Mr Karel De Smet > NautaDutilh > Brussels, Belgium > Lawyer Profile
NautaDutilh Offices
CHAUSSÉE DE LA HULPE, 120
1000 BRUSSELS
Belgium
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Mr Karel De Smet
Work Department
Litigation
Position
Counsel
Career
Karel De Smet focuses on corporate and commercial dispute resolution and litigation. His practice has a broad reach, covering complex contractual disputes, contentious M&A, competition litigation, professional negligence and enforcement disputes.
Additionally, Karel has a particular interest and experience in fraud matters and criminal litigation. He acts principally for financial institutions and international companies. Cases he works on often have multi-jurisdictional aspects, and are regularly high-stakes or media sensitive.
Languages
French, English, Dutch
Education
He graduated magna cum laude from the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in 2012. Karel was admitted to the Brussels bar in that same year.
Lawyer Rankings
Belgium > Dispute resolution
(Leading associates)The ‘high-quality‘ disputes practice at NautaDutilh is commended for its ‘excellent strength in depth’ covering the whole array of commercial disputes spanning shareholder disputes, banking litigation, insurance claims and tort work, alongside insolvency-related litigation, and complex arbitrations. Sophie Jacmain leads the team with Stan Brijs, with the pair commended for being ‘tactical thinkers with excellent technical skills‘. Jacmain possesses knowledge across a range of litigation and arbitration work, with particular expertise in restructuring and insolvency proceedings. Karel De Smet is also noted, with a wide-reaching practice covering complex contractual disputes, contentious M&A issues, competition litigation, and enforcement disputes. Karen Paridaen and Gisèle Uwera are also key to the team.
Belgium > Insolvency and restructuring
NautaDutilh is capable of handling the full spectrum of restructuring and insolvency proceedings, with a large team of litigators and arbitrators that stands out for its ability to represent both debtors and creditors in contentious matters. The team regularly acts for clients in court proceedings to obtain consent for the transfer of distressed businesses, represents banks in asset recovery and insolvency litigation, and handles complex judicial reorganisations. Out-of-court restructurings are a further area of focus for the team and are chiefly handled by Sophie Jacmain, a commercial disputes expert who co-leads the practice with reputed insolvency specialist Stan Brijs. Corporate and insolvency litigator Karel De Smet is also recommended, as is Charlotte Van Themsche, who joined from Jones Day in February 2023.
Lawyer Rankings
- Dispute resolution Belgium
- Insolvency and restructuring Belgium
- Leading associates Belgium > Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution
- EU regulatory: Financial services
- Insolvency and restructuring
- Intellectual property