Ms Sophie Maes > Claeys & Engels > Brussels, Belgium > Lawyer Profile
Claeys & Engels Offices
Boulevard Du Souverain 25
1170 Brussels
Belgium
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Ms Sophie Maes
Position
Partner
Career
Sophie advises national and international clients on various aspects of international employment (including work permits and residence of foreign employees), labour law and social security law. She assists clients with seconding employees to Belgium, structuring simultaneous employment in various countries, starting up activities in Belgium, restructurings and acquisitions. Sophie often works closely with other members of Ius Laboris on transnational projects and queries. Besides this, Sophie gives advice on various day-to-day HR issues. Sophie has a particular interest in global mobility and corporate immigration issues, (prohibited) lease of personnel and flexible work arrangements dismissal law and restructuring. Sophie often speaks at internal and external seminars in Belgium and abroad and is author of various articles. Within Ius Laboris she chairs the International Practice Groups and she is also chair of the International Practice Group “Global Mobility”. Since 2009 she has been a partner at Claeys & Engels.
Languages
Dutch - French - English
Memberships
Sophie has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 1998.
Education
Sophie graduated from the University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven) in 1997, having studied in Leuven and at the University of Rouen (France). She obtained a special degree in labour law from the University of Brussels (ULB) in 1998.
Lawyer Rankings
Belgium > Employment
(Hall of Fame)Claeys & Engels maintains its longstanding reputation as a top-tier specialist firm capable of handling the full breadth of employment matters, with its very large team of lawyers handling tax, data protection, and immigration matters in addition to advising on core employment issues. Pension-related questions and corporate restructurings are key areas of expertise for the firm, which counts leading Belgian and multinational corporates from a range of sectors such as retail and financial services as well as a wide array of public bodies on its client roster. Olivier Wouters is a key contact for restructuring work, in addition to handling the employment aspects of complex M&A, and co-leads the practice with Chris Engels, who is noted for his extensive experience handling collective dismissals. Inger Verhelst specialises in union relations and employee discrimination matters, while Sophie Maes stands out for her advice on cross-border employment and immigration matters.