Ms Sophie Bourgois > Stibbe > Brussels, Belgium > Lawyer Profile

Stibbe Offices

Stibbe
CENTRAL PLAZA
LOKSUMSTRAAT 25/ RUE DE LOXUM 25
1000 BRUSSELS
Belgium
Visit website 32 2 533 52 11 32 2 533 52 12

Ms Sophie Bourgois

Sophie Bourgois photo
+32 2 533 57 31 [email protected] View profile

Work Department

Insurance and Reinsurance, Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Position

Counsel

Career

Sophie Bourgois is an experienced and solution-oriented litigator and arbitration practitioner. She focuses her practice on four core areas: dispute resolution, insurance law, private international law and public international law. Sophie regularly assists clients (including foreign States and international organisations) in court and arbitration proceedings (ICC, CEPANI, Ad Hoc arbitration, etc.) as well as cross-border disputes. She also acts as arbitrator.Sophie handles matters in a broad variety of fields, including construction law, insurance and reinsurance law, post-M&A disputes, contract and commercial law, etc. Besides her general litigation and arbitration practice, she advises on and handles cases involving matters of private and public international law, such as jurisdictional immunities, interpretation and application of treaties, and conflict of laws. In addition, she has specific expertise in insurance law. She mainly handles litigation and arbitration matters relating to major insurance losses (under e.g. property, liability and credit insurance, financial institution bonds, marine insurance, and reinsurance contract). She also advises on the distribution of insurance, contracts, and declaration of losses. Sophie is recognised by the legal directories for her ability to master highly complex disputes, her quick thinking and her technical excellence. She is intent in finding the best solution in every case. As an accredited mediator and collaborative lawyer, she can aptly advise clients on alternative dispute resolution and find the most suited process to achieve the clients’ goals.

Languages

French, English, Dutch, Danish (intermediate level)

Education

  • Master’s degree in Law from the Université catholique de Louvain (2009)
  • Master’s degree in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS), a joint programme of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID), Switzerland (2010)
  • Admitted to the Brussels Bar in 2010
  • With the Brussels office of Stibbe since 2010
  • Accredited mediator since 2014
  • Collaborative lawyer since 2020

Lawyer Rankings

Belgium > Dispute resolution

Stibbe‘s dispute resolution practice has ‘solid business acumen which is practical and solutions-oriented’, with a full-service offering covering civil and criminal litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and investigations. The team acts across a litany of sectors, including insurance, energy, chemicals, finance, and non-profit, and notably has a specialised white-collar crime subgroup. Team head Hans Van Bavel boasts ‘a lot of experience and technical knowledge’. Also integral to the team are Nicolas Résimont, noted for his ‘expertise and customer focus’, Oliver Stevens, and Sophie Bourgois,’ recognised for her ‘great analytic mind‘. Pieter Wouters is also noted.

Belgium > Insurance

(Leading associates)

Sophie Bourgois – Stibbe

For one client, ‘the combination of very good collaboration, expertise, pragmatism and quick responses’ sets the practice at Stibbe apart from its competitors, with extensive knowledge of insurance litigation and arbitration. High-value M&A transactions in the insurance sector are another strength of the team, along with providing advice on the regulatory aspects of the sector. Team head Oliver Stevens is ‘smart, thoughtful and pragmatic’, with years of experience representing financial institutions and insurance companies in complex litigation. Sophie Bourgois focuses on insurance litigation, and is ‘very knowledgeable and a very efficient advocate’.

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