Legal500

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten

62 RUE DE LA LOI, WETSTRAAT 62, 1040 BRUXELLES, BELGIUM

Washington DC, Warsaw, Tokyo, Stockholm, Singapore, Shanghai , and 33 more

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Belgium

Banking, finance and capital markets

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s Thierry Bosly is praised for being ‘fast, flexible and creative’ and ‘a problem solver with good business sense’. The firm’s work with public bonds remains notable in acting for a syndicate of banks on a €100m public bonds issue by Cofinimmo. Gisèle Rosselle is also recommended for her EIB experience, assisting on the highly complex project financing of R&D investments in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Competition

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s partners inspire great individual loyalty. ‘ James Killick is a strong player’; ‘ Ian Forrester QC is my trusted adviser, offering thoughtful and insightful advice’; and ‘ Mark Powell is highly responsive, and proactive’. Collectively, the team has ‘good knowledge of the EU environment’. The team took a leading role in high-profile cases including Rambus and GlaxoSmithKline. The Rambus litigation marked a successful conclusion to lengthy investigations over DRAM technology, and it won an ECJ victory for GlaxoSmithKline, important both for the pharma industry and in law. It also advises on merger control clearances, state aid, and general EU law queries.

Corporate and M&A

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten is a ‘top firm’, whose key deals included assisting private equity house Cobepa in its purchase of a 10% stake in Degroof Bank, the largest independent bank in Belgium. It also represented investment company GIMV in connection with an LBO on the Bananas group. Stefan Odeurs has ‘real business feeling’.

Customs, trade, WTO and anti-dumping

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s James Killick and of counsel Richard King ‘are a good team. ‘Richard’s considerable experience balances well with James’s deep knowledge and enthusiasm on trade matters’. Ian Forrester QC is also praised for his gravitas. Clients say the ‘advice provided has always been clear and timely’. Alongside an upswing in anti-dumping cases, the team’s export control, WTO litigation, and customs advice has been in particular demand from ASEAN, Chinese and Indian clients. Jacquelyn MacLennan has advised Transammonia and Celanese.

Dispute resolution

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s key client base of large local businesses and pan-European clients call upon Thierry Bosly and Stefan Odeurs for litigation assistance. Response times are ‘in accordance with the urgency of the problems we face’ to which ‘advice is tailor-made’. Recent highlights include instructions from Crédit Agricole Suisse in arbitration proceedings, plus business-to-business claims in the manufacturing and medical safety sectors.

EU regulatory

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten has been particularly active on behalf of clients in REACH SIEF. Jacquelyn MacLennan’s clients include trade associations such as the European Fertiliser Import Association (on heavy metals), and non-EU governments in Asia.

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

Despite Thomas Tindemans’ departure, White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten still impresses. Jacquelyn MacLennan’s own work giving advice for multinational companies on climate change policy and Emissions Trading Schemes is complemented by detailed advice on environmental policy for Asian clients, including the Korean International Trade Association.

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten delivers ‘highly focused good business advice’, with strong sectoral experience, both in regulatory advice, and related ECJ litigation; it advised a number of blue-chip pharma companies on the proposed future medicines directive. James Killick and Mark Powell are recommended.

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s leading satellite lawyer Rolf Olofsson, head of the firm’s media and communications group, advises on the regulatory, commercial and financing aspects of satellites. Mainstream telecoms work is also handled. TerreStar Europe and Teracom are clients.

Information technology

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

White & Case LLP Avocats Advocaten’s IT work is focused around Rolf Olofsson, who has a preeminent individual practice in satellite technology, but the firm also includes experience on IT-related M&A due diligence and competition law advice. Clients include OverHorizon, a Cypriot satellite operator.

What we say worldwide

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China

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Czech Republic

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Germany

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Algeria

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Finland

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France

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Hong Kong

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Hungary

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Indonesia

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India

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Japan

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Kazakhstan

Offices in Almaty

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London

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Philippines

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Poland

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Qatar

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Romania

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Russia

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South Africa

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Sweden

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Singapore

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Slovakia

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Saudi Arabia

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Switzerland

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Tunisia

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Turkey

Offices in Istanbul and Ankara

United States

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Search News and Articles

Legal Developments in Belgium

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Gaming & Gambling Law Newsletter January 2012

Judgment in the Rank Group plc cases (C-259/10 and C-260/10): interpretation of the principle of fiscal neutrality applied to gambling

- ALTIUS (in cooperation with Tiberghien)
FSMA MiFID Action Plan announced

Like in many of our neighboring countries, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is taking a more persistent approach in pursuing compliance with MiFID conduct of business. In that regard it has announced a “MiFID Action Plan”.

- Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick
International mobility - limited access to the Belgian labour market

Bulgarian and Romanian workers still need a work permit until 31 December 2013.

- Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris
Modification of the dismissal rules as from 1 January!

Claeys & Engels has updated the calculation modules on www.formuleclaeys.be. Higher level white-collar employees who enter into service after 1 January 2012 will, in the event they are dismissed, be entitled to a notice period, calculated on the basis of the IPA Act. The new notice period amounts to 30 days per started year in service, with a minimum of 91 days.

- Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris
Social elections 2012: Day X-35 (between 3 and 16 January)

On day X-35 at the latest, the employer must announce several decisions. The latter may be subject to appeal before the labour tribunal at the latest on day X-28.

- Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris
Enantiomers and race-mates: the same product?

On October 3 2011 the Brussels Commercial Court invalidated Lundbeck's supplementary protection certificate (SPC) for escitalopram, the 'S' enantiomer of its racemate citalopram. The court held that escitalopram is the same product as citalopram, and that the former's SPC did not comply with Articles 3(c) and (d) of EU Regulation 469/2009. The court held that it was in the interests of patients to declare the decision provisionally enforceable.

- ALTIUS (in cooperation with Tiberghien)
Employment Law News Flash

Another year draws to its close. At the eleventh hour, a government was formed, a budget was agreed and political pledges were made to tackle the current adverse economic and financial climate. The year-end - traditionally a busy period with the issuing of hefty Programme Statutes - marks the beginning of intensified law-making under the reign of Di Rupo I.

- ALTIUS (in cooperation with Tiberghien)
Towards a new dismissal regime

The new regime of dismissal compensation must be simple and should in no way lead to a cost increase for employers. Unnecessary procedures before the courts must be avoided. The purchasing power of the dismissed individuals must be maintained.

- Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris
The Dutch 30 % -rule: change for Belgium

The Dutch second Chamber recently approved some important changes with respect to the conditions for the Dutch fiscal 30 %-rule. As a result, this rule will in practice no longer be available for Belgians.

- Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris
New salary thresholds for white-collar workers

As every year, the Federal Public Service Employment has adapted the thresholds of remuneration to be taken into consideration for the application of certain provisions of the employment contract for white-collar workers.

- Claeys & Engels, member of Ius Laboris