Van Bael & Bellis advises on large restructuring and insolvency matters, specialising in buyer-side support during distressed M&A, judicial reorganisations, pre-packaged proceedings and bankruptcy cases. The team is led by Michel Bonne, who focuses on distressed M&A and turnaround cases. Hannelore Matthys specialises in restructuring and insolvency matters, with a focus on regulated industries.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Van Bael & Bellis is unique in combining deep specialisation in EU and international trade law with the responsiveness of a boutique.’
- 'Van Bael & Bellis offers unmatched focus and accessibility.'
- ‘Michel Bonne is distinguished by his solution-oriented mindset, combining top-tier technical expertise with strong negotiating skills. He is highly hands-on and accessible. His breadth of sectoral experience and ability to understand both the legal and business drivers allow him to craft pragmatic, balanced strategies, setting him apart from many competitors.’
- 'Hyper smart and flexible team, very knowledgeable and pragmatic.'
- 'Michel Bonne and Hannelore Matthys are both experts in corporate law. They are very knowledgeable but remain hands on and solution oriented.'
- 'The team is highly reactive and very knowledgeable, being able to scale up from managing a run-of-the-mill restructuring process to a high intensity, multi-national restructuring process.'
Key clients
- Alpha Blue Ocean
- Boortmalt
- Brussels Airlines
- CleanLease
- Electrawinds
- Elicio
- Gedeon Richter
- Gentse Warmte Centrale
- iSTAR Medical
- Negma Group
- Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen
- Orchestra-Prémaman Belgium
Work highlights
Advised Gedeon Richter on its acquisition of key business lines from Mithra in the first-ever application of Belgium’s new pre-pack bankruptcy regime to a listed entity.
Advised Alpha Blue Ocean on its €210m investment in Pharmasimple through convertible bonds and loans, including enforcement proceedings to uphold financing terms while preserving the company’s operations.
Advising Sani/Ikos on enforcing its substantial receivable against Little Guest, in the context of the ongoing judicial reorganisation.
Practice head
Michel Bonne
Other key lawyers
Hannelore Matthys