DLA Piper’s intellectual property and technology team advises a diverse client base, which includes federal governments, public institutions, hyperscalers, and financial players. Leveraging expertise in AI, cloud, telecoms and data governance mandates, the group frequently assists regulators and state bodies in shaping legislation and structuring major digital projects. Practice head Kristof De Vulder is experienced in technology contracts, outsourcing, and complex disputes, while Elisabeth Verbrugge focuses on technology transactions and outsourcing, providing strategic guidance on EU and Belgian regulatory developments.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The individuals I have worked with stand out for their professionalism, responsiveness, and clarity in communication. Their ability to build and maintain strong relationships has been exceptional, making the collaboration seamless and effective. I was genuinely impressed by the quality of their work and the dedication they brought to every aspect of the engagement.'
- 'They have a large team, are flexible, have extensive experience, and deliver impeccable quality — a pleasure to work with.'
- 'They are legally very strong, commercially minded, and help move the case forward. Always willing to think about alternative solutions. It's hard to imagine anyone doing it better.'
- 'Kristof De Vulder and Elisabeth Verbrugge stand out for the quality of feedback and knowledge, and practical advice tailored to our industry.'
- 'I had the opportunity to work closely with the DLA Piper team in the context of a major public procurement project involving complex IT and contractual aspects. The team demonstrated exceptional professionalism, responsiveness, and in-depth subject-matter expertise. They consistently went the extra mile, particularly in high-pressure situations requiring swift action and clear communication.'
- 'I greatly appreciated their calm and structured way of working, their openness, and their willingness to adapt quickly when priorities shifted. While I cannot assess the legal content of their work, it was clear that their contribution and engagement were instrumental in keeping the process on track. Beyond their professionalism, they were also genuinely pleasant to collaborate with – respectful, constructive, and easy to communicate with.'
- 'The feedback and input from Kristof De Vulder and Elisabeth Verbrugge of DLA Piper is very constructive, quick and well-founded. This creates a relationship of trust and confidence. The team is complementary with strategic legal inside and technical knowledge.'
- 'The DLA Piper IT team has consistently impressed me with their outstanding competence and professionalism. What makes them unique is not only their deep legal expertise, but also their strong technical knowledge and their ability to bridge the gap between legal and business perspectives.'
Key clients
- Adobe
- Aliaxis
- argenx
- Argenta
- Bank Nagelmackers
- benerail
- bpost
- Cegeka
- Digipolis
- Dstny
- EDF
- EMVO
- Foodpairing
- Flemish government
- Fujitsu
- Fluvius
- iDirect
- ILVO
- Katoen Natie
- KBC
Work highlights
Advised the Flemish Government on the structuring and negotiation of a groundbreaking framework agreement with itsme, Belgium’s national digital identity provider. The deal enables secure authentication and e-signatures across a wide spectrum of public sector entities, and required navigating the complex interplay between eIDAS, public procurement law, and multi-beneficiary administrative frameworks.
Supported Euroclear on a mission-critical collaboration with Microsoft to develop a secure, sector-specific cloud-based data hub for the financial industry. Our role spanned supplier selection, regulatory and IP structuring, and high-stakes contract negotiations—ensuring Euroclear retained key rights and compliance across a complex financial and legal landscape.
Advised Skeyes, Belgium’s civil air navigation authority, on its pioneering implementation of the EU’s U-Space framework—becoming the first certified Common Information Service (CIS) provider in Europe. Our work focused on regulatory qualification under the EU Data Governance Act, contractual architecture for data exchange, and translating first-of-its-kind drone airspace regulations into an operationally viable legal framework.
Lawyers
Leading partners
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Practice head
Kristof De Vulder
Other key lawyers
Elisabeth Verbrugge; Florian De Rouck; Laetitia Mouton