Dechert LLP > Brussels, Belgium > Firm Profile

Dechert LLP Offices

Dechert LLP
480 AVENUE LOUISE
BOX 13A
1050 BRUSSELS
Belgium
Visit website 32 2 535 5411

Dechert LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Belgium > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

Belgium > Competition: EU and global Tier 4

Dechert LLP‘s team comprises a ‘collection of very talented individuals, with a deep knowledge of competition law‘. The group is well versed in EU, Belgian, German and UK merger control work, abuse of dominance cases, state aid issues, and follow-on litigation. Alec Burnside is singled out by one client as ‘an acknowledged leader in the field‘. Other notable names include Brussels-based pactice head Clemens Graf York von Wartenburg and Michael Okkonen, who was recently promoted to partner. US-based Mike Cowie and Steven Bizar oversee the global practice.

Practice head(s):

Mike Cowie; Steven Bizar; Clemens Graf York von Wartenburg

Other key lawyers:

Alec Burnside; Michael Okkonen

Testimonials

‘The team with whom I worked was a collection of very talented individuals, with a deep knowledge of competition law.’

‘A great team to work with. Highly skilled at managing the different threads needed in merger clearances – across jurisdictions and regulatory processes – and capable of adapting to tight timelines with great flexibility.’

‘Alec Burnside is an acknowledged leader in the field.’

‘Excellent EU competition and regulatory team with deep knowledge and experience.’

‘Excellent capability.’

‘What distinguishes them from competitors is their unwavering commitment to going above and beyond for their clients, consistently delivering insightful solutions and personalised advice.’

‘Michael Okkonen is in particular a pleasure to work with, knowledgeable, modest, calm and capable and a very effective communicator.’

‘Alec Burnside knows the law and the key authorities in Europe inside and out.’

Key clients

GIC (Singaporean Sovereign Wealth Fund)

Agilent

Illumina

Cerus Endovascular Limited

Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.

Crown Holdings, Inc.

Eli Lilly and Company

Fair Trade Advocacy Office

Huhtamaki Oyi

Marconi

MiddleGround Capital

MidEuropa Partners

Graham Partners

Group Rossel

Aetna, Inc.

Shareholders of L’Osteria

Yelp, Inc.

Griffon Corporation

One Equity Partners (“OEP”)

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (“KKR”)

Work highlights

  • Represented Eli Lilly before the European Commission and its Swiss counterpart regarding Novartis’ acquisition of blocking patents.
  • Represented Crown Holdings during the course of dawn raids.
  • Advised Cerus on its sale to Stryker Corporation.

Diversity


Dechert has a multinational identity that is fundamentally diverse. The firm’s commitments to diversity and inclusion are not simply words written on a website – they are guiding principles that all those at Dechert should live by every day. The numbers speak for themselves – 43% of our Policy Committee (the senior management team) are women or diverse partners, 62% of the lawyers promoted to partner in January 2021 are women or diverse, and 77% of the most recent incoming class – Dechert’s future – are women or diverse.

The following are just some of the key measures that Dechert has undertaken to improve diversity and inclusion at the firm.

Affinity Groups
To effect change, affinity groups identify and address diversity and inclusion-related issues, and create new and recurring programming focused on the attainment of professional and business development skills. They offer enhanced mentoring opportunities, retreats and educational workshop for diverse attorneys. Our affinity groups include:

  • Asian Affinity Group
  • Black Lawyers Alliance
  • Dechert’s Family Network
  • Global Women’s Initiative
  • Latino Affinity Group
  • LGBTQ Affinity Group
  • Dechert Heroes (Veterans Affinity Group)

Aspiring Solicitors
Dechert is an Affiliate Partner of Aspiring Solicitors (AS). 2020/2021 marks the fifth successful year of Dechert’s sponsorship of the organization’s national Commercial Awareness Competition, with the winners offered a vacation scheme and opportunity to interview for a training contract at Dechert.

Diversity and Inclusion Week
As part of the firm’s inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Week (July 20-24, 2020), Dechert hosted journalist and filmmaker Afua Hirsch for a provocative conversation about race, identity and belonging, as well as how what we learn (or don’t learn) about our history has an impact on racism and inequality today.

The firm also held fast-paced virtual quizzes focused on diversity, inclusion and world culture, with a charitable donation made to the winning teams’ chosen charities focused on social justice.

Diversity Champions
Recognizing the individuals who serve as role models for the inclusive, open culture we value, Dechert offers the Diversity Champions award. In 2020, our people submitted 100 nominations. Four Diversity Champions were recognized at our annual all-hands event, with honorees each awarded a bonus.

Global Women’s Initiative
Members of Dechert’s Global Women’s Initiative (GWI) meet regularly with firm leadership to identify and implement initiatives that promote opportunities for women to advance and lead throughout the firm. Individual offices provide additional formal and informal support for women lawyers.

GWI initiatives include formal and informal mentoring, development training, meetings and events for summer associates, internal and external networking, special interest events, and leadership training. The GWI launched the Sponsorship and Sustained Support (SASS) program for senior women associates to help navigate the path to partnership.

Inclusive Leadership
Commitment to diversity and inclusion stems from the top. Our partners have been participating in quarterly, interactive sessions on inclusive leadership since 2018. Topics include affinity bias, attribution bias, covering, in and out groups, priming, unconscious bias, and inclusive leadership in times of crisis. Interactive sessions include dramatizations that prompt conversations long after the programming ends.

This program continues today, with the February 2021 session focused on actionable allyship. Inclusive leadership training has also been expanded to associates and business service professionals.

Client Testimonials


CLIENT:
COMPANY/FIRM: Citigroup
TESTIMONIAL: “Dechert consistently provides differentiating legal advice, particularly on large, complex transactions.”

CLIENT:
COMPANY/FIRM: Sun Capital
TESTIMONIAL: “The firm did a great job throughout the entire process. They have been proactive and delivered quality advice. As always, a pleasure working with such a great team.”

CLIENT:
COMPANY/FIRM: Credit Suisse
TESTIMONIAL: “We continually have the highest degree of confidence in the work product and coverage of the Dechert team, and they are always a pleasure to work with.”

CLIENT:
COMPANY/FIRM: Saint-Gobain
TESTIMONIAL: “Saint-Gobain frequently turns to Dechert to defend the company in its most consequential, high-stakes litigation in the United States. Their sophistication, depth of experience, and legal creativity – especially in the area of complex mass tort litigation, is simply unrivalled. When the case is unprecedented and alleged to be perilous, there is no better partner to have in the trenches than Dechert.”


Comparative Guides