The Legal 500

Within Aviation, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a second tier firm,

Field Fisher Waterhouse recently won a headline Court of Appeal case for Brussels Airlines relating to fines incurred by airlines for carrying inadmissible passengers. Experienced aviation law partner Pierre Frühling is highly regarded. Giulia Mauri joined Verhaegen Walravens in 2011.

Within Competition, tier 6

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Brussels team has recently focused on behavioural advice in the bio-crops sector, as well as in other industries and non-behavioural competition cases. Claudio Mereu is an ‘excellent strategist’ and ‘provides deep insight into the plant protection industry’.

Within Corporate and M&A , tier 5

Marie Evrard leads Field Fisher Waterhouse’s ‘high-quality’ corporate department, which experienced an increase in M&A and a flow of restructuring assignments. Of counsel Louis-François du Castillon is also recommended.

Within Chemicals (REACH), Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a first tier firm,

Field Fisher Waterhouse fields an ‘outstanding’ team of three partners that focuses on REACH disputes, and the regulation of pesticides and biocides. A distinguishing feature of the practice is its product defence task force. The ‘customer-oriented’ Ruxandra Cana recently advised EDANA.

Within Environment (including WEEE and RoHS), Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a first tier firm,

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s strengths are health and safety related regulatory advice, and particularly the prevention of pollution and land contamination. In 2011, the three-partner team acted successfully in a RoHs dispute. Ruxandra Cana is ‘terrific, smart and responsive’, and the ‘client-focused’ Koen Van Maldegem has an extensive network of contacts at the EC.

Within Fraud and white-collar crime, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a second tier firm,

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s growing fraud and white-collar crime team provides a ‘high-quality service’. Practice head Emmanuel Roger France has extensive experience in this area, and also assists clients with compliance and fraud prevention.

Within Information technology, tier 4

Field Fisher Waterhouse provides a ‘very hands-on approach and delivers concrete solutions to legal problems’, and is recommended for advice on outsourcing and data protection. Emmanuel Roger France heads this ‘efficient and flexible’ team and is expert in e-payment and e-signatures.

Within Intellectual property, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a third tier firm,

Field Fisher Waterhouse ‘combines the proximity and rates of an IP boutique firm with the strengths and network of a Magic Circle firm’. The group, which has sector focuses in the consumer products, luxury goods, media and hi-tech industries, acts for prestigious clients such as eBay, Mobistar and Crocs. The highly regarded Stijn Debaene recently defended Telenet in a patent infringement claim concerning the Electronic Programming Guide. Counsel Thierry Van Innis is also recommended.

Within Labour and employment, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a third tier firm,

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.

Within Legal market overview,

High-profile lateral hires in the market included Field Fisher Waterhouse poaching employment partner Stefan Nerinckx from Laga, and NautaDutilh recruiting Pascal Faes from Van Bael & Bellis to bolster its tax department. Linklaters’ competition team lost former department head Johan Ysewyn to Clifford Chance and Alec Burnside to Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP. Niche IP firm Hoyng Monégier LLP absorbed a number of partners from the dissolved Howrey LLP.

Within Media and entertainment, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a second tier firm,

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’.

Within Tax, tier 4

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s main tax contact is Pierre-Philippe Hendrickx, who is ‘always positive and proactive’ and has ‘vast know-how on a range of tax matters’. In 2011, the group advised Floridienne Chimie on all tax, financial and contractual issues relating to the erection of a new chemicals factory.