Arcas Law

Dispute Resolution

Joost Verlinden is widely recognised as a leading litigator in Belgium, handling  both domestic and cross-border litigation and national and international arbitration. He lead the Linklaters' litigation & arbitration team from 2007 to 2015. In 2018, he retired from Linklaters and joined dispute resolution boutique Arcas Law.

Joost has significant experience in the full array of commercial disputes: accountants' liability, banking litigation, construction cases, contractual disputes, corporate litigation (including directors' liability, post-acquisition claims and shareholders' disputes), competition litigation, insolvency disputes, product liability, sovereign debt issues and white-collar crime. He represents clients before all Belgian courts and acts as counsel or arbitrator in CEPANI, Belgian Federation of Diamond Bourses, Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport (BAS/CBAS), ICC, SCC, UNCITRAL and ad hoc arbitrations.

Joost Verlinden is the author of numerous articles on arbitration, class actions, civil procedure, corporate litigation, insolvency law and product liability. He is constantly recommended as a leading attorney for dispute resolution in Belgium by Chambers and by Legal 500. He is listed in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for having received constant praise by his clients for continued excellence, and in the Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist: Benelux. According to clients, Joost is "an excellent litigator: very intelligent, pragmatic, client focused and flexible"; "tough, extremely thorough and always giving clear, straightforward advice"; "very hands-on, intelligent, prepared and available when needed", they "look to him to lead discussions on defence strategy" (Chambers). He has been a member of the bar since 1988.

Specific Experience in Arbitration and ADR :

Actively involved in national and international arbitration as counsel, party appointed arbitrator, sole arbitrator or chairman in various countries. Broad experience in enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, including enforcement against foreign states and state-owned entities, and annulment and suspension of arbitral awards by the ordinary courts. Assisted parties in mini-trials and mediations, including mediations organised by CEDR and by Independent Mediators. Listed in the Legal 500 Arbitration Powerlist: Benelux.

2018 to date: Partner, Dispute Resolution, Arcas Law

2007-2015: Head of Litigation & Arbitration, Linklaters

1998 - 2018: Partner, Linklaters (previously De Bandt, van Hecke, Lagae), Brussels

1991 - 1997: Associate, De Bandt, van Hecke & Lagae, Brussels

1991: Admitted to the Brussels Bar

1988 - 1990: Associate, Goemans, Mirdikian & Geerts, Antwerp

1988: Admitted to the Antwerp Bar

1988 - 1991: Assistant Professor in Civil Procedure, K.U. Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven)

Dutch, English, German, French

1990 - 1991: D.A.A.D., Tübingen-Düsseldorf-Frankfurt am Main, Diploma

1983 - 1988: K.U. Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven), Licentiaat in de  rechten (Master of Law)