Linklaters > Brussels, Belgium > Firm Profile

‘Outstanding knowledge, expertise and skills. Strong knowledge of the Belgian market. Outstanding track-record in high-profile transactions.’

‘David Ballegeer and Francis Wijnakker are standout lawyers that are both knowledgeable from a technical perspective, but also from a commercial / market practice perspective. As a result, able to not only comment on the legal aspects of a financing transaction, but also advise on commercial matters. Their input has been invaluable to us.’

‘Very knowledgeable.’

‘David Ballegeer is solution minded.’

‘Great team, strong experience both M&A and ECM.’

‘Filip Lecoutre is a very good partner, very strong knowledge and always available.’

‘Both David Ballegeer and Francis Wijnakker are a pleasure to work with and are extremely knowledgeable.’

‘Great team, able to translate technical matters into language that is easy to understand.’

‘An-Sofie Van Hootegem is a true deal-maker.’

‘Not only very knowledgeable, but very good at explaining the detailed issues to the less expert client. Makes the client feel supported and able to give its full trust to the team in order to obtain the best possible legal position.’

‘An-Sofie Van Hootegem is very knowledgeable and efficient. She spots immediately the points to report on in more detail or on which to draw the attention of the client. She quickly understands the relevant aspects of the business and makes sure to gather the necessary input before taking a formal position.’

‘This team provides a unique combination of excellent legal analysis, transactional drive, and top-notch negotiation support.’

‘Eric Pottier’s vast transactional experience and legal knowledge make him an outstanding leader for this team. The team ensures that a seamless and high-quality service is provided throughout the transaction with timely and proactive involvement of the senior lawyers of the team.’

‘The team is clearly very knowledgeable about M&A in general. In a difficult transaction with many moving parts, they were able to continuously adapt the transaction structure during negotiations until we were able to come to a transaction.’

‘Filip Lecoutre is very composed and knowledgeable. A pleasure to work with.’

‘Excellent knowledge. Helicopter view. Accessibility.’

‘Etienne Dessy is an excellent lawyer, who combines theory with practice. It a also a pleasure to work with him.’

‘The Fin-Reg team at Linklaters Belgium is excellent, business pro-active and legally profound while being close to their client.’

‘Guillaume Couneson is our go-to person for EU legal tech developments, especially regarding the EU Digital Services Act.’

‘Linklaters has a great global footprint which works well with our internal team structure. They truly have a global privacy/technology practice and not just office locations with no specialists there. They are a well-resourced global firm.’

‘Tanguy Van Overstraeten is extremely knowledgeable and is willing to answer or talk through questions as they come. He meets our team where we are and does not try to mold our thinking process one way. He provides the fundamental information for us to dig deeper internally and is always willing to go further if needed.’

‘Up-to-date knowledge of new regulations regarding governance.’

‘Expertise: Specialises in data protection with a highly skilled team. The team comprises seasoned professionals with extensive experience in data protection. Their collective knowledge and skills enable them to handle complex cases and provide comprehensive legal solutions. Flexibility: Tailors solutions to meet specific client needs. Their commitment to building strong, long-term relationships with clients sets them apart.’

‘The team members are highly knowledgeable in data protection, staying ahead of industry trends and regulations. Their expertise ensures clients receive the best possible advice. They prioritize understanding and addressing the unique needs of each client, providing personalised and effective solutions. They excel in clear and effective communication, making complex legal concepts accessible to clients.’

‘Dedicated. Professional. Rigorous. Keep abreast of legislation changes. Offer alternative solutions – project management options so that you can make an educated decision.’

‘The major strength of Linklaters is the quality of the staff members and the size of the team that enable to adjust the services provided along complex projects. ’

‘The most important thing for us is the technical capability of the staff members and their knowledge of the market practices. The mix of senior and less senior individuals that are complementary is clearly an asset of Linklaters. Linklaters is one team. What we also like is the openness and the ease to discuss with them, without judgement. Very appreciated.’

‘Key strength is definitely the real estate expertise and key capability is that they are to the point and excellent at problem solving.’

‘Yves Moreau is the reason why I continue working with Linklaters. He regularly guides us through difficult negotiations or topics, suggests compromises if needed and keeps the end objective in sight. Furthermore he is ALWAYS available.’

‘Linklaters has always provided tailored advices which fit our business exposures. We trust them as key advisors because they know us deeply and care about our activities.’

‘Matthieu Possoz is a very knowledgeable lawyer. He cares about detail and takes our interests to heart in M&A files.’

‘The various teams of Linklaters are always readily available and friendly. Promises are kept and their output is sufficiently to-the-point as a consequence of which their contribution is highly valued.’

‘We have good contacts with the various team members of Linklaters. Long term professional relationships can be built which enhances the way we work with Linklaters and their individual lawyers and specialists.’

‘It is a very experienced and established tax team with outstanding partner profiles, advising clients both on a stand alone basis and as a support to the transactional practice. Linklaters’ tax team is also seen on strategic tax litigation cases. The team is known for outstanding knowledge of corporate tax law.’

‘Henk Vanhulle is an absolute top tax lawyer. He is strong in strategic thinking, in translating technical tax law into pragmatic advice and he has a very broad knowledge of tax law.’

‘Caroline Borgers is very strong on the technical part of tax law and is particularly familiar with private equity and management incentive schemes.’

‘Very pragmatic approach, while keeping the technicality needed. Very responsive team and smooth collaboration.’

‘I truly recommend Linklaters for their outstanding legal services and their ability to collaborate effectively with clients. Their dedication to understanding client needs, proactive approach, and commitment to excellence make them an invaluable partner in any legal endeavour.’

‘The individuals are trusted partners who invest time in building strong business relationships based on mutual respect and trust. This collaborative spirit significantly enhances the overall experience. Specific stand out partners: Florence Danis.’

‘All of the lawyers involved, whichever their area of practice, do work as a clock to provide the best service. Their answers are incredibly thorough and fast. They are, by far, the best firm and team I have worked with, and it has been almost four years since I contacted them to help us.’

‘Xavier Taton is so brilliant and manages to present the most complex issues as if they were easy. They are all great people whose involvement and dedication is unbelievable.’

‘Linklaters has an assertive, confident approach and advises in a way that clearly conveys risk while simultaneously respecting our company’s way of working. When contacting them, usually for commercial matters, I know their advice will be tailored to our company, and their strategy will allow us to move forward comfortably.’

‘Florence Danis is simply excellent and the one you want to defend your case.’

‘A highly motivated team that excels in knowledge, experience and availability.’

‘Excellent value for money. The team also tries to use alternative dispute resolution strategically.’

‘The team at Linklaters is very knowledgeable in this area of law and gives accurate advice. The lawyers there are very specialised and thorough.’

‘We remain in good hands with Melissa Verplancke who is thorough, and very talented.’

‘Partner with strong expertise accompanied by a talented younger lawyer. Good and fluent interaction between the two.’

‘Excellent sense of listening. Proactive update on work progress. Deadlines always met.’

‘Excellent sense of listening. Proactive update on work progress. Deadlines always met.’

‘The team is very close to its clients and understands their needs. They care for the relationship and always make sure the best team is available.’

‘An-Sofie Van Hootegem is extremely efficient and listens to the clients’ needs.’

‘Strong team, working in an efficient and proactive way, strong global network.’

‘Lodewick Prompers is our main contact, is client-oriented and nice to work with, with a down-to-earth approach.’

‘The practice is one of the top competition teams in Europe. Key strengths are pragmatism / user-friendliness, deep understanding of commercial aspects, deep and wide knowledge of competition law and regulation and good command of economics and know how to use economics effectively.’

‘William Leslie at Linklaters is an absolute star.’

‘Well rounded team with strong leadership and impressive bench strength, with a number of great associates coming up.’

‘Annamaria Mangiaracina has an impressive ability to be keep the overarching goals of the case and client front of mind, whilst also being on top of the details – often leading to her being able to find creative ways through complicated issues.’

‘William Leslie is brilliant. Not only is his legal knowledge outstanding but he has developed a very impressive understanding of our industry and products meaning that his advice is always tailored and fit for purpose. He is pragmatic in his advice and is always available to assist when needed.’

‘The legal team demonstrates a high level of professionalism, competence, and expertise in the area of competition law. They exhibit excellent coordination and collaboration in managing various client matters effectively.’

‘The team’s dynamic approach ensures a cohesive and efficient handling of files.’

‘Bernd Meyring demonstrates a high level of legal expertise and the ability to quickly comprehend complex topics. He excels at explaining intricate legal matters in an accessible manner for non-legal professionals, and effectively collaborates with other law firms. Bernd’s patient and genuine demeanour makes interactions with him pleasant.’

‘Very up to date about trends and new developments’

‘Proactive reach out to clients on changing regulation and landscape. Pragmatic and knowledgeable.’

‘Nele Van Kerrebroeck fills big shoes in a remarkable way, with an impressive depth of expertise and a high level of empathy & client understanding.’

‘We use Linklaters for a wide variety of cases, including international employment & benefits and European Works Council matters. They have won important court cases of principle for us.’

‘We are pleased that Nele Van Kerrebroeck is taking over the practice. Nele is always available and gives expert advice.’

‘Nele Van Kerrebroeck is dedicated, pragmatic, and a star.’

‘I truly recommend Linklaters for their outstanding legal services and their ability to collaborate effectively with clients. Their dedication to understanding client needs, their proactive approach, and their commitment to excellence make them an invaluable partner in any legal endeavor.’

‘The individuals are trusted partners who invest time in building strong business relationships based on mutual respect and trust. This collaborative spirit significantly enhances the overall experience. A specific standout partner is Florence Danis.’

‘High quality – excellent understanding of complex issues with a strong economic and regulatory component.’

‘Highly knowledgeable, responsive and efficient.’

‘We feel fortunate to be able to work with the IP team at Linklaters. We are dealing with many firms, but Linklaters really stands out. Their knowledge of legal and commercial matters on which we are working is very high. They are reliable, consistent, flexible and always available. They offer sound and intelligent input and really assist the business in making sound decisions. We have done contracts and litigation matters together and the Brussels IP team excels in both. They use AI and related technology where available and we have already seen the efficiencies this has resulted in.’

‘Pieter Van Den Broecke is a real super star in IP. He manages the world of IP very well, both when dealing with contracts and when working on litigation matters. We have a lot of experience in the legal sector, but this combination is really exceptional. He is very efficient, which allows us to involve him on matters that are complex and require a cross-jurisdictional approach. He is also very available and flexible. In Brussels, Tom De Coster is very good as well. He knows his stuff and is particularly useful during negotiations and contract drafting. Both Pieter and Tom use their knowledge of the sector to render commercial and useful advice.’

‘We have found the team, and in particular Pieter Van den Broecke, to be our trusted advisors on a variety of intellectual property related questions over the years. They provide a straight, clear, unbiased and practical input on a variety of topics (going from trademarks to patents).’

‘Pieter Van Den Broecke: Easily available, clear and open communication (both regarding positive and negative messages), going beyond the pure legal questions and taking into account the commercial/practical/personal interests. Also a calm and knowledgeable, but sufficiently forceful, advisor to have on our side when negotiating tricky trademark agreements.’