Impact lawyers > LEUVEN, Belgium > Firm Profile
Impact lawyers Offices
MC-Square Leuven Philipssite 5, bus 1
3000 Leuven
3000
Belgium
Impact lawyers > The Legal 500 Rankings
Belgium > Not-for-profit Tier 1
Certified BCorp Impact lawyers offers non-profits a ‘ winning combination of knowledge of the sector, expertise in the field and the creativity to come to good solutions‘. Areas of expertise include alternative litigation techniques, public-private cooperation and hybrid collaborations between not-for-profits and for-profits, and the legal framework of social enterprises. Marleen Denef
, praised for possessing ‘holistic, in-depth knowledge in her field’, co-leads the practice alongside alternative litigation expert Coralie Mattelaer and transactional expert Benoit Spitaels. Xanne Holvoet‘s expertise in intellectual property and data protection is an important asset for the team. Practice head(s):
Marleen Denef; Coralie Mattelaer; Benoit Spitaels
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Marleen Denef, a standout partner, possesses holistic, in-depth knowledge in her field and demonstrates a remarkable ability to think creatively, offering innovative solutions that go beyond conventional legal approaches.’
‘Xanne Holvoet, an associate at the firm, stands out for her unwavering dedication to thoroughness, leaving no stone unturned in her pursuit of optimal outcomes for clients.’
‘Great affinity with the objectives of our organization.’
‘ A winning combination of knowledge of the sector, expertise in the field and the creativity to come to good solutions. ’
‘Impact lawyers uses high ethical standards and acts to its values. ’
‘The partner we work with acts according high professional standards. We consider the partner as a very integer person. ’
‘Impact puts a very human touch into something like law, which for the public is a very “distant” trade with many difficult words & behaviors. They make law, lawyers, etc approachable & accessible.’
‘Impact Laywers are highly experienced in everything that has to do with not-for-profit or social profit organisations legislation.’
Key clients
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB)
Work highlights
- Initially advised AIB on the different ways to involve new stakeholders in its organization; then guided AIB from A to Z in adapting its articles of association and internal rules.
- Contributed academic experience and practice to the draft of the Policy Guide on Legal Frameworks for the Social and Solidarity Economy as part of the OECE Global Action Plan.
Impact lawyers > Firm Profile
Impact lawyers was founded in February 2019 by five co-founders as the very first niche law firm in Belgium, focusing on tailor-made legal services to not-for-profit associations, social businesses and “impact entrepreneurs”.
Impact lawyers is not a traditional law firm: our lawyers are not only excellent legal advisors but also trained in (litigation) support of large complex projects and transdisciplinary knowledge development. Co-creation, knowledge sharing and innovation are part of our DNA.
Impact lawyers supports all sorts of clients from hospitals, schools and public entities to social impact investors, social economy companies and sector federations. They come in the most divers legal forms such as (international) associations, foundations, cooperatives and other companies, often with a special status (social enterprise) or label (BCorp). Our clients rarely work on a stand-alone basis but usually in groups and increasingly in hybrid structures.
Our lawyers assist them in every possible way from start-up to dissolution and in all trajectories of cooperation such as networking, mergers, restructuring, etc. And if the occasion calls for it, we go to court.
Impact lawyers can count on a large network of national and international partners. Our firm is, amongst others, a strategic partner of GAIL and participates to many types of multi-disciplinary networks, such as Be-impact (the Belgian network for and about social entrepreneurship) and B-Corporation Europe (a network promoting the development of certified B-Corporations in Belgium).
Our impact lawyers frequently host and participate in Webinars, workshops and round table discussions with regard to association law, company governance, network organisations, etc.
Impact lawyers handles matters in English, Dutch and French and has offices in Leuven and Brussels.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not-for-profit, social profit and impact economy | Marleen Denef | marleen.denef@impactadvocaten.be | |
| Not-for-profit, social profit and impact economy | Coralie Mattelaer | coralie.mattelaer@impactadvocaten.be | |
| Not-for-profit, social profit and impact economy | Benoit Spitaels | benoit.spitaels@impactadvocaten.be |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marleen Denef | founding partner strategic advisor and change-architect for all types of collaborations, change… | View Profile |
|
Xanne Holvoet | founding partner transactional, advisory work and litigation with an emphasis on: company… | View Profile |
|
Coralie Mattelaer | founding partner expert in company and non/social profit law, with an emphasis… | View Profile |
|
Benoit Spitaels | founding partner company and associations law (M&A, establishment, restructuring, transformation of companies,… | View Profile |
|
Bram Van Baelen | founding partner company law with a specific focus on cooperatives (incorporation, transformations,… | View Profile |
|
Marlies Van de Poel | lawyer advisory and transactional work in the field of company law and… | View Profile |
Languages
Dutch French English GermanMemberships
Brussels Bar The Legal 500 Leuven Bar The Shift GAIL - Global Alliance of Impact LawyersClient Testimonials
CLIENT: /
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘Benoit Spitaels and Marleen Denef are always available, even late at night, for urgent occasions that require an instant solution. I also like out of the box thinking and that’s how they really make a difference.’
CLIENT: /
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘I think they have a unique mission to make a meaningful contribution to the development of a social impact economy, with sustainability and positive impact at its core. Their legal services are also tailored to the needs of not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises as clients. The name of the firm is very well-aligned with their mission of making a positive impact on society and fostering a paradigm shift in traditional legal thinking.’
CLIENT:/
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘Marleen Denef is head and shoulders above her closest peers in terms of ideas, creativity, energy, commitment and connections. She has everything you could want. Bram van Baelen is extremely bright and knowledgeable and going places. Benoit Spitaels is also a mature and senior lawyer and a trusted pair of hands.’
CLIENT: /
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘The lawyers at Impact advocaten work in a personable manner, developing an understanding of the mission that each client has for their company. The team is driven to work with clients who align with their values, to create a positive impact on society through the profit-with-purpose sector, and venture philanthropy.’
CLIENT: /
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘Marleen Denef is committed and present in her interactions, combining an always honest appraisal of the matter with diplomacy and integrity. Bram Van Baelen is a dedicated lawyer to work with, who approaches problems with the right blend of academic analysis and pragmatic problem-solving. You are in very safe hands with the members of the Impact advocaten team.’
CLIENT: /
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘Impact Advocaten has the best Belgian legal experts in the field of not-for-profit, but in addition to technical knowledge, they also show creativity and problem-solving capacity adapted to the client’s profile and have a proactive attitude.’
CLIENT: /
COMPANY/FIRM: /
TESTIMONIAL: ‘Both Marleen Denef and Benoit Spitaels show tremendous expertise in their field, are particularly punctual and at the same time creative in proposing solutions for the client. An additional asset is their professional attitude which, in addition to the technical elements, also shows a social commitment and is value-driven.’
- Not-for-profit