The Legal 500

Within Aviation, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s aviation practice handles contractual matters, aircraft financing, leasing, carrier liability and regulatory issues. During 2011, the firm continued to act for the liquidator of SAirGroup and SAirLines in the Sabena appeal; and represented various carriers, including Delta Air Lines and TUI, on noise limitation infringement proceedings. Werner Eyskens leads the team.

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP has a ‘solid reputation in the Belgian market’, ‘good understanding of both lenders’ and borrowers’ potential concerns’, and is ‘clearly tier one for acquisition finance transactions’. The firm is equally strong in project finance, where it is handling a number of PPPs, and debt capital markets transactions, where it acted on the €300m fixed-to-floating rate perpetual subordinated securities issued by global pharmaceuticals company UCB, which was the first perpetual bond issue by a Belgian corporate. New practice head Filip Tanghe has a ‘service-oriented approach and a broad network’. Yves Van Pul and former head of team Peter Bienenstock are also recommended for their ‘experience, technical skills and commercial attitude’.

Within Competition, Allen & Overy LLP is a third tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘responsive’ team mainly handles competition matters as part of corporate mandates, but has also managed to attract a number of standalone competition clients including EDF, which it advised on clearance for acquiring full control over a major European producer of green energy. It also helped Sun Microsystems and Seagate achieve unconditional clearance in their $7bn acquisition by Oracle. Other matters handled by the group included achieving settlements in three cartel cases; leniency applications; and two state aid matters relating to the Greek debt crisis. Michael Reynolds is a ‘leading statesman’ in antitrust, and Martin Bechtold, Michel Struys and Philip Mansfield are also recommended.

Within Corporate and M&A , Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP is ‘the firm of choice for very complex transactions, when you need expert legal advice’. Work highlights display strengths in representing the media and energy sectors, as well as financial institutions, and the group acted for KBC on the €1.35bn sale of its European private banking division KBL to Hinduja Group. Noteworthy individuals include Dirk Meeus, managing partner of the Brussels and Antwerp offices, whose clients include Huntsman and ING; and the ‘very dedicated’ Pierre-Olivier Mahieu, who is ‘swift to find business-driven solutions in difficult situations’.

Within Dispute resolution, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s practice spans corporate and commercial litigation, restructuring and insolvency disputes, contentious antitrust matters, arbitration and ADR. Practice head Koen Van Den Broeck recently represented Cera CVBA, KBC’s holding company, in a €600m shareholders’ and directors’ liability claim. Werner Eyskens, who is ‘hands on, practical and very approachable’, acted for Pepsi International in insolvency and creditor protection proceedings. The firm also has a strong focus on energy litigation, where newly promoted partner Tom Schoors is a key player.

Within Chemicals (REACH), Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP remains the primary legal adviser to Procter & Gamble, with Gauthier van Thuyne handling matters including data sharing. The team also advises Monument Chemical, Koch and Cargill on REACH compliance.

Within Energy, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP has a ‘profound knowledge of the Belgian energy market’, and has recently been involved in a number of offshore grid and combined heat and power projects. Renewables is a notable area of expertise, and it advised C-Power on regulations pertaining to a wind farm. Elsewhere, it advised Tessenderlo Chemie on construction of a 420MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant.

Within Financial services, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Sylvia Kierszenbaum leads Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘excellent’ team of three, which handles banking and consumer regulation for financial institutions. This highly regarded group advises on counterparty risks; the distribution of complex financial products; and the passporting of the Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities Directive. Citibank is a key client.

Within Information technology, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP has a solid track record of outsourcing in the cloud computing space and has been advising several life sciences and steel companies in that respect. Filip Van Elsen – an IP and TMT specialist – recently led advice to Amazon regarding its online services.

Within Privacy and data protection , Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP advises major corporates and commercial banks on data risk and privacy enforcement. The group recently acted for a leading confectionery producer on pre-trial discovery disclosure and also guided a financial services client through a data protection investigation. Geert Glas and Filip Van Elsen are the names to note.

Within Environment, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP is ‘certainly among the top firms for environmental matters’, and the practice has notable REACH expertise. The group, led by the ‘very competent and dedicated’ Gauthier van Thuyne, recently acted for Macquarie Airports, one of the world’s largest private airport owner/operators, on the environmental aspects of the sale of its interests in Brussels Airport to a Canadian pension fund. Other clients include TUI, C-Power and Honeywell.

Within Fraud and white-collar crime, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s fraud and white-collar crime group continued to defend Citibank over the sale of structured notes issued by Lehman Brothers, which lost their value when the issuer collapsed. Recent cases include representing SAirGroup, and the SAirLines liquidator, in claims following the Sabena bankruptcy. Joost Everaert is ‘very good’ and highly respected.

Within Information technology, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Response times, business acumen and industry knowledge are all ‘exceptional’ at Allen & Overy LLP, which retains a strong focus on IT. The group is highly regarded for outsourcing matters and recently advised BNP Paribas and BNP Paribas Fortis on preparing and drafting of an intra-group outsourcing agreement and the creation of over 30 shared-service centres in Brussels and Paris. Filip van Elsen is ‘a knowledgeable partner’, and Geert Glas is also recommended. Tom De Cordier was promoted to counsel in 2011.

Within Intellectual property, Allen & Overy LLP is a second tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s IP team provides ‘excellent service’, and recently represented eBay in proceedings with L’Oréal concerning eBay’s liability for the sale of L’Oréal products through its online platform. Filip Van Elsen heads the Belgian IP/IT department, and Geert Glas specialises in IP and ICT law with a focus on life sciences.

Within Labour and employment, Allen & Overy LLP is a second tier firm,

Pieter De Koster heads Allen & Overy LLP’s Belgian employment and benefits group as well as the employment practice globally; De Koster handles various employee benefits issues, labour matters, restructuring issues and outsourcing transactions. The team, which provides ‘excellent service’, was elected to General Electric’s Europe-wide panel of law firms; and advised other new clients G4S Security Services and Bank van Breda on outsourcing issues and employee benefits arrangements, respectively.

Within Media and entertainment, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Appreciated for its ‘in-depth knowledge’ and team stability, Allen & Overy LLP’s three-partner practice recently advised Telenet on its successful bid for the fourth 3G licence, as well as on its joint venture with cable operator Tecteo, to introduce a 3G mobile platform in Belgium. Tom De Cordier, who was promoted to counsel in May 2011, ‘follows the sector very closely and informs clients on the way that issues could impact a business’.

Within Real estate, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘excellent’ real estate department is particularly strong in real estate finance, and recently advised Bank of Scotland on the restructuring of a €635m senior facility and a €65m mezzanine facility granted to Industrial Securities Group. Primark, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley are also clients. ‘Solutions-driven’ practice head Daniel Gillet represents a number of banks and investment funds.

Within Shipping and transport, Allen & Overy LLP is a first tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘high-quality and dynamic’ team handles litigation, M&A, corporate and commercial, public law, and banking and finance issues pertaining to the shipping and wider transport sectors. ‘Smart litigator’ Werner Eyskens, who is ‘open-minded and client-empathetic’, recently acted for Dredging International, a leader in dredging and land reclamation, in claims relating to defective and delayed construction of a vessel. Finance partner Filip Tanghe is also well respected.

Within Tax, Allen & Overy LLP is a third tier firm,

Allen & Overy LLP’s workload reflects sound capabilities in finance, M&A and real estate-related tax issues, but the firm also has a strong litigation practice. The team recently advised US-based Diamond Foods on the Belgian tax aspects of its $2.3bn acquisition of the Pringles snack business from Procter & Gamble. Practice head Patrick Smet is the key contact, and is supported by one counsel and a senior associate.