The Legal 500

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

Field Fisher Waterhouse continues to win work from clients such as TNT Airlines and All Nippon Airways, while assisting French-based CCM Airlines in purchasing two new Airbus A320 aircraft. Pierre Früling and counsel Giulia Mauri have a ‘strong background in this sector’.

Within Competition, tier 6

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s services, ‘pragmatic and cost-efficient’, are undertaken for life sciences and biotechnology clients. Claudio Mereu’s clients include a major Japanese chemical company.

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

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Koen Van Maldegem is praised for his ‘personable manner and good legal mind’. The team is ‘expert in this field’ and is developing a niche in REACH ECJ litigation. Clients include approximately 20 REACH consortia, (including corporates such as BASF and AkzoNobel).

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

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s team is a ‘specialist in this field’, say clients. With eleven lawyers, it has represented various multinationals in environmental litigation cases against the European Commission, and represents industry bodies, such as the European Biocidal Products Forum and Eurofer. Ruxandra Cana is recommended.

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

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Emmanuel Roger France skills extend to representing Belgian corporates across a number of industries, including banking, aviation, pensions, and real estate; specific assistance included advising on VAT fraud, money laundering and criminal trial proceedings.

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

Working with Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Stijn Debaene ‘is a pleasure, as he translates very complex technology into language understandable by all’; enhanced by the arrival of Thierry van Innis who is ‘very experienced and an excellent litigator’. The team has a developing expertise in emerging biotechnologies and new pharmaceuticals, dealing with patent trolls, and tax deductions for patent income.

Within Labour and employment, tier 4

Field Fisher Waterhouse’s Olivier Rijckaert (‘always excellent’) assisted a Belgian employer with the wholesale transfers of personnel to two other EU countries, in a year where collective labour law predominated within a busy caseload. He also advised NYSE Euronext and several retail, pharmaceutical, and electronics companies.

Within Legal market overview,

2010 has seen further lateral moves, particularly amongst competition law firms, including Simon Baxter’s move to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (UK) LLP also saw the arrival of trade lawyer Robert MacLean from Crowell & Moring. Elsewhere, Lydian was joined by Patrick della Faille; Field Fisher Waterhouse welcomed Thierry Van Innis from Allen & Overy LLP. Howrey LLP saw the departure of four IP partners to Hoyng Monegier LLP and Patricia Cappuyns to Olswang. On the competition side, it saw the exit of Lars Kjølbye and Peter Camesasca to Covington & Burling LLP, and Martina Meier to McDermott Will & Emery/Stanbrook LLP.

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

Field Fisher Waterhouse is praised for its ‘ability to point us to relevant legal issues and to attack them in a structured way’; Stijn Debaene and associate Hakim Haouideg are ‘sharp guys and business-minded, they form a great duo’. The team also win plaudits for ‘a service of unmatched quality’.