ASTREA CVBA > Antwerp, Belgium > Firm Profile

ASTREA CVBA > The Legal 500 Rankings

Belgium > Industry focus: Transport Tier 1

Praised for its ‘pre-eminent service in the field of maritime law‘, ASTREA CVBA‘s contentious and advisory expertise also extends to transport law in general. The Antwerp-based team has a focus on cargo and ship interests and is geared to handle matters such as cargo damage claims, seizures of ocean-going vessels and maritime appraisals. Commercial law specialist Marc Van Looveren heads up the unit and frequently represents companies in cases related to collisions at sea, ship’s arrests and charterparty disputes. Ruud De Houwer is mandated by clients ranging from shipping companies to public authorities to assist with issues such as cargo claims and general average-related mandates.

Belgium > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

In addition to handling work in the private equity space, ASTREA‘s transactional practice advises on strategic M&A in a wide array of sectors, with a particularly established base of media and automotive clients. The team’s portfolio of M&A work includes real estate transactions, start-up and scale-up investments, and cross-border deals. Frédéric Verspreeuwen, who advises on governance and litigation matters in addition to transactional work, co-leads the practice with private equity and venture capital expert Micha Van den Abeele and corporate finance specialist Dieter Veestraeten. Former practice co-head Steven De Schrijver left the team in late 2022.

Belgium > Dispute resolution Tier 4

The disputes practice at ASTREA is ‘extremely available and reliable, with the ability to come up with creative solutions‘. The team acts across a wide range of industries, with experience representing high-profile clients in commercial disputes, insolvency claims, and bankruptcy litigation. A particular areas of expertise for the department lies in transport and logistics work, with team head Marc Van Looveren possessing vast knowledge in this area, including in complex international disputes. Van Looveren is joined at leadership level by distribution law expert Olivier Van Fraeyenhoven.  

Belgium > Intellectual property Tier 4

Trade mark portfolio management, IP advice regarding film productions and third-party transfer and licence agreements stand out as areas of activity for the team of ‘leading specialists’ at ASTREA. In Antwerp, practice co-head Olivier Van Fraeyenhoven is a key contact for clients from the automotive sector. Brussels-based co-head Christine De Keersmaeker‘s varied practice includes assisting clients with the safeguarding of worldwide trade mark rights and handling litigation connected to copyright ownership. Thaïsssa Nuyens frequently provides key support to De Keersmaeker with the two described as an ‘excellent team‘ and ‘satisfying and reassuring to work with’.