain your trust as a client. He handles difficult legal cases with a fresh perspective and the necessary creativity (based on his excellent legal knowledge and years of experience) without ever losing sight of his client’s commercial interests. He is a strong communicator and negotiator. Yves is an easy point of contact and follows all of his cases closely. He is the perfect “ambassador” for the Liedekerke Real Estate Department. ’

Key clients

Trafic

BEFIMMO

Vastint

Total Group

GSK

Wereldhave Belgium

Fedimmo

LIDL

B&B Hotels

Domitys (Groupe AEGIDE)

Matexi

Interxion

Tans Group

Citydev

Ion Residential Platform

Brussels Expo

IKEA

KBC

Jules Bordet Institute

Work highlights

  • Successfully advising and representing Brussels Expo (a public-law company which is the owner of the land) on all the aspects of the ground-breaking dispute regarding the termination of the EUROSTADIUM DBFM PPP project.
  • Assisting the Jules Bordet Institute – Brussels largest public hospital – with the sale of a 50.000 m² disused hospital located in Brussels (Porte de Hal), in the context of the relocation of the Institute in Anderlecht.
  • Advising listed Dutch food service company Sligro to purchase, in the context of a judicial reorganisation of the Belgian company Metro Cash & Carry Belgium NV, a deal which encompassed the taking-over of 11 Metro sites (including developments), leading Liedekerke to assist with the DD works, the negotiation of the documentation for the purchase of 1 site and the taking over of leases, long lease rights, leasing for the other site, including the obtaining of approvals from third-parties (public bodies).

Belgium > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

Liedekerke is capable of advising on the full gamut of corporate matters, though the practice particularly stands out for its advice in connection with financing arrangements, distressed M&A, and private equity deals. Additionally, clients in the real estate, retail, and energy sectors regularly instruct the team to advise on the buy- and sell-side of strategic transactions. The team is led by Damien Conem, who maintains close relationships with private equity and energy sector clients and is well-versed in cross-border M&A. Other key contacts in the team include Christel Van den Eynden, who is well-regarded for her advice on transactions in the TMT sector, corporate and securities transactions expert Wim Dedecker, Jacques Meunier, and private equity specialist Céline Tallier.

Practice head(s):

Damien Conem

Testimonials

‘The M&A team led by Damien Conem is very client-driven and pragmatic. The team is very efficient while providing very to-the-point and sharp advice.’

‘Hands-on team: flexible, deal-oriented, focused and skilled.’

‘Damien Conem provides very good advice. Damien has the ability to come up with pragmatic solutions which make the deal work and go further. He thinks out of the box. ’

‘My main contact is Christel Van den Eynden. Very nice person, very responsive and professional. It is always a pleasure working with her.’

‘Liedekerke has all the necessary M&A skills and has enabled us to cover all the legal, tax and structuring aspects required to complete our investments successfully and securely.’

‘Jacques Meunier is a highly competent and experienced lawyer perfectly suited to M&A operations and negotiations in complicated contexts.’

‘Not only a high standard in professional skills but also extremely good in partnering with the client. Furthermore, their professional network and negotiation skills are outstanding. The team is a good combination of different personalities, with Christel van den Eynden in particular sticking out.’

‘Professional skills combined with really understanding the client and the legal Belgium network. ’

Key clients

Sligro Food Group

Nethys

Honotel

Botalys

Virya Energy NV

Xebia Group B.V.

Providentia

Korys

Etn. Fr. Colruyt NV

Transocean Ltd

BNP Paribas Fortis

Profinpar Fund S.C.Sp.

Proximus NV

Adjacent V2 LP

Acton Capital

BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity Belgium

Work highlights

  • Advised Sligron on a judicial reorganisation of the Belgian company Metro Cash & Carry Belgium NV.
  • Advised the majority shareholders of Xenics NV, BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity Belgium, on the sale of their shares to Photonis Group.
  • Assisted Cohabs with the entry into the capital of global real estate investor Ivanhoé Cambridge, Belfius Insurance and the real estate arm of the Belgian Sovereign Fund in a EUR 450m financing round.

Belgium > Competition: Belgian law Tier 2

Liedekerke‘s capabilities span the gamut of contentious and advisory competition matters, including merger control cases, dawn raids, cartel investigations, and compliance programs. Ex-President of the Belgian Competition Authority Stefaan Raes and former in-house counsel Vincent Mussche bring their specific experiences to the team, allowing the firm to leverage a range of viewpoints. Recently, clients have been increasingly reliant on the department to assist with navigating through the Belgian foreign direct investment screening regime.

Practice head(s):

Stefaan Raes

Other key lawyers:

Vincent Mussche

Testimonials

‘Available, very hands-on.’

‘I appreciate their deep expertise in Belgian competition law.’

‘Vincent Mussche has exceptional understanding/expertise in competition law. Strong dedication to clients, making himself available at short notice.’

Key clients

MWingz (JV Proximus – Orange Belgium)

AG Insurance

Sligro Food

UBER

Philip Morris Benelux

IQVIA

Jean-Paul Van Avermaet

APEAL

Mundipharma

ECHA (European Chemicals Agency)

AEG Belgium (Vinci Group), presently called TRANZCOM

BNP Paribas Fortis

Brussels Airlines (Lufthansa)

Proximus

Provera (Cora – Louis Delhaize)

Veolia

Domo

DP World (Antwerp Gateway)

Welcoop

Boehringer Ingelheim

Motz-Computer

Deister Electronic GmbH

Gantner Pigeon Systems GmbH

Ruter EPV-Systeme GmbH

Work highlights

  • Representing Proximus in abuse of dominance proceedings initiated by the Belgian Competition Authority against the client’s acquisition of Edpnet.
  • Successfully advised Sligro Food Group on the acquisition of nine Metro cash & carries, including representation in merger control proceedings before the Belgian Competition Authority.
  • Successfully acted on behalf of AG Insurance before the Belgian Competition Authority regarding the acquisition of Touring.

Belgium > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Liedekerke has a ‘great quality commercial and civil litigation team‘ with expertise across international arbitration, high-value commercial litigation, financial litigation and insolvency, and fraud and white-collar crime claims. Lawyers within the team are adept at acting for high-profile clients, particularly in the foreign mining, automotive, energy, and construction sectors, in proceedings spanning multiple jurisdictions. ‘Absolutely exceptional arbitration lawyerArnaud Nuyts leads the team along with ‘highly respected leader’ Olivier Vanden Berghe and Roel Fransis, who has a practice focusing on finance litigation and insolvency proceedings. Other noted practitioners within the team include Aimery De Schoutheete and Bruno Hardy, who was promoted to partner in January 2024.

Practice head(s):

Arnaud Nuyts; Olivier Vanden Berghe; Roel Fransis

Other key lawyers:

Aimery De Schoutheete; Bruno Hardy; Jonas Vansevenant

Testimonials

‘Excellent lawyers, who will go to the very end to defend their client’s interests.’

‘Always available. Excellent lawyers, working as a team.’

‘Olivier Vanden Berghe is the highly respected leader of the team. Jonas Vansevenant is also a good litigator.’

‘Great quality commercial and civil litigation team, advising their clients wisely so as to achieve the best possible outcome.’

‘Arnaud Nuyts is a star.’

‘There is a good coherence between the team and any team member is able to provide a relevant update at any point in time. They balance their innate legal knowledge with a quick learning of industry/sector knowledge of the client.’

‘Arnaud Nuyts is definitely one of the most hands-on senior partners and head of practice lawyers that I have worked with. An absolutely exceptional arbitration lawyer.’

Key clients

Gécamines

Republic of Poland

Republic of Kazakhstan

DP World

CCC

TotalEnergies

Intermarché Belgium

Decathlon

Brussels Airlines

INNO

MCCAIN

Intersport

GFG Alliance

Value8

PROXIMUS

Basra Oil Company

Work highlights

  • Representing the Republic of Poland before the Belgian Courts in proceedings for the setting aside (annulment) of an UNCITRAL arbitral award, in proceedings administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, in favor of Manchester Securities Corporation, a subsidiary of Elliott Associates L.P. and Elliott International, L.P. Group, on the basis an alleged violation of the US – Poland Bilateral Investment Treaty.
  • Advising Intersport Belgium BV in relation to the recovery of its €400,000 claim in the bankruptcy proceedings of its former Ghent-based member Axi-Sport (Intersport Ghent) and against the former director of Axi-Sport who provided a personal guarantee for the debts of the company towards Intersport.
  • Representing the CEO and Chairman of GFG Alliance in litigation against ICP Origination I LLC and American Industrial Partners, a PE firm based in NY which act as secured lender to ALVANCE Aluminium Duffel.

Belgium > Employment Tier 2

The employment team at Liedekerke stands out for its expertise in all dismissal-related questions, advising on individual and collective dismissals in the context of TUPE and restructuring projects, employee misconduct and criminal investigations, and closures. Practice head Paul Geerebaert is a key contact for this line of work and is noted in particular for his ability to represent clients before labour courts and tribunals. Further contacts in the team, which is also capable of advising Belgian and foreign corporate clients as well as governmental and public institutions on collective bargaining matters, discrimination claims, and the employment aspects of M&A, include Vincent Busschaert and Bruno Aguirre.

Practice head(s):

Paul Geerebaert

Other key lawyers:

Vincent Busschaert; Loic Timmermans; Bruno Aguirre; Siemen Buttiëns; Leen Holvoet

Testimonials

‘They are easy to work with, they have a very good client base, they know their clients and pay attention to their needs.’

‘A significant and excellent employment practice with a number of high-profile partners.’

‘The Liedekerke employment team are very knowledgeable, responsive and take a practical, commercial view to all matters. In terms of how they frame and provide advice, they operate in the role of a true business partner and always try to understand and articulate the commercial implications and outcomes of any particular scenario. As a general counsel, this approach is extremely helpful in managing issues and articulating potential legal/commercial risks to our business.’

‘Vincent Busschaert and Siemen Buttiëns are easy to deal with, experienced and have a very good all-round knowledge of the legal implications of any scenario and how that is likely to play out in a commercial context. Understanding the potential commercial implications for your client and being able to articulate that concisely and effectively is a key differentiator.’

‘Liedekerke has a strong team. Good variation of levels. Good quality and pragmatic. Work very easy internationally and understand international dynamics.’

‘Paul Geerebaert is a down to earth and top-notch attorney.’

‘The Liedekerke labour law advisers offer deep advice and understand the context and our needs as an organisation. We observe a very professional and customised approach.’

‘I appreciate every contact I have with the team of Liedekerke. They are all top professionals, very aware about new laws and rules that may apply to our industry. I do appreciate both verbal and written communication. I think that what makes the difference is that we have built a trustful and interpersonal relation where we can easily understand and express our issues and need for advice.’

Key clients

Euronews

Grand Opticiens Belgium

IGVM (Institute for Equality of Men and Women)

LM Belgium

Argea (Veolia Group)

Safestore Group

Reply Group

B&B Hotels

Michael Kors

Volker Wessels Telecom Belgium

Work highlights

  • Advised B&B Hotels on various employment law related questions and projects, including the acquisition of new hotels in Belgium, the transfer of undertakings, the dismissal of employees and providers’ services agreements.
  • Advised Euronews on all the employment-related aspects of its reorganisation, including a review of the employment conditions of current Belgian employees, the development of a strategy to harmonise the current and future employment conditions of all Belgian employees, and the provision of an overview of the specific rules applicable to the media industry.
  • Advised Volker Wessels Telecom Belgium on the client’s intention to shut down its activities in Belgium and on the related collective lay-off.

Belgium > EU regulatory: Financial services Tier 2

At Liedekerke, Damien Conem heads up the broader corporate and finance practice, while Tom Van Dyck leads the dedicated financial regulatory branch; this specialised group is regularly instructed by the majority of key domestic banks, and has recently made significant client gains in the crypto and blockchain spaces. The firm has also assembled an ESG-focused, cross-departmental team which comprises banking, financial regulation, energy, corporate, capital markets, administrative law and employment experts.

Practice head(s):

Damien Conem; Tom Van Dyck

Other key lawyers:

Louise Verstraete

Testimonials

‘Very good responsiveness. Concise and practical advice. Access to the ‘regulatory dashboard’ on a daily basis is a great tool, allowing us to save time while remaining aware of constantly growing legal developments.’

‘Working with Tom Van Dyck is a pleasure, he is very responsive, with very good command of complex regulations, very fluent and agreeable communication.’

Key clients

AG Insurance

Ascot

Belfius Bank

Belsipa

Binance

BLB

BMW Financial Services

BNP Paribas Cardif

B-sure

Degroof Petercam

Deutsche Bank

Elyps

eToro

Euroclear

GIC

Greenomy

I4B

KBC

MG

Natixis

NTT Data

Payward

Quilvest

Shelter

Independer

Yago

Spaargids

Work highlights

  • Instructed as regular counsel for the Brussels branch of Deutsche Bank, advising on the interpretation of the Belgian private placement criteria under the Belgian AIFM Law, MiFID II obligations and the Prospectus Regulation.
  • Assisted Euroclear with the co-ordination of the second phase of a multi-jurisdictional survey analysing the ways in which SRDII will impact the client’s operations.
  • Assisted Maxel with the amendment of its registration with the FSMA and the registration of Privafin as a banking and investment services intermediary.

Belgium > Fraud and white-collar crime Tier 2

Acting for domestic and multinational companies and their executives, as well as non-profit organisations and public bodies, Liedekerke assists clients with compliance and contentious matters relating to the full array of fraud and white-collar criminal issues, including tax fraud, public corruption, and breach of environmental regulations. Magda Vandebotermet is the key partner and fields a broad criminal law practice that has seen her represent clients up to the Court of Cassation. Corporate criminal law specialist Margot Vandebeek is another core member of the team.

Practice head(s):

Magda Vandebotermet

Other key lawyers:

Work highlights

  • Assisted the client with filing a complaint in the context of an already ongoing criminal file concerning corruption that has caused damage to the client.
  • Assisted a federal ministry, which has likely been swindled by a supplier in the context of a procurement contract, through the criminal investigation that is underway.
  • Advised a multinational involved as suspect in a criminal investigation concerning infringements of waste legislation.

Belgium > Insolvency and restructuring Tier 2

Liedekerke is well-regarded for its cross-border insolvency capabilities, which enable the firm to represent debtors and creditors in matters ranging from bankruptcy filings and associated liability litigation to insolvency proceedings surrounding asset and business activity transfers. The team has a particularly strong reputation for advising bidders on distressed M&A at the intersection of competition and insolvency law, and it is also capable of advising on complex issues such as conservatory garnishments. The 'exceptional and extremely intelligent' insolvency litigator Roel Fransis heads up the practice.

Practice head(s):

Roel Fransis

Testimonials

‘Very practical and hands-on approach. To the point advice and very responsive. A real help for companies facing difficulties.’

‘Roel Fransis is exceptional and extremely intelligent. With his knowledge and experience, you feel very comfortable, and adverse parties and courts really listen to him. He has the quality to convince people easily based on real knowledge.’

Key clients

Proximus

Sligro Food Group

Veldeman Group

VREG

Basra Oil Company

Brussels Airlines

Oncomfort

Dehaen Paul

Work highlights

  • Adivsed Sligro Food Group in connection with the acquisition of the Metro division of Makro Cash & Carry Belgium NV for a purchase price of €47m in the context of judicial reorganisation proceedings by transfer of business activities of Makro Cash & Carry Belgium NV.
  • Advised Proximus on the acquisition of EDPNet NV, a Belgian virtual network operator and former wholesale client of Proximus and its related company EDPNet BV, for a purchase price of €20.5m in the context of judicial reorganisation proceedings by transfer of business activities of those two companies.
  • Advised Veldeman Group on the restructuring of the group, which faced financial difficulties and entered into judicial reorganisation proceedings by amicable agreement and later changed to judicial reorganisation proceedings by transfer of business activities.

Belgium > Intellectual property Tier 2

The ‘young, highly educated and extremely friendly’ team at Liedekerke handles advisory, transactional and contentious IP work. The team is notably experienced in soft IP matters, with additional strength in patent litigation. Etienne Kairis heads up the practice and is well positioned to plan and enforce domestic and cross-border strategies for IP protection. Sarah Van Den Brande frequently leverages her IP litigation experience to draft and negotiate IP and IT agreements. Bernard Vanbrabant is praised for his outstanding academic merit’, while Myrtle Gevers is a key contact for advisory work in the IP space.

Practice head(s):

Etienne Kairis

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Liedekerke are experts in their field, and are responsive and pragmatic.’

‘We have worked with Liedekerke for various counselling matters and have always been pleased with the clear and concise advice we got. They know the law and the practice and more importantly, they have a very good way with communication.’

‘We have worked with Sarah Van Den Brande. She is a brilliant lawyer with exceptional communication skills. She responds very quickly and is very result-oriented. ’

‘The team is very knowledgeable when it comes to IP, also when a deep dive is required.’

‘Etienne Kairis is very pleasant to work with; Dorien Taeymans has excellent legal skills; Sarah Van Den Brande is approachable and hands-on.’

‘The Liederkerke team is young, highly educated and extremely friendly. It’s fantastic how they manage to combine tradition and modernity.’

‘I have been working with Sara Van Den Brande and with Bernard Vanbrabant for years. Two absolute top professionals with outstanding academic merits. They are not only my preferred contact for IP matters in Belgium. I also call on them from time to time to structure Pan-European projects. I couldn’t imagine more pleasant contacts for the Benelux.’

Key clients

Communauté Française de Belgique

Sonaca

L’Oreal

IMPS

Agicoa

Belgian State

VAAAM AG (RYDE GmbH -KodakOne)

Solvay

Greenyard

KIA Motors

Vlaamse Nieuwsmedia

Lidl

Synergia Medical

Holland Cooper

Revolt Zycling

Work highlights

  • Representing the three main Belgian press publishers’ alliances in litigation before the Constitutional Court in relation to the action for annulment brought by two major information society service providers.
  • Assisting the AGICOA group with several litigation proceedings against BAVP; against Telenet, Proximus, Orange, Voo and Brutélé, the main Belgian cable operators; and against Orange.
  • Assisting IMPS, worldwide licensors of the Smurfs, in the context of an infringement lawsuit related to the exploitation of an adaptation of a movie of Benoît Brisefer’s adventure ‘The Red Taxis’.

Belgium > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 3

Liedekerke advises on leveraged financings, assists with refinancing matters, and acts on bond issues and private placements for a client base composed primarily of Belgian banks and corporate clients. Real estate finance is a further area of focus for the team, which increasingly advises both borrowers and lenders on green bond issuances and sustainability-linked facilities. Corporate finance expert Damien Conem leads the practice together with Freya Mareels, a syndicated lending expert who advises on a wide array of debt finance transactions, and Wim Dedecker, who takes the lead on both debt and equity capital markets matters. Thomas Vanthournout is also highly recommended.

Practice head(s):

Damien Conem; Freya Mareels; Wim Dedecker

Other key lawyers:

Thomas Vanthournout; Reinout Vrielinck

Testimonials

‘The team is ambitious and versatile. They are strong in both banking & finance (team headed by Freya Mareels) and capital markets (team headed by Wim Dedecker). They have a proactive diversity policy.’

‘I mostly work together with Wim Dedecker, who stands out in responsiveness, is pleasant to work with and has a pragmatic approach.’

‘Team dedicated, available, hands-on, giving very useful & practical advices ’

‘They raise concerns/issues proactively, provide useful advice and are well deal-oriented.’

‘Liedekerke is a very good Belgian firm with outstanding expertise.’

‘Wim Dedecker masters both ECM & DCM, which is somewhat unique on the Belgian market. He has a very strong market and technical knowledge. He is able to work both in French & Dutch, which is also key on the Belgian market.’

‘The team is very reactive and assisted us with pragmatic advice. ’

Key clients

OD Services

Cohabs Group

Innovatus Capital Partners

ING Belgium, ING Bank

Belfius Bank

ABN Amro Bank

CGE Partners

BNP Paribas Fortis

KBC Bank

DFM

Sligro Food Group Nederland

Sonic Healthcare

Bekaert

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co

Degroof Petercam

Work highlights

  • Advised Odontolia Group in connection with its a €31.5m senior facilities agreement with ING Belgium, CBC Banque and Belfius Bank as lenders and ING Bank as Agent and Security Agent.
  • Liedekerke advised the Cohabs Group on a convertible loan agreement for a maximum aggregate amount of €100m.
  • Assisted Belfius Bank SA/NV with the set-up of a €3.6bn treasury notes programme for Beheersmaatschappij Antwerpen Mobiel.

Belgium > EU regulatory: Privacy and data protection Tier 3

Operating best at the intersection between IP, IT and dispute resolution work, Liedekerke‘s ‘excellent‘ team typically assists with GDPR compliance audits and implementation projects, as well as advising on the use of data by public authorities. Commercial expert Etienne Kairis oversees much of the work. Other key contacts include IP specialist Sarah van den Brande and associate Myrtle Gevers.

Practice head(s):

Etienne Kairis

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘The team is excellent. The service provided is highly qualified and managed to deliver very satisfactory work results. More goal-oriented work than others.’

‘Etienne Kairis is a very pleasant practitioner who, in addition to his legal knowledge, also keeps an eye on the business challenges of his clients. He is extremely well connected throughout the region. We would also like to make a special mention of his team, who have also supported us for some time with exemplary commitment and very good work results.’

‘Myrtle Gevers is recommended for her pragmatism and knowledge of the field.’

‘Strong and deep understanding of data privacy and GDPR with hands-on experience from litigation cases. Strong dedication to clients, making themselves available whenever needed.’

‘Very happy with the expertise and dedication of Sarah van den Brande.’

Key clients

Greenyard

Data Protection Authority

Volkswagen

Family Partners

Verge Motorcycles

Celcuity Inc.

Work highlights

  • Representing the Belgian Data Protection Authority before the Court of Justice in the framework of a preliminary ruling regarding the data protection law concept of a data controller.
  • Assisting Volkswagen with compliance issues regarding data protection regulations for a number of different functionalities which the client wishes to implement in its connected vehicles.
  • Advising Celcuity, a clinical stage biotechnology company, on a global clinical trial with sites within the European Union, which involves the large-scale processing of personal data.

Belgium > Industry focus: Media and entertainment Tier 3

Liedekerke‘s media and entertainment practice has a strong focus on IP, IT and data protection cases, with the firm handling a variety of advisory, contentious and transactional work at both a national and international level. The firm’s contentious work includes counterfeiting seizures, infringement actions and the implementation of border measures involving customs authorities. Etienne Kairis heads up the practice and frequently wins plaudits for his ability to develop and implement strategies for the protection of intellectual property. Sarah Van Den Brande frequently leverages her expertise in copyright, trade marks and designs to handle contentious work for the likes of the AGICOA group. Bernard Vanbrabant further extends the contentious IP expertise at the firm.

Practice head(s):

Etienne Kairis

Testimonials

‘Liedekerke has a great team of longstanding practitioners with a wealth of industry and court experience. The team has been working together for years making the service seamless.’

‘Overall they offer great availability and responsiveness. It is a pleasure working with them.’

Key clients

IMPS

Agicoa

VAAAM AG (RYDE GmbH -KodakOne)

Vlaamse Nieuwsmedia

Euronews

Work highlights

  • Representing the three main Belgian press publishers’ alliances in litigation before the Constitutional Court in relation to the action for annulment brought by Meta and Google (Google Ireland and Google LLC).
  • Assisting the AGICOA group and its Belgian affiliate with several litigation proceedings against BAVP (Belgian collecting society of producers of audiovisual works), against Telenet, Proximus, Orange, Voo and Brutélé.
  • Advising Euronews on its reorganisation and assisting with all the employment law related aspects of the reorganisation.

Belgium > Industry focus: Transport Tier 3

Liedekerke is active across a broad range of transactional, contentious and advisory matters for clients such as domestic and foreign airlines, insurers and major players in the railway industry. Olivier Vanden Berghe and Jean Pierre Kesteloot jointly lead the the practice, and Jonas Vansevenant has a focus on commercial law in the aviation sector.

Practice head(s):

Jean Pierre Kesteloot; Olivier Vanden Berghe

Other key lawyers:

Key clients

Brussels Airlines

Pet Food Europe Bv

Groupon International Travel Gmbh C/O BDS

Uber

Work highlights

  • Representing Brussels Airlines before the EU General Court in Luxembourg in connection with Ryanair’s appeal against the European Commission’s decision to approve the Belgian government’s €290m Covid-19 state aid package.
  • Assisting Uber with matters including defending Uber in court actions brought by taxi companies TRB (Taxi Radio Bruxellois or Taxi Verts) and defending Uber drivers in criminal proceedings.
  • Assisting Groupon with questions related to the discontinuation of travel offers on the Belgian website of Groupon.

Belgium > Tax Tier 3

Offering advice across the spectrum of tax matters, Liedekerke focuses particularly on transactions and reorganisations, real estate tax, and tax dispute resolution and litigation. Lievin De Wulf, who centres his practice on M&A and private equity transactions, and dedicated real estate tax expert Pierre Desenfans jointly lead the team.

Practice head(s):

Lievin De Wulf; Pierre Desenfans

Other key lawyers:

Jasper Bossuyt

Testimonials

‘Knowledge of the sector and its various tax challenges at each level.’

‘Pierre Desenfans is hands-on and available.’

‘Lievin de Wulff is very experienced and highly skilled. My go-to person in Belgium.’

‘The team is technically skilled, very practical and quick in replies. Besides that, it is also fun working with them.’

‘Lievin de Wulf is a great guy. Understands the business of the clients.’

Jasper Bossuyt is technically skilled and nice to work with.’

Key clients

B&B Hotels

Work highlights

  • Assisted a listed German-based multinational company in its acquisition of a majority stake in a Belgian life-science company.
  • Assisted a major real estate investor in various mutual agreement procedures with the Belgian and French tax authorities in order to resolve tax disputes over the sale of the shares of French real estate companies leading to a situation of double taxation in violation of the Belgium-France Tax Treaty.
  • Acted as trusted advisor for a global leader in the maritime and logistics sector on various corporate income tax and VAT files as well as on the Belgian tax aspects of its intra-group restructuring.

Belgium > Private equity Tier 4

Liedekerke‘s private equity and venture capital offering targets funds as well as corporate clients and encompasses fund structuring advice, transactional guidance, and a large volume of work in connection with VC-backed fundraising. The team is particularly active across transactions in the energy, tech, and life sciences sectors, owing heavily to the expertise of M&A expert and practice head Damien Conem. Further key contacts in the team include IT transactions expert Christel Van den Eynden as well as versatile PE and capital markets specialists Jacques Meunier and Wim Dedecker.

Practice head(s):

Damien Conem

Testimonials

‘My main contact is Christel Van den Eynden. Very nice person, great lawyer, very responsive and professional. Highly recommended!’

‘The Liedekerke PE team is responsive and pragmatic.’

‘The team is very pragmatic and easy to approach. They listen to their clients and think with their clients to come to appropriate solutions in complex discussions. They are respected by everyone around the table, not the least by the delegation leaders of all parties.’

‘Wim Dedecker has the ability to look for pragmatic solutions and defends them in a very diplomatic way gaining trust from all parties in the negotiations. He is not afraid to think out of the box and to challenge his client to find an agreement that is acceptable to everyone.’

Work highlights

  • Advised investment funds DST Global and Gemini Investments in connection with the acquisition by Deliverect of Chatfood.
  • Assisted Korys, the investment company of the Colruyt family, with its investment in Incofin, a Belgian impact investment management company.
  • Assisted Cohabs with a €450m financing round encompassing capital entries by global real estate investor Ivanhoé Cambridge, Belfius Insurance and the real estate arm of the Belgian Sovereign Fund.

Belgium > Industry focus: IT and telecoms

The cross-practice team at Liedekerke is led by Etienne Kairis and is known for handling domestic and international matters pertaining to IP, IT and data protection.

Belgium > Insurance

Liedekerke is known for its expertise pertaining to ESG issues and the financial regulatory side of insurance mandates. Damien Conem and Tom Van Dyck share leadership duties.

With over 55 years of experience in all major areas of Belgian and European business law, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick stands out among Belgian law firms. It is one of the largest independent law firms in Belgium, with over 110 lawyers (including 29 partners), and offices in Brussels, London, Kinshasa and Kigali.

Our clients include international and domestic businesses, from start-ups and private companies to major listed companies and multinational corporations, as well as financial institutions, governmental bodies and intergovernmental institutions.

Liedekerke is a full-service firm providing advisory, regulatory, transactional, and litigation capabilities in more than 16 business areas, including a private client practice area.. The firm also has dedicated sector teams.

Our lawyers teach in Belgium and abroad, sit as arbitrators, are recognized authors and are regularly called upon to draft legislation.

With strong local roots and Belgian identity, the firm has excellent international connections and global reach.

Department Name Email Telephone
Managing Partner; Labour & Employment Vincent Busschaert v.busschaert@liedekerke.com + 32 2 551 15 22
Real estate Yves Delacroix y.delacroix@liedekerke.com +32 2 551 14 18
Corporate and M&A Christel Van den Eynden c.vandeneynden@liedekerke.com +32 2 551 15 35
Tax Lievin De Wulf l.dewulf@liedekerke.com +32 2 551 15 70
Environment Dominique Devos d.devos@liedekerke.com +32 2 551 15 55
Intellectual Property Etienne Kairis e.kairis@liedekerke.com +32 2 551 14 32
Employment Paul Geerebaert p.geerebaert@liedekerke.com +32 2 551 14 58
Photo Name Position Profile
Jasper Bossuyt photo Mr Jasper Bossuyt Jasper Bossuyt is a Senior Associate at Liedekerke focussing on Belgian and…
Vincent Busschaert photo Mr Vincent Busschaert Managing Partner
Kristien Carbonez photo Ms Kristien Carbonez Kristien Carbonez is resident partner in our London representative office, where she…
Damien Conem photo Mr Damien Conem Partner
Filip De Preter photo Mr Filip De Preter Counsel
Lievin De Wulf photo Mr Lievin De Wulf Partner
Wim Dedecker photo Mr Wim Dedecker Partner
Yves Delacroix photo Mr Yves Delacroix Partner
Pierre Desenfans photo Mr Pierre Desenfans Partner
Dominique Devos photo Mr Dominique Devos Partner
Alexandre Emond photo Mr Alexandre Emond Partner
Roel Fransis photo Mr Roel Fransis Partner
Paul Geerebaert photo Mr Paul Geerebaert Partner
Bruno Hardy photo Mr Bruno Hardy Senior Attorney
Marie Heyvaert photo Ms Marie Heyvaert Senior Associate
Leen Holvoet photo Ms Leen Holvoet Senior Attorney
Dominiek Hubin photo Mr Dominiek Hubin Counsel
Frank Judo photo Mr Frank Judo Partner
Etienne Kairis photo Mr Etienne Kairis Partner
Jean Pierre Kesteloot photo Mr Jean Pierre Kesteloot Counsel
Freya Mareels photo Ms Freya Mareels Partner
Jacques Meunier photo Mr Jacques Meunier Partner
Sarah Michot photo Ms Sarah Michot Associate
Vincent Mussche photo Mr Vincent Mussche Partner
Simone Nudelholc photo Ms Simone Nudelholc Partner
Arnaud Nuyts photo Mr Arnaud Nuyts Partner
Vincent Ost photo Mr Vincent Ost Partner
Benjamin Pierard photo Mr Benjamin Pierard Senior Attorney
Stefaan Raes photo Mr Stefaan Raes Partner
Valérie Simonart photo Ms Valérie Simonart Partner
Céline Tallier photo Ms Céline Tallier Counsel
François Tulkens photo Mr François Tulkens Partner
Tom Van Dyck photo Mr Tom Van Dyck Partner
Bert Van Herreweghe photo Mr Bert Van Herreweghe Senior Attorney
Luc Van den Bon photo Mr Luc Van den Bon Senior Attorney
Christel Van den Eynden photo Ms Christel Van den Eynden Partner
Bernard Vanbrabant photo Mr Bernard Vanbrabant Of Counsel
Margot Vandebeek photo Ms Margot Vandebeek Senior Associate
Magda Vandebotermet photo Ms Magda Vandebotermet Partner
Olivier Vanden Berghe photo Mr Olivier Vanden Berghe Partner
Davy Vandenbussche photo Mr Davy Vandenbussche Senior Attorney
Thomas Vanthournout photo Mr Thomas Vanthournout Senior Attorney
Damien Verhoeven photo Mr Damien Verhoeven Partner
Louise Verstraete photo Mrs Louise Verstraete Associate
Jan Vreys photo Mr Jan Vreys Senior Attorney
Julie de Bonnet photo Ms Julie de Bonnet Partner
Aimery de Schoutheete photo Mr Aimery de Schoutheete Partner
Sarah van den Brande photo Ms Sarah van den Brande Counsel
Partners : 29
Lawyers non-partners : 70+
Staff (non-lawyers) : 50+
Dutch
English
French
Lex Mundi

Liedekerke is committed to eliminating discrimination and promoting diversity and inclusion. We believe having a diverse workforce and striving for equality will improve our impact on society and the community in which we operate, and improve our firm’s culture and performance.

We endeavour to create an environment at our firm in which people are treated equally and with respect, regardless of their gender, race, religion or belief, affectional and sexual orientation, disability or age.

We do so by imposing specific diversity policies and procedures in all departments and business units, particularly in the recruitment and evaluation process of both lawyers and support staff, as well as in our relations with suppliers and other third parties.

We attract talents from the widest possible pool and make an effort to recruit lawyers and staff members from different backgrounds and nationalities. Our lawyers and staff are from various ethnic backgrounds (currently some 20% of our staff is of non-Belgian origin) and collectively we speak no less than 11 languages.

Some of our lawyers work on a voluntary basis at the Royal Institute IRSA, which is the largest Center in Belgium for teaching and education for people with impaired vision, speech and hearing.

We have also been at the forefront of addressing the issue of gender balance in private practice for many years now. Like most firms, we have also struggled to keep talented female lawyers on board and on the partnership track. Through internal policies and an active role in various initiatives, we have been pushing this agenda and are now achieving tangible results. The percentage of female partners has been on the rise.

For many years now, our firm has participated in and supported a variety of initiatives, including:

LDIA (Legal Diversity & Inclusion Alliance): Liedekerke is a founding member of the LDIA, a cross law firm alliance launched in Brussels in January 2019. Members of the LDIA commit to build a diverse and inclusive workplace in which everyone benefits from equal treatment and opportunities, irrespective of race, ethnic or social origin, gender or sexual orientation, age, disability, language, religion, political preference or any other grounds of personal discrimination.

Women in Law: Designed to provide encouragement and support for talented women in law firms, the program brings together women from different disciplines and various fields in small groups to foster and encourage their professional development.

Women on Board: a non-profit association created by five women, one of whom is a former Liedekerke partner, dedicated to promoting women’s access to directorship roles within Belgian enterprises (public and private). Our firm has also contributed by organizing legal seminars on topics such as director’s liabilities, responsibilities and remuneration.

Lex Mundi GOAL: Liedekerke is the exclusive Belgian member of Lex Mundi, the leading global network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries. Lex Mundi Global Opportunities for Advancement and Leadership for Women in the Legal Profession address this challenge by identifying and providing specific resources to assist firms in the advancement and retention of women within the legal profession.


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