The Legal 500

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Laga is a second tier firm,

Laga provides ‘consistently well grounded’ opinions, and clients ‘always get appropriate answers within a very reasonable timeframe’. In October 2011, the firm was appointed to advise the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels governments on the strategic restructuring of Dexia. Werner Van Lembergen, who has ‘excellent legal insight and negotiation skills’, led advice to AXA and Crédit Agricole on structured finance matters, and ING and Petercam on capital markets issues.

Within Corporate and M&A , Laga is a third tier firm,

Laga recently acted for KSB on the sale of 51% of shares in KSB Engineering Services. Hilde Laga and the ‘honest and trustworthy’ David Roelens co-head the group, which recruited Christoph Michiels from Stibbe. Emmanuel Leroux was promoted to partner.

Within Dispute resolution, Laga is a third tier firm,

In December 2010, Laga significantly enhanced its tax litigation practice through the addition of Luc De Broe and Annick Visschers, both formerly of Stibbe. Jürgen Egger is recommended for commercial litigation, and Hilde Laga is the key contact for corporate and finance disputes.

Within Fraud and white-collar crime, Laga is a second tier firm,

Laga’s fraud and white-collar crime team recruited criminal law litigator Willem Henckens from Allen & Overy LLP in 2010, and another significant boost came when Luc De Broe and Annick Visschers and their tax team joined from Stibbe). Recent highlights include advising a former Fortis board member in administrative proceedings.

Within Labour and employment, Laga is a third tier firm,

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.

Within Legal market overview,

Dexia Bank’s problems in 2011 provided Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick, Stibbe and Laga with key roles in restructuring the Franco-Belgian institution. Another major hit to the economy came from ArcelorMittal’s decision to partially close an east Belgian steel plant and lay off hundreds of workers, although this provided work for employment law practices.

Within Real estate, Laga is a second tier firm,

Laga’s real estate group brings together lawyers from the corporate, finance, environment and public law departments. It recently advised Pylos on the structuring of real estate investments through the establishment of a publicly listed real estate fund. Highly regarded banking and finance partner Werner Van Lembergen is the key figure, and Stefaan Van Dyck was promoted to counsel in 2011.

Within Tax, Laga is a third tier firm,

Laga’s tax litigation practice has gone from strength to strength since the arrival of Luc De Broe and his tax team from Stibbe in 2010. For advisory work, Tim Wustenberghs and Eric von Frenckell are highly regarded, and are advising a major player in the airline industry on tax aspects of a multi-jurisdictional reorganisation.