Firm Profile > Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick > Brussels, Belgium
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick Offices
BOULEVARD DE L'EMPEREUR 3 KEIZERSLAAN
1000 BRUSSELS
Belgium
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick > The Legal 500 Rankings
Environment Tier 1
With François Tulkens and Dominique Devos at the helm, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's team consistently handles many of the most complex environmental law projects in Belgium. Offering coverage across all three Belgian regions and at a European level, the group advises on matters such as waste management, nuclear regulations, noise nuisance and waste, among others. Counsel Filip De Preter primarily focuses on planning and permitting-related mandates. Tulkens is leading the advice to Brussels Capital Region on a number of high-profile noise limitation cases. Devos is acting for Renewi on the management of an industrial waste stream. Another name to note in the group is senior attorney Charles Poncelet, who combines expertise in environmental law with knowledge of urban planning law and real estate law. Vincent Ost is another name to note.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘This law firm is known to be one of the best independent law firms in Brussels. Although environmental law is complex, and the issues can be very broad, the team has the knowledge and the experience to understand the different issues. The partner we work with is Dominique Devos. He has broad environmental law experience and he also understands the practical issues very well. He asks the necessary questions in order to gather all the relevant information and understand the scope of the problem. The advice that is given is very well drafted, clear and comprehensive‘
Key clients
Total
Ikea Belgium
Vastint Belgium
VREG (Flemish regulatory authority for electricity and gas markets)
BOFAS (Federal fund for soil remediation)
DP World
Flemish Region, incl. its Departement Internationaal Vlaanderen (Flemish authority for tourism), Vlaams Energieagentschap (Flemish public company for energy matters), Departement Mobiliteit en Openbare Werken (Flemish authority for mobility and public works)
Re-Vive
Air Liquide
Engie Electrabel
Tersana
IVCIE
Renewi
Go4Circle
Lidl Belgium
Fluxys
Brussels- Capital Region
Industry focus: energy Tier 1
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's practitioners are singled out as 'absolute leaders in energy law', and the group is particularly active in regulatory matters including renewable energy support schemes, capacity remuneration mechanisms and grid tariffs; it recently acted for Elia in its challenge to the Belgian regulatory authority’s tariff methodology penalizing non-regulated foreign investments. The practice also frequently handles power project developments and acquisitions, and contentious work relating to regulatory, tax, contractual, liability and competition issues. Regulatory expert Damien Verhoeven heads up the practice, which includes François Tulkens and Olivier Vanden Berghe, who focus on public law and commercial contracts respectively.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Damien Verhoeven and his team are swift, comprehensible, creative, and have an in-depth knowledge that is incomparable to anyone else.‘
Key clients
Elia
Air Liquide
Total
Engie Electrabel
EDF Luminus
Eneco
Veolia
Essen
Lampiris
STS
GML
Gécamines
Van Oord Dredging & Marine Contractors
ABB
Hydro-Québec
Industry focus: Retail Tier 1
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick fields a cross-practice team with particular experience advising companies in the retail and consumer goods sectors on contentious and transactional matters. The group recently added Louis Vuitton Services Europe, Marcolini and Karl Lagerfeld to its impressive client roster, which includes long-standing clients Ikea Belgium and L’Oréal. Key practitioners include real estate professional Yves Delacroix, Olivier Vanden Berghe, who focuses on commercial contracts and litigation; commercial law specialist Etienne Kairis, who has particular expertise in distribution law, fair trade practices and IP and IT law; and environmental expert Dominique Devos.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
IKEA Belgium
AG Real Estate
Wereldhave
LIDL
L’Oréal
Sport Direct
Kia
Renault
Honda
The Absolut Company
Louis Vuitton Services Europe
Total/Servauto
Carpetright
Pandora Jewelry
Marcolini
Veldeman Group
Karl Lagerfeld
Decathlon Belgium
Real estate and construction Tier 1
At Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick, the 'very professional' team is well known for its 'very strong knowledge in real estate matters', with transactional mandates prominent in the group's workload. The client base includes widely recognised retail, hotel and financial services entities. Yves Delacroix leads the 'pragmatic' team; Alexandre Emond ('intelligent and a pleasure to work with'), 'dedicated' counsel Julie De Bonnet and Pierre Desenfans, who stands out for his expertise in tax matters, are key names.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The entire team is always very kind and enthusiastic. They always deliver as agreed. They have a ‘hands-on’ mentality, and they are proactive‘.
‘Yves Delacroix has an incredible strong knowledge of all real estate matters. He really can make the difference in the negotiations‘.
Key clients
Befimmo
IKEA
Lidl
Wereldhave Belgium
Degroof Petercam
Engie Electrabel
Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2
The corporate and finance team at Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick 'combines excellent local expertise and a full-service practice with a client-first mentality'. It is particularly recognised for its experience in infrastructure projects and has been active in corporate transactions in the energy, telecoms and technology sectors. Christel Van den Eynden heads up the practice, which includes Damien Conem who has 'a combination of strong technical knowledge, interpersonal skills and client focus'. Other names of note include counsel Wim Dedecker, who handles a range of corporate and capital market transactions.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘They are a very responsive team and easy to work with. They give accurate fee estimates and do not surprise with unexpected fees. Their lawyers are first-rate and provide commercially sensible and comprehensive advice.‘
‘Very reliable, reactive and sound approaches to issues at stake, avoiding unnecessary complexities but nevertheless achieving the objectives. A really effective and practical approach to legal advice!‘
‘Professionalism and collegial approach works perfectly. Working with them now for a number of years leads to a business understanding which gives a quick understanding of the issues leading to better/fast solutions.‘
‘The team led by Damien Conem is extremely well organized, prompt, competent and pragmatic. They make complex projects seem simple and run smoothly. Fees are reasonable.‘
‘Customer-oriented, dedicated and flexible.‘
‘Pleasant and perfect to work with, well skilled and up-to-date knowledge.‘
‘Damien Conem is incredibly hardworking, knowledgeable and dedicated. He will get the deal done as efficiently as possible.‘
‘We had a very good experience working with Wim Dedecker and Charlotte Schaumans. They are very pleasant to deal with, responsive and reliable.‘
‘Christel Van den Eynden is unusually available and truly listens to her clients, building a strong rapport and understanding of expectations so that she can deliver the desired result. She is a pleasure to work with and can stand up to defend the client concerns arduously.‘
‘Ellen Vermeire is an up and coming young associate who makes sure that things are done when needed and is understanding and attentive to client requests, expectations and desires.‘
‘Damien Conem makes the difference. He’s not ‘simply’ one of the best M&A experts in the kingdom. He has a pragmatical approach and understands directly where we want to go (or not). Given our regular collaboration over the last years he knows very well our DNA in the aerospace sector, which is a strong and valuable advantage.‘
Key clients
Bilia AB
Befimmo SCA
Belfius Bank
Cochlear Limited
Proximus
Sonaca
Cardoen
Total Group
Veolia
Milestone Investisseurs
Grottes de Han
Learncore
Panora.me
Akuo Energy
Global Graphics
RightCrowd
Dispute resolution Tier 2
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's practice houses a 'very strong' team of 'very thorough lawyers'. The group 'really knows the fine details and advantages of international arbitration procedures', and also counts commercial, insolvency and financial disputes as core areas of expertise. The 'very seasoned practitioner' Arnaud Nuyts, who is the key name for international arbitration and multi-jurisdictional litigation, demonstrates 'extremely sound judgement'; Olivier Vanden Berghe is the main name for commercial contracts disputes. Aimery De Schoutheete and associate Bruno Hardy are also key practitioners.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Arnaud Nuyts is a formidable advocate and excellent strategist. He enjoys enormous respect from very senior judges and arbitrators and is trusted and listened to when he discusses difficult points of law‘.
‘Bruno Hardy is extremely competent, thorough, well organized and a quick-thinker‘.
‘Bruno Hardy is a very promising up and coming lawyer, able to master highly complex disputes‘.
Key clients
Republic of Kazakhstan
Sonaca
Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airport
Employment Tier 2
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's team garners praise for its 'extensive knowledge in employment law', and offers 'thorough, practical, no nonsense and tailor-made advice' on collective dismissals, restructurings, dismissal-related disputes, discrimination claims and contentious matters, to name a few areas. Practice head Paul Geerebaert is 'a dedicated lawyer, very knowledgeable and responsive'. Managing partner Vincent Busschaert is also a key figure in the team.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick has an excellent and very knowledgeable team‘.
‘They are punctual, motivated and passionate about the law and their cases‘.
‘Paul Geerebaert has an outstanding reputation. He has a strong sense of urgency and gives each client a feeling of top priority‘.
Key clients
Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg
Ingenico
SABAM
Institute for the Equality of Women and Men
Betafence Belgium
EU regulatory: Financial services Tier 2
At Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick, the 'excellent' practice head Tom Van Dyck is assisting Flemish investment company PMV with implementing the fourth Anti Money Laundering Directive (AML4) within the four funds the client manages. Senior associate Karolien Decoene and associate Louise Verstraete are also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Good in depth knowledge about regulations‘.
‘Tom Van Dyck is excellent‘.
Key clients
Allianz
AG Insurance
Patronale Life
Banque de Luxembourg
Fraud and white-collar crime Tier 2
The fraud and compliance team at Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick assists with a range of criminal litigation and compliance issues, with particular experience in tax fraud, environmental infringements and anti-money laundering matters. Practice head Magda Vandebotermet handles white-collar crime matters, and criminal issues relating to labour law, social security work, environmental law and construction law, while senior attorney Kay Goyens specialises in social crimes and employment fraud matters.
Insolvency and restructuring Tier 2
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's restructuring and insolvency practice benefits from 'solid and experienced legal advisers' with experience across the full range of advisory matters, restructuring transactions and banking and finance litigation. The group has been particularly active advising debtors on bankruptcies and handling directors liability issues. Roel Fransis, who focuses primarily on international insolvency law and finance litigation, heads up the team with Paul Vandepitte, who handles a range of mandates from litigation to informal restructuring matters and judicial reorganisations.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Wunderwerk GmbH
Windt Le Grand Leeuwenburgh
Sidley Austin
Gibson Dunn
Proximus
Mount Street Mortgage Servicing
Lidl
Tesla Motors Belgium
Uber
KBC Bank
Glory Wealth Shipping
Quinn Group Belgium
Pabo
Intellectual property Tier 2
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's IP team provides 'hands-on pragmatic advice'. Contentious work remains prominent in the group's workload, spanning copyright, trade mark, domain and brand name disputes. Etienne Kairis leads the team; of counsel Bernard Vanbrabant has extensive expertise in handling complex licensing agreements. Counsel Sarah van den Brande is 'very charismatic' and 'a master negotiator'.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Befimmo
The Belgian State
Honda Motor Europe
IKEA Belgium
L’Oréal
Lidl Belgium
Pandora Jewellery
Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 3
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's corporate and finance practice led by Christel Van den Eynden is equally strong in borrower and lender-side mandates in the banking and finance sphere. Jan Vincent Lindemans, Freya Mareels and a team of associates have expertise in a wide range of transactions, including those concerning real estate finance, asset finance, structured finance and acquisition finance. Mareels was the lead adviser to ING Belgium and ING Corporate Investments on the provision of senior financing and junior financing facilities to Destiny NV (which is owned by Dutch private equity firm Mentha Capital) for two add-on acquisitions. Debt capital markets transactions are a notable growth area at the firm, and Mareels and counsel Wim Dedecker serve as the key contacts in this space. Tom Van Dyck heads up a specialist group which focuses on regulatory matters, such as those involving PSD2, MiFID2 and other matters specific to funds, asset management and investment products. Van Dyck, Damien Conem and others handled the establishment of a new asset management firm, which is known as Infra4BE Management, as well as the launch of a new Belgian infrastructure fund.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is hands-on, pragmatic and thorough. A pleasure to work with‘
‘Freya Mareels has a deep understanding of the banking and finance market, and is knowledgeable both technically and in terms of market practices. She also communicates clearly and quickly goes to the essence of the matter‘
Key clients
Single Resolution Board
BNP Paribas Fortis
Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen
ING Belgium
Bank Degroof Petercam
ING Bank
BMW Financial Services
Belfius Bank
Factum Group
Mercedes Benz Financial Services
KBC Bank
Allianz
Competition: Belgian law Tier 3
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick's practice was recently strengthened by the arrival of Vincent Mussche from Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL. Mussche has over 15 years of Belgian and European competition law experience, which includes advising clients on merger filings, cartel investigations and the development and implementation of compliance programmes. He works with Stefaan Raes, who is a former president of the Competition Council, and has formerly served as a judge of both the Brussels Court of First Instance and Brussels Court of Appeal. The excellent competition offering benefits from support from ancillary areas, such as tax, regulatory, commercial and litigation and arbitration. The firm has a strong track record in cases before the Belgian Competition Authority and DG COMP (related to the Belgian market), as well as private enforcement cases before the Belgian Courts. In one matter, Raes and Simone Nudelholc are representing Proximus at the Belgian Supreme Court in a damages action against Telenet and former cable network operators over the assignment of network rights to Telenet. Raes and others also defended Facebook at the Brussels Court of Appeal in an action brought by the Belgian Privacy Commission over the use of cookies.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team has sufficient resources, excellent knowledge of the regulations and a lot of experience‘
‘In addition to being very knowledgeable, the team’s way of working is very hands-on and pragmatic. It listens to its clients‘
Key clients
Mundipharma
AEG Belgium (Vinci Group), presently called Tranzcom
Raffinerie Tirlemontoise
Single Resolution Board
Multipharma
ECHA (European Chemicals Agency)
Uber
Proximus (ex-Belgacom)
Welcoop
Veolia
Lidl Belgium
Orange Belgium
DP World (Antwerp Gateway)
Global Champions Tour BV
ABB Industrial Solutions
Duvel Moortgat
FeBeD (Federatie van Belgische Drankenhandelaars)
Provera (Cora)
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
BFFA (Belgian Federation of Football Agents)
IVECO
VOFTP (Vereniging van Onafhankelijke Film- en Televisieproducenten
Nationale Kamer Gerechtsdeurwaarders
Instituut Gelijkheid Vrouwen en Mannen
Industry focus: Transport Tier 3
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick’s transport and aviation practice handles a range of advisory, transactional and litigation work for its client roster, which includes DHL International, Brussels Airlines and Uber. Counsel Jean Pierre Kesteloot has a breadth of contentious expertise across the aviation, shipping, railway, road carriage and insurance sectors, and heads up the practice, which can leverage the firm's full-service capabilities on a range of issues including corporate, finance, employment and competition matters.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
DHL International
Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana
NMBS / SNCB
Uber
BCA Europe Transport Solutions
Aviabel
Brussels Airlines
Sonaca
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick > Firm Profile
With over 50 years of experience in all major areas of Belgian and European business law, Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick stands out among Belgian law firms. It is one of the largest independent law firms in Belgium, with over 110 lawyers (including 31 partners) , and offices in Brussels, London, Kinshasa and Kigali.
Our clients include international and domestic businesses, from start-ups and private companies to major listed companies and multinational corporations, as well as financial institutions, governmental bodies and intergovernmental institutions.
Liedekerke is a full-service firm providing advisory, regulatory, transactional, and litigation capabilities in more than 16 business areas, including a private client practice area.. The firm also has dedicated sector teams.
Our lawyers teach in Belgium and abroad, sit as arbitrators, are recognized authors and are regularly called upon to draft legislation.
With strong local roots and Belgian identity, the firm has excellent international connections and global reach.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Managing Partner; Labour & Employment | Vincent Busschaert | v.busschaert@liedekerke.com | + 32 2 551 15 22 |
Real estate | Yves Delacroix | y.delacroix@liedekerke.com | +32 2 551 14 18 |
Corporate and M&A | Christel Van den Eynden | c.vandeneynden@liedekerke.com | +32 2 551 15 35 |
Tax | Jean-Michel Degée | jm.degee@liedekerke.com | +32 2 551 14 26/98 |
Environment | Dominique Devos | d.devos@liedekerke.com | +32 2 551 15 55 |
Intellectual Property | Etienne Kairis | e.kairis@liedekerke.com | +32 2 551 14 32 |
Employment | Paul Geerebaert | p.geerebaert@liedekerke.com | +32 2 551 14 58 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Mr Vincent Busschaert | Vincent Busschaert is one of the leading labour lawyers in Belgium. His… | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Damien Conem | Damien Conem is Partner in the Corporate and Finance Practice Group. He… | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Pierre Desenfans | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Dominique Devos | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Roel Francis | Roel Fransis is a Partner in the Corporate and Finance Practice Group.… | View Profile |
![]() |
Ms Kay Goyens | Senior Attorney | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Jan Vincent Lindemans | Jan Vincent Lindemans specialises in banking, finance and insolvency law. He regularly… | View Profile |
![]() |
Ms Freya Mareels | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Jacques Meunier | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Vincent Ost | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
Mr Stefaan Raes | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
François Tulkens | Partner | View Profile |
![]() |
Ms Christel Van den Eynden | Christel Van den Eynden is a Partner in the Corporate and Finance… | View Profile |
![]() |
Ms Julie de Bonnet | Counsel | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partners : 31+ Lawyers non-partners : +70 Staff (non-lawyers) : 60+Languages
Dutch English FrenchMemberships
Lex MundiDiversity/Community
Liedekerke is committed to eliminating discrimination and promoting diversity and inclusion. We believe having a diverse workforce and striving for equality will improve our impact on society and the community in which we operate, and improve our firm’s culture and performance.
We endeavour to create an environment at our firm in which people are treated equally and with respect, regardless of their gender, race, religion or belief, affectional and sexual orientation, disability or age.
We do so by imposing specific diversity policies and procedures in all departments and business units, particularly in the recruitment and evaluation process of both lawyers and support staff, as well as in our relations with suppliers and other third parties.
We attract talents from the widest possible pool and make an effort to recruit lawyers and staff members from different backgrounds and nationalities. Our lawyers and staff are from various ethnic backgrounds (currently some 20% of our staff is of non-Belgian origin) and collectively we speak no less than 11 languages.
Some of our lawyers work on a voluntary basis at the Royal Institute IRSA, which is the largest Center in Belgium for teaching and education for people with impaired vision, speech and hearing.
We have also been at the forefront of addressing the issue of gender balance in private practice for many years now. Like most firms, we have also struggled to keep talented female lawyers on board and on the partnership track. Through internal policies and an active role in various initiatives, we have been pushing this agenda and are now achieving tangible results. The percentage of female partners has been on the rise.
For many years now, our firm has participated in and supported a variety of initiatives, including:
LDIA (Legal Diversity & Inclusion Alliance): Liedekerke is a founding member of the LDIA, a cross law firm alliance launched in Brussels in January 2019. Members of the LDIA commit to build a diverse and inclusive workplace in which everyone benefits from equal treatment and opportunities, irrespective of race, ethnic or social origin, gender or sexual orientation, age, disability, language, religion, political preference or any other grounds of personal discrimination.
Women in Law: Designed to provide encouragement and support for talented women in law firms, the program brings together women from different disciplines and various fields in small groups to foster and encourage their professional development.
Women on Board: a non-profit association created by five women, one of whom is a former Liedekerke partner, dedicated to promoting womens access to directorship roles within Belgian enterprises (public and private). Our firm has also contributed by organizing legal seminars on topics such as director’s liabilities, responsibilities and remuneration.
Lex Mundi GOAL: Liedekerke is the exclusive Belgian member of Lex Mundi, the leading global network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries. Lex Mundi Global Opportunities for Advancement and Leadership for Women in the Legal Profession address this challenge by identifying and providing specific resources to assist firms in the advancement and retention of women within the legal profession.
Comparative Guides
-
Belgium: Bribery & Corruption
Published: June 2020
Authors: Magda Vandebotermet Anne-Catherine Standaert
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Bribery & Corruption laws and regulations that may occur in Belgium.
-
Belgium: Corporate Governance
Published: February 2021
Authors: Christel Van den Eynden Valérie Simonart Jan Vreys Max Le Blanc
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Corporate Governance laws and regulations that may occur in Belgium.