Thomas De Muynck > Jones Day > Brussels, Belgium > Lawyer Profile

The team of ‘lawyers with strong technology backgrounds’ at Jones Day is active across areas such as  competition and regulatory issues in the telecoms sector, cybersecurity assessments in the context of transactional work, and contractual mandates. The firm is also well positioned to handle an array of venture capital work in the space. Jörg Hladjk, one of four heads of team, is praised for his ‘great communication skills’. Fellow co-heads Bernard Amory and Alexandre Verheyden frequently handle domestic and EU-level competition work for telecoms clients, while co-head Thomas De Muynck is able able to bring his corporate expertise to bear on cross-border technology transactions for local and foreign multinationals and private equity funds. Regulatory issues connected with Belgian fibre roll-out fall among Yvan Desmedt‘s practice strengths, and Laurent De Muyter is recommended for EU regulatory issues.

Standing out in particular for its activity in the private equity and venture capital spaces, the team at Jones Day is also well-versed in strategic M&A, handling a large volume of life sciences transactions in addition to advising on strategic partnerships and joint ventures, fundraising, and start-up financing matters. The practice is also noted for its cross-border capabilities, frequently working across the firm’s international offices to advise on the Belgian regulatory dimensions of multijurisdictional matters. Practice head Thomas De Muynck is described as possessing ‘unparalleled legal acumen‘ and chiefly advises on private equity deals in the life sciences sector. Jonas Van Den Bossche is noted for his expertise in the chemicals sector, while Paul Van Hooghten advises on a wide array of corporate restructuring and M&A matters.

Jones Day remains active on a large volume of cross-border transactions, regularly working with the firm’s international offices in key jurisdictions such as the US and France to handle high-profile and innovatively structured acquisitions, strategic alliances, and VC-backed financing rounds. The team also handles a growing volume of domestic transactions and is particularly well-versed in advising both funds and innovative tech scale-ups on investments in the TMT and life sciences sectors. Practice head Thomas De Muynck is noted for advising on PE and VC investments in growth companies, while Jonas Van Den Bossche is a key contact for cross-border work.