The Legal 500

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

The practice at White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten boasts large domestic and major international clients with recent highlights including advise to Chinese insurer Ping An on its €1.8bn acquisition of a 4.18% stake in Belgian-Dutch financial institution Fortis. Partner Gisèle Rosselle is recommended for her work on the €25m facility provided by Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi – UFJ to Belgian-incorporated Jemappes Steel Center and Manage Steel Center, both part of the Duferco Group. Domestic clients include KBC Bank and Belgian listed company Hamon & Cie. Thierry Bosly and Stefan Odeurs are also recommended, with clients commenting ‘we continue to instruct the practice and Thierry Bosly as it delivers high quality work’.

Within Competition, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

For White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten, business remains hectic after the 2007 Microsoft judgment. Cartel mandates in Rambus and others show breadth of practice, while litigation work saw an appeal for Microsoft against their €899m EC penalty imposed in February 2008. State aid files range from UK credit crunch advice, to assisting Eastern European industry clients, and is a key facet of the practice’s offering. The team, led by the ‘excellent’ Ian Forrester QC, remains competitive with other competition law practices. Mark Powell is ‘very knowledgeable, with a pragmatic and commercial approach’; Jacqui MacLennan is praised ‘for her dedication to clients, outstanding communications and personal touch’. Along with James Killick, and Pontus Lindfelt, the team’s abilities exemplify the reasons why clients say: ‘ White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten are here to stay’ in a town where other practices have fallen away.

Within Corporate and M&A , White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

The team at White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten has seen instructions on an impressive mix of domestic and international deals. It represented Avanade, a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft, in relation to the acquisition of Quadreon in Belgium. Valued for their ‘sense of business risk and protection’ Gisèle Rosselle and Thierry Bosly are recommended.

Within Customs, trade, WTO and anti-dumping, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

At White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten James Killick often represents the petitioners’ side in trade cases, and represented Eurofer in three major steel cases involving China, worth $10bn. The firm is ‘very business focused’providing‘solutions alongside legal advice’. Clarity of advice is seen as one of the firm’s strongest points. Alongside Ian Forrester QC and of counsel Richard King, the firm’s offering spans anti-dumping, WTO advisory and litigation, and is retained by one of America’s best-known companies as counsel for EU export control matters.

Within Dispute resolution, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

Recommended partners Thierry Bosly and Stefan Odeurs at White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten advise large financial institutions and international corporates. Recent highlights include instructions from a large multinational listed on Euronext on a dispute arising following a recent acquisition. Additionally the practice has represented Regio, a subsidiary of Belgian investment company Cobepa, in proceedings initiated by French company GL Events.

Within EU regulatory Chemicals (REACH), White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten has ‘bright ideas and excellent views on critical detail.’ REACH work, involving Jacquelyn MacLennan, spans Japanese companies such as SUMCO, and governments including Hong Kong, Japan and Korea.

Within EU regulatory Environment (including WEEE and RoHS), White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

Clients are very enthusiastic about Thomas Tindemans at White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten, saying he is ‘one of the best advisors on the intricacies of the EU system, especially the European Parliament.’ The department advises Eurofer, and the Japanese Government, on issues related to climate change and ETS.

Within EU regulatory Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology , White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten are advising the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations on proposals on information to patients.

Within EU regulatory Telecoms, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s leading satellite lawyer, Rolf Olofsson, acts for, amongst others, the Swedish Space Corporation, Avenue Europe. Advice on high-value satellite contracts remains his forte.

Within Environment, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten is recommended for world-wide emissions trading schemes, regulatory issues around hazardous substances and waste measures. It represented the Walloon Government in an action before the Belgian Constitutional Court. Clients have ‘tremendous confidence in the team and Stefan Odeurs’.

Within Information technology, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

Described by clients as providing ‘continuity of service in addition to good quality’, White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten advised multi-nationals on transactional, competition and regulatory matters. Rolf Olofsson heads the practice that acted for OverHorizon (Cyprus), a global satellite operator, on issues including a satellite manufacturing agreement. Clients single out partner Mark Powell, asserting they have ‘found someone who suits us, he is commercial and responsive’.

Within Legal market,

Behavioural competition law, such as Article 81 and 82 infringement actions, cartels, sectoral enquiries, abuse of dominance, and private actions for damages, remain highly important. With the European Commission upping the pace on cartel enforcement, all firms remained busy, and those involved in the larger cartels especially so. Clifford Chance, Van Bael & Bellis, White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten and Allen & Overy LLP, to name a few, remain involved in the most technically challenging of cases.

Within Legal market,

State aid, however, as a subset of competition law will also take up the slack that a hiatus in merger control may leave behind. The relaxation of state aid rules announced by the Commission will not be permanent. Slaughter and May, and their best friends Hengeler Mueller, Bredin Prat, Uría Menéndez and Bonelli Erede Pappalardo, working with their colleagues in their national capitals, saw an increase in such work. So did firms with recognised specialists in this area, like Van Bael & Bellis White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten, Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I., and Lovells LLP.

Within Legal market,

One aspect of the Brussels legal market has been the progressive development of US law firms. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, of course, almost do not qualify, as a pillar of the Belgian legal establishment. The overall ensemble, however, remains impressive, with the quality of regulatory, trade, and competition lawyers alike being very strong. White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten, Jones Day, Howrey LLP Covington & Burling LLP, O’Melveny & Myers LLP, Sidley Austin LLP, and Hogan & Hartson LLP all exemplify this trend.