Baker McKenzie BV/SRL‘s employment team advises across the full spectrum of labour and pensions law, combining contentious and advisory expertise. The practice is active in restructurings, collective dismissals, corporate transactions, and outsourcing mandates, with particular experience in handling senior executive exits and industrial relations matters. It also advises on works council issues, EU employment compliance, internal investigations, and pension scheme design, acting for clients across the TMT, life sciences, retail, and industrial sectors. Dimitri Van Uytvanck, who joined the firm from Simmons & Simmons at the beginning of 2025 alongisde Ellen Herinckx and Laura Declercq, heads the practice, advising clients on the restructurings and transfers of undertakings, as well as flexible working and data privacy, executive remuneration, employee benefits, employment contracts, trade union relations, and other strategic workplace matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘The team is exceptional, thinks out of the box and with their client; they are not solely persons who execute orders.’
- ‘They are proactive and pragmatic. They wish to solve the issue.'
- ‘As a global company operating from UK headquarters, we frequently need to call on external legal support from outside of the UK. The Belgian team at BM offer us a superb level of service, which significantly stands out against our other international providers in this respect. The team is highly responsive, proactive and commercial. They take the time to understand our business and the results required and provide tailored advice accordingly, which is pragmatic, well considered and clear.'
- 'We couldn't ask for more.’
- ‘Dimitri Van Uytvanck is an absolutely exceptional expert in his field; no request is too onerous, no issue a problem.'
- 'They are responsive, helpful, solutions-focused, and an absolute pleasure to deal with.’
Key clients
- Monument Re
- Tiffany&Co
- Laurelton Diamonds
- KitchenAid
- Whirlpool
- Donaldson Company
- KLA Corporation
- Goldman Sachs
- Alcon
- Warner Bros Discovery
- Align Technology
- Avient Corporation
Work highlights
Assisted Warner Bros. Discovery and its Belgian subsidiaries on all employment and pensions-related matters and have, in particular, assisted them with several strategically important and delicate topics, such as employee conduct, collective relations and disputes, and high-value litigation matters.
Assisting Monument Re and its Belgian subsidiaries with all employment and pensions-related matters and have, in particular, assisted them with the implementation of a reorganisation, issues with unions and protected employees, and contract and regulatory requirements related to the pension/life insurance portfolio.
Assisting Goldman Sachs and its Belgian subsidiaries with all employment and pensions-related matters and have, in particular, assisted them with the implementation of a reorganisation and subsequent harmonisation of all terms and conditions of employment, litigation with employees, and a variety of employee wellness and benefits policies.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Dimitri Van Uytvanck
Other key lawyers
Ellen Herinckx; Laura Declercq