Claeys & Engels

Highly regarded for its ‘clear and pragmatic advice’ and ’in-depth knowledge and experience’, Claeys & Engels's full-service employment law boutique has a unique array of industry expertise in pensions, tax, data protection, and global mobility, with restructuring remaining a core part of their practice. The team is comprised of specialised lawyers who plead cases before all Belgian labour courts. Managing partner Olivier Wouters and chairman Chris Engels co-head the practice, with Engels specialising in labour and employment law, with particular expertise in individual and collective dismissals, cross-border transfers of undertakings, and outsourcing arrangements, applicable law issues in an international context, and European Works Council matters, while Wouters advises companies on individual and collective dismissals, reorganisations, M&A, union negotiations, employee representation issues, and strategic change processes. Other key partners of note are Sophie Maes, who advises national and international clients on cross-border employment matters, including business immigration, individual and collective employment law, and social security issues, and Inger Verhelst, who advises clients on individual and collective labour matters, including redundancies, restructurings, acquisitions and union negotiations.