Bird & Bird > Brussels, Belgium > Firm Profile
Bird & Bird Offices
AVENUE LOUISE 235 BOX 1
1050 BRUXELLES
Belgium
Profiles
Bird & Bird > The Legal 500 Rankings
Belgium > EU regulatory: Pharma, medical devices and biotech Tier 1
Counting many of the largest pharma and biotech companies worldwide as regular clients, Bird & Bird is equally comfortable handling cutting-edge work for innovators and generics alike. Marc Martens, who co-heads the firm's global life sciences and healthcare group, has specific expertise in biobanking, advanced therapies, clinical trials and data exclusivity disputes. More broadly, the practice has recently been particularly active in the digital health space, and has also assisted with a number of matters related to the Covid-19 pandemic. In team news, Nicolas Carbonnelle was promoted to partner in May 2022.Practice head(s):
Marc Martens
Other key lawyers:
Paul Hermant; Domien Op de Beeck; Jean-Christophe Troussel; Nicolas Carbonnelle
Testimonials
‘Very easy to work with, very capable.’
Key clients
Polpharma Pharmaceutical Works
Nueraxpharma
Teva Pharma
Kaneka Eurogentec
PDC*Line Pharma SA
Terumo Europe
Op2Lysis SAS
CooperVision
Essencia (bio.be)
Novadip, MaSTherCell SA (Catalent), EMBL, Vital Strategies, UCB
European Commission: SMART-BEAR project
EG (formerly Eurogenerics)
Belgium > EU regulatory: Privacy and data protection Tier 1
The Brussels outpost of Bird & Bird‘s international data protection group regularly collaborates on cross-border mandates. Practice head Benoit Van Asbroeck is noted for his broad-ranging expertise, which spans issues relating to e-commerce, digital marketing, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, AI, 3D printing, cookies, electronic signatures, intermediary liability and automated objects. Hein Hobbelen has extensive experience representing clients before the European Commission and other sector regulatory authorities. The firm also offers a bespoke privacy consultancy arm through Bird & Bird Privacy Solutions.Practice head(s):
Benoit Van Asbroeck; Hein Hobbelen
Key clients
European Commission
Work highlights
- Advising the European Commission on the EU-funded SMART-BEAR project.
- Advising the European Commission on the European Blockchain Sandbox project.
Belgium > Fintech Tier 1
Bird & Bird‘s fintech practice stands out for its wide-ranging expertise across financial regulatory, IT, transactional and data protection matters, which enables the team to maintain a standout client base of banks and financial institutions, fintech and IT services, retailers, and payment providers. Regularly advising on the regulatory and licensing aspects of new product launches and Belgian market entries, the team is particularly noted for its ability to handle matters in the e-commerce and e-banking spaces, with digital authentication and cybersecurity representing growing areas of focus. Practice head Scott McInnes is noted for his ability to handle cross-border work for payment providers, while Cathie-Rosalie Joly is well-versed in financial and tech regulatory matters. Payments and insurance expert Cedric Berckmans was promoted to partner in May 2023. Julien Sad, who also handles contentious and non-contentious matters in the payments space, is another name to note.Practice head(s):
Scott McInnes
Other key lawyers:
Cathie-Rosalie Joly; Paul Hermant; Cedric Berckmans; Julien Sad
Work highlights
Belgium > Industry focus: Food Tier 1
Clients ranging from start-ups to conglomerates turn to Bird & Bird for all issues relating to the food and beverage sector, where the firm pools its cross-practice capabilities to advise on regulatory matters, as well as on contentious and non-contentious IP. The practice is also embedded in the firm’s wider network, making it a popular choice for multinational companies in multijurisdictional work. Nicolas Carbonnelle, who also heads up the firm’s s international food and beverage sector group, leads the team jointly with national head of IP Jean-Christophe Troussel.Practice head(s):
Nicolas Carbonnelle; Jean-Christophe Troussel
Key clients
SodaStream and SodaPressCO
Tebrito
New Generation Nutrition
IPIFF
EverGrain
8Greens
JuicePlus
Biocodex
Ross Barr
Eckes-Granini
Mori
Xampla
SafeTraces
Akorn
Treasury Wine Estates
DS Smith
Nutramax
Amano Enzymes
Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Le Pain Quotidien
Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment
Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment
Work highlights
- Providing regulatory advice to the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF).
- Defended AB InBev in a cancellation action launched by rival Heineken against of of ABI’s trademarks.
- Advising Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) as well as Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (GRACE) on competition law compliance, including in regards to sustainability initiatives.
Belgium > Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences Tier 1
Bird & Bird houses a deep bench which handles the full spectrum of issues for its lucrative client base of pharma, medical device, and biotech companies. The group regularly advises on marketing authorisations and EU regulations concerning the use of human tissue and allocation of biological material, with the practice experiencing growth on the digital health front. Practice head Marc Martens is known for his expansive regulatory expertise, with particular emphasis on clinical trials and biobanking; Martens regularly appears before the European Court of Justice in disputes concerning data exclusivity, in addition to advising on the lifecycle of biotech products and advanced therapies. Jean-Christophe Troussel has vast knowledge of both contentious and non-contentious IP and technology related matters, with a strong focus on the monetisation of innovation, research and development (R&D) deals, and enforcement strategies. Paul Hermant exhibits broad experience in handling venture capital financings, securities offerings, and M&A within the life sciences space.Practice head(s):
Marc Martens
Other key lawyers:
Jean-Christophe Troussel; Paul Hermant; Nicolas Carbonnelle; Kevin Munungu
Testimonials
‘Very knowledgeable, responsive, professional.’
‘Very accessible and reply quickly.’
Key clients
Polpharma Pharmaceutical Works
Nueraxpharma
Teva Pharma
Kaneka Eurogentec
PDC*Line Pharma SA
Terumo Europe
Op2Lysis SAS
CooperVision
Essencia (bio.be)
Novadip
MaSTherCell SA (Catalent)
EMBL
Vital Strategies
UCB
European Commission: SMART-BEAR project
EG (formerly Eurogenerics)
Belgium > Industry focus: IT and telecoms Tier 1
Drawing upon its extensive knowledge of IT contracts, IP protection clauses and regulatory initiatives and changes, Bird & Bird provides comprehensive support to a diverse client base, including media players, international corporations and technology suppliers. The team is also well positioned to support its clients’ outreach to EU institutions. Benoit Van Asbroeck co-heads the practice and is equipped to advise on projects involving big data, blockchain infrastructure and the implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code. Co-head Hein Hobbelen frequently advises major telecoms clients on an array of competition law issues, including state aid matters.Practice head(s):
Benoit Van Asbroeck; Hein Hobbelen
Key clients
European Commission
DigitalEurope
ASML
Work highlights
- Acting as an integral part of the EU-funded SMART-BEAR project, which ensures that data-driven personalised healthcare solutions for seniors comply with GDPR regulations.
- Spearheading the European Blockchain Sandbox project, bringing legal expertise to drive regulatory dialogue, identify legal obstacles, and ensure innovative decentralised technology solutions maintain regulatory compliance.
- Represented a complainant in the European Commission’s investigation regarding Apple’s in-app purchase terms for e-books and audiobooks.
Belgium > Intellectual property Tier 1
From trade secrets and patent disputes, to geographical indications and brand protection work, Bird & Bird covers the full spectrum of intellectual property matters. Transactional and tax IP matters are additional areas of strength with the unit winning plaudits for its R&D and innovation tax work, notably in the life sciences sector. Jean-Christophe Troussel heads up the practice and has a wide-ranging IP practice that encompasses cross-border disputes and patent and trade mark expertise. Expert member of the Belgian Council of Intellectual Property Benoit Van Asbroeck frequently operates at the nexus of technology and IP, and Domien Op De Beeck‘s practice straddles contentious mandates and advice on trade secret protection agreements and policies. Auriane Shockaert excels in drafting complex IP agreements, while Guillaume De Villegas De Clercamp is adept at managing complex litigation in trade mark and copyright law.Practice head(s):
Jean-Christophe Troussel
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
CureVac AG
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Le Pain Quotidien
WIPO
Work highlights
- Successfully defended Anheuser-Busch InBev in a cancellation action launched by rival Heineken against one of ABI’s trade marks and successfully represented ABI in several strategic trade mark collision negotiations.
- Managing the trade mark portfolio of Le Pain Quotidien, which includes the management of more than 200 registered marks across 40 jurisdictions.
Belgium > EU regulatory: Financial services Tier 2
Bird & Bird leverages its notable strength at the intersection of technology and financial services to inform its fintech expertise across innovative payment services, blockchain technology, open banking, and new lending platforms. Niche areas of focus include apps, data analytics and alternative methods of fundraising. Scott McInnes leads the financial regulatory team, and is particularly noted for his expertise in assisting with competition law issues in the payments sector. The group’s clients range from established global players to innovative start-ups.Practice head(s):
Scott McInnes
Other key lawyers:
Paul Hermant; Cedric Berckmans; Julien Sad
Testimonials
‘Scott McInnes and Julien Sad are trusted advisors in this area. They have extensive subject matter knowledge and are incredibly pragmatic and responsive.’
‘Scott McInnes is THE subject matter expert on all things card acquiring-related. He understands the issues quickly and keeps an eye/ear out for changes coming which impact his clients.’
‘Julien Sad knows all things about payments and e-money and is incredibly helpful and on-point with his advice.’
Key clients
bunq (including Tricount)
Aion Bank
Booking.com group (including Priceline.com, Agoda)
Satispay
Mirakl
Banco Santander (including PagoNxt, Getnet Europe)
Bonsai
Belgium > EU regulatory: Food Tier 2
Bird & Bird's client base comprises food and beverage producers, distributors and retailers, biotech companies and other innovative operators. The team's proficiencies span the entire lifecycle of food and beverage production and marketing, from research and development to processing, brewing, packaging, labelling, advertising, and distribution issues. The key contact is Nicolas Carbonnelle, who was promoted to partner in May 2022.Practice head(s):
Nicolas Carbonnelle
Testimonials
‘Bird & Bird offers strong expertise in food law and EU regulations on enzymes and food ingredients, and possesses commercial acumen.’
‘Nicolas helped us early on regarding understanding the impact of the incident and how best to position ourselves in front of our customers from both regulatory and commercial perspectives.’
Key clients
SodaStream and SodaPressCO
Tebrito
New Generation
Nutrition
IPIFF
Evergrain
8Greens
JuicePlus
Biocodex
Ross Barr
Eckes-Granini
Mori
Xampla
SafeTraces
Akorn
Treasury Wine Estates
DS Smith
Nutramax
Amano Enzymes
Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers
Work highlights
- Assisted SodaStream and SodaPressCo with the validation of the ingredients used in these ranges of products, as well as advising on the content of the consumer-facing labelling of the products and handling relevant nutrition and health claims.
- Assisted Japanese enzyme manufacturer Amano Enzymes with a review of the regulatory status of its products, particularly in relation to the Novel Foods Regulation.
Belgium > Industry focus: Media and entertainment Tier 2
Bird & Bird pulls together a strong offering in media and entertainment with standout expertise in matters relating to broadcasting, advertising and content licensing and distribution. Benoit Van Asbroeck and competition and trade expert Hein Hobbelen oversee the team; Van Asbroeck is well versed in matters concerning digital technologies and the European Electronic Communications Code. José Rivas is notably active in mandates concerning sports sector clients.Practice head(s):
Benoit Van Asbroeck; Hein Hobbelen
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
FIFA
DigitalEurope
European Commission
Work highlights
- Assisted a Belgian holding company active in retail and online betting with securing the innovation income deduction for the royalty income from its in-house innovative software via a ruling procedure.
- Represented a complainant in the European Commission’s investigation regarding Apple’s in-app purchase terms for e-books and audio books.
Belgium > Industry focus: Retail Tier 2
The three core pillars of Bird & Bird‘s retail offering span food and beverage issues, fashion and luxury goods work, and hotel and leisure mandates. The team advises on a wide range of issues with consumer law, IP mandates and competition issues standing out as notable areas of activity. Jean-Christophe Troussel oversees matters and excels in contentious and transactional intellectual property and technology-related mandates. Benoit Van Asbroeck is known for representing retail clients before the European Court of Justice.Practice head(s):
Jean-Christophe Troussel
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They are fast and flexible and have an excellent working pan-European network. As a multinational company with a footprint across Europe, we often need advice in several European jurisdictions. Bird & Bird’s one-stop-shop mechanism works really well and quickly. They also have a pragmatic approach.’
Key clients
SodaStream/SodaPressCO
Eckes-Granini
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Le Pain Quotidien
Booking.com group (including e.g. Priceline.com, Agoda)
Arçelik
Colgate-Palmolive
Burberry
Ralph Lauren
Inditex
Kontoor Brands EMEA
LeeWrangler Belgium Services BVBA
Work highlights
- Advising a number of high-profile clients in the clothing/fashion sector, including Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Inditex and LeeWrangler, on questions related to distribution, antitrust investigations and general competition advice.
- Assisting Eckes-Granini in connection with a range of food law related matters, including national legislation on fruit juices and related products as well as questions related to novel food ingredients.
- Protecting the trade mark portfolios of iconic brands for beverage manufacturer AB InBev and Belgian eatery Le Pain Quotidien.
Belgium > Not-for-profit Tier 2
Geared to advise Belgium-based trade & industry associations, Bird & Bird is also frequently sought out by European scientific institutions for assistance with the structuring and rolling out of Pan-European collaborative research projects. Paul Hermant spearheads the team’s offering alongside Brent Springael. The former has in-depth expertise concerning the structure, membership and governance of international associations and federations, while the latter leverages his tax expertise to advise non-profit clients on matters directly and indirectly related to tax. Anne Federle‘s competition law expertise is valued highly by industry association clients.Practice head(s):
Paul Hermant; Brent Springael
Other key lawyers:
Anne Federle; Cedric Berckmans
Key clients
IPIFF
Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers
European Commission, SMART-BEAR H2020 project
ACE (Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment) / GRACE (Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment)
Essenscia (Bio.be)
European Thermal Paper Association
(ETPA)
Work highlights
- Assisting the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers with advocating for the grant of a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) for Alaska Pollock in the EU.
Belgium > Competition: Belgian law Tier 3
Bird & Bird offers clients from a range of heavily-regulated industries expertise in both competition and trade law, and is consquently increasingly instructed to advise on foreign subsidies and foreign direct investment control mechanisms. Cartel investigations are another rapidly growing area, while advice on distribution, online sale and geo-blocking issues also continues to keep the group busy. José Rivas and Hein Hobbelen are the key senior names to note.Practice head(s):
José Rivas; Hein Hobbelen
Testimonials
‘Bird & Bird is one of the best law firms that I have worked with. They provide comprehensive and tailor-made legal opinions in a timely manner.’
‘Whenever I need legal assistance José Rivas is the person that I call at first instance. I respect his great expertise and work ethic.’
‘We have worked and continue to work with Bird & Bird in a very large strategic competition matter. We have been impressed with the work of the Bird & Bird team which is highly knowledgeable and provides business focused, succinct advice in a very timely manner. ’
‘Hein Hobbelen is an excellent EU antitrust lawyer with loads of experience and he always provides very pragmatic and timely advice – he is really a go-to EU competition and trade partner in Brussels. His entire team has demonstrated the ability to work under very high pressure and they always remain calm and very approachable under all circumstances.’
‘The Brussels team knows how to integrate various areas of law in a comprehensive advice that provides real added value to us.’
Key clients
Securitas
RTBF
Boehringer Ingelheim
Arçelik
EG
NRB
ACE
CLEPA
CLECAT
Work highlights
- Representing Securitas in a cartel investigation by the Belgian Competition Authority.
- Advised NRB on the notification of its acquisition of NeWIN to the Belgian Competition Authority.
- Represented the generic medicines manufacturer EG, as an interested third party, in an investigation by the Belgian Competition Authority into an alleged cartel in the sector for the distribution of pharmaceutical products to pharmacies.
Belgium > Competition: EU and global Tier 3
At Bird & Bird, the combination of strong competition and trade law expertise ensures that the team is particularly well placed to advise on control mechanisms for foreign subsidies and foreign direct investment. Other key pillars of the practice include abuse of dominance investigations, merger control work, and state aid issues. José Rivas and Hein Hobbelen co-head the Brussels competition practice; the former has in-depth knowledge of the sports and aviation sectors, while the latter ‘stands out as a terrific competition and telecoms lawyer‘.Practice head(s):
José Rivas; Hein Hobbelen
Other key lawyers:
Baptist Vleeshouwers; Anne Federle
Testimonials
‘Great insights.’
‘Very knowledgeable.’
‘The team is pragmatic, efficient and to-the-point.’
‘José Rivas is analytical, efficient and pragmatic.’
‘What makes this practice unique is José Rivas.’
‘José Rivas is a second-to-none lawyer with solid experience in all areas of competition law, EU law in general, and impressive experience in litigation before the EU courts. There would not be many lawyers in private practice with such extensive ligitation experience.’
‘Very sharp eye on telecoms regulations, responsive and quick. A multi-jurisdictional team allows the firm to provide complete advice to the client. I was very impressed.’
‘Hein Hobbelen stands out as a terrific competition and telecoms lawyer, and a very gifted communicator. He has also excellent coordination skills for cross-border projects.’
Key clients
Securitas
easyJet
Carpatair
Rubycon
Inditex
Burberry
FIFA (International Federation of Association Football)
Panasonic
John Deere
Air Products PLC
ASML
Borg Warner
SES
Boehringer Ingelheim
ACE (Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment) / GRACE (Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment)
European Thermal Paper Association (ETPA)
Ottobock
CLEPA (European Association of Automotive Suppliers)
CLECAT – European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs Services
Work highlights
- Representing Securitas in a cartel investigation.
- Represented Carpatair in an action for annulment before the EU General Court against the decision of the European Commission concerning support granted by Timişoara Airport to Wizz Air.
- Represented a complainant in the European Commission’s investigation regarding Apple’s in-app purchase terms for e-books and audio books.
Belgium > Customs, trade, WTO and anti-dumping Tier 3
Bird & Bird assists industrial manufacturers as well as large multinationals in the TMT sector with a wide range of trade compliance matters, with a particular focus on providing due diligence advice in the context of EU customs and sanctions regimes. Guided by the expertise of competition expert Hein Hobbelen, the team also regularly acts for trade associations as complainants in anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations before the European Commission. Hobbelen co-heads the practice with Hague-based lawyer Brian Mulier, a trade and tax compliance expert who is noted for his advice on export controls.Practice head(s):
Hein Hobbelen; Brian Mulier
Other key lawyers:
Baptist Vleeshouwers
Key clients
European Thermal Paper Association
Ahlstrom-Munksjö Oyj
Ricoh Industry France SAS
Felix Schoeller Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Malta Decor Sp. z o.o.
Work highlights
- Represented the European Thermal Paper Association before the European Commission in an investigation regarding heavyweight thermal paper imports from South Korea, as well as in an action for annulment brought before the General Court and in the appeal against the General Court’s judgment before the EU Court of Justice.
- Acted for Ahlstrom-Munksjö in the European Commission’s suspension review of anti-dumping duties on polyvinyl alcohol imports from China.
Belgium > Employment Tier 4
In addition to leveraging its global network to advise multinational clients on cross-border restructurings and mobility issues, the team at Bird & Bird also advises Benelux-based companies on union negotiations, employee fraud issues, and the employment aspects of corporate policy roll-outs. Employment litigation expert Pieter De Koster co-leads the team with Anton Aerts, who is noted for his immigration expertise as well as for his ability to advise on corporate reorganisations and collective dismissals.Practice head(s):
Pieter De Koster; Anton Aerts
Other key lawyers:
Cecilia Lahaye
Key clients
Colgate-Palmolive
Elanco
Metsa Board Oyj
Mulder Natural Foods
Nitro
Patria Oyj
Ricoh Belgium
Salesforce
Vlerick Business School
Work highlights
- Advised Wolters-Kluwer on day-to day employment and immigration matters, including a dispute with an employee, the relocation of Russian and Belarussian employees to Belgium following the war in Ukraine, as well as the relocation of highly qualified staff from countries such as India.
- Assisted Vlerick Business School with a detailed screening of its current partnership structure and service agreements, including a thorough screening of the setup in the light of new legislation and case law with an emphasis on tax, social security and labour risks.
- Assisted Zoom with both collective and individual labour law issues.
Belgium > Tax Tier 4
Maintaining a finger on the pulse of IP and R&D tax issues, the practice at Bird & Bird is valued by clients from the life sciences and non-profit sectors. Practice head Brent Springael coordinates the firm’s international centre of intelligence for tax structuring in this regard, while the addition of DALDEWOLF‘s Olivier Bertin in November 2022 strengthens the team’s tax disputes offering.Practice head(s):
Brent Springael
Other key lawyers:
Olivier Bertin
Key clients
ArcelorMittal Group
Mastercard
Qlik Group
Quantum Simulate
Capsugel / Lonza
Coopervision
Cardiovascular Center Aalst
SABAM
Certa Insurance
Action Refund
Vlaamse Nieuwsmedia
Pleo
PDC*Line
NuNet
Mediafin
EORTC
Belgian company – member of UK-listed international retail and online betting group
SA Doyen Auto
Saint-Gobain Construction Products Belgium
Work highlights
- Assisted California-based start-up QSimulate with setting up its first and only site in Europe, based in Ghent, including securing the beneficial copyright pay treatment for its software developers (based on the characterisation of pay as movable income rather than much higher taxed professional income) via a ruling procedure.
- Assisted a Belgian holding company active in retail and online betting with securing the innovation income deduction for the royalty income from its in-house innovative software via a ruling procedure.
- Advised the leading automotive spare parts distributor in Europe, with around eight subsidiaries in Belgium, with simplifying its structure.
Belgium > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 5
Netherlands > Fintech
At Bird & Bird‘s office in The Hague, the fintech practice is jointly led by Brussels-based payments regulation specialist Scott McInnes and Germany-based financial markets regulation expert Michael Jünemann. Marjolein Geus is a key practitioner in the group, with a solid track record in advising clients on blockchain and distributed ledger technology matters. In February 2024 associate Daniëlle van de Vijver left the firm.Practice head(s):
Scott McInnes; Michael Jünemann
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Emesa Nederland B.V.
Bizcuit B.V.
Bizcuit Payments B.V.
Geldvoorelkaar.nl
CCV Group B.V.
Zeekr
European Commission
Work highlights
- Assisting the EU Commission with establishing a regulatory sandbox for blockchain and decentralized data solutions.
- Advising a fintech client on the design and launch of an un-hosted, multi-signature cryptocurrency wallet.
Germany > Antitrust
Bird & Bird‘s team is well versed in antitrust proceedings, including abuse and cartel damages, and also assists with merger and investment control as well as distribution antitrust law. The practice routinely cooperates with other locations on cross-border matters. The industry expertise in the technology sector is frequently demonstrated at the interface with IP law, where the team advises on FRAND isssues. Other interface capacities include corporate, EU state aid law and public procurement law. Practice head Jörg Witting and Stephan Waldheim cover the IP interface, while Anne Federle is experienced in antitrust and abuse proceedings.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The collaboration with Bird & Bird’s competition law team is excellent. They are pragmatic and are good at explaining the concepts of EU competition law in a way that I can understand and act accordingly.’
‘Stephan Waldheim: Very committed, excellent understanding of complex FRAND topics, client-oriented.’
‘Anne Federle grasps the core of complex issues very quickly, providing calm advice.’
‘Very good response times, pragmatic legal advice.’
Key clients
450connect
AbbVie Inc.
ACE (Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment) / GRACE (Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment)
B&C Innovation Investments
check24.de
Covetrus
DeNA (Japan)
Digitial Realty
Group14 Technologies
Hisense Gorenje
Hy24/Mirova
Lloyd
Mastercard
Melitta Gruppe
Nexteer Automotive
Nokia
NürnbergMesse GmbH
Wolfspeed
Bird & Bird > Firm Profile
The firm: Bird & Bird is an international law firm, with a long-established reputation for having a rare and invaluable grasp of strategic commercial issues. The firm combines exceptional legal expertise with deep industry knowledge and refreshingly creative thinking, to help clients operating at the forefront of their industries to achieve their commercial goals.
Bird & Bird has over 1,400 lawyers and legal practitioners with broad advisory transactional and contentious capability, with a particular focus on key industry sectors. The firm has an extensive international reach with 32 offices across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, offering a seamless, cross-border service between locations and sector and practice groups.
The Belgian office, which brings together 40 lawyers from more than ten different countries, offers expert advice across a broad range of areas including corporate, commercial, competition, employment, privacy and data protection, intellectual property, regulatory and tax. The team has strong expertise in the life sciences, electronics, technology and communications, aviation and aerospace, energy, and food and beverage sectors. Furthermore, the Belgian office is also the hub of Bird & Bird’s international competition and EU practice.
Located in Brussels, the heart of the European decision-making community, the firm is able to closely follow and influence the developments of European law, particularly in its chosen sectors. This enables it to keep its clients abreast of key developments in EC law.
Areas of practice: Underpinned by deep client and industry knowledge, the firm’s key sectors include:
Automotive: advising on all stages of a life cycle of a motor vehicle, from initial design, to sales and distribution, through to disposals.
Aviation, aerospace, defence and security: advising on asset management and financing, civil aviation matters, including airlines, regulatory and competition issues, and aerospace and defence, including PPP/PFI and product liability.
Electronics: advising clients operating in or serving the electronics industry, from R&D and component manufacturing, to technology licensing agreements.
Energy and utilities: advising large multinationals, investors, project companies and large energy consumers on electricity generation, energy trading, renewable energy, cleantech and climate change, and upstream oil and gas.
Financial services: advising global clients in the financial services sector, such as global retail and investment banks, investors and hedge funds, on transactions, regulatory issues, commercial contracts and dispute resolution.
Food and beverage: advising on a full range of areas, including branding, labelling, health claims, fair trade and patents on novel foods.
Life sciences and healthcare: advising clients in biotechnology, bioinformatics and pharmaceutical companies on licensing and drug development agreements, R&D collaboration, IP acquisitions and joint ventures.
Media and entertainment: advising clients from across the media spectrum on a wide range of issues, including exploitation across all forms of digital media and emerging areas, such as user-generated content exploitation.
Sports: advising clients such as national and international sports governing bodies, event organisers and sponsors on issues including exploitation of commercial rights, brand management, regulatory and disciplinary issues.
Technology and communications: advising on matters ranging from smaller innovative projects to some of the largest, most complex and ground-breaking transactions and disputes of recent years. Its team includes lawyers with a particular focus on communications, devices and components, digital tech and eCommerce, and software and services as well as a number of more specialist industries including data centres, postal and satellites.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Arbitration | Benoit Van Asbroeck | ||
Banking and finance | Paul Hermant | ||
Brands and trade marks | Jean-Christophe Troussel | ||
Brands and trade marks | Benoit van Asbroek | ||
Commercial | Benoit Van Asbroeck | ||
Competition and EU | José Rivas | ||
Competition and EU | Anne Federle | ||
Competition and EU | Scott McInnes | ||
Competition and EU | Hein Hobbelen | ||
Copyright | Jean-Christophe Troussel | ||
Copyright | Benoit Van Asbroeck | ||
Corporate | Paul Hermant | ||
Dispute resolution | Marc Martens | ||
Dispute resolution | Benoit van Asbroek | ||
Employment | |||
Patents and know-how | Bruno Vandermeulen | ||
Patents and know-how | Marc Martens | ||
Patents and know-how | Jean-Christophe Troussel | ||
Privacy and data protection | Benoit Van Asbroeck | ||
Regulatory and administrative | Marc Martens | ||
Public sector contracts and disputes | Marc Martens | ||
Tax | Brent Springael |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 1,200 at this office : 40Languages
Dutch English French German Greek Italian SpanishOther
Other offices : Aarhus Other offices : Abu Dhabi Other offices : Beijing Other offices : Bratislava Other offices : Budapest Other offices : Copenhagen Other offices : Dubai Other offices : Dusseldorf Other offices : Frankfurt Other offices : Hamburg Other offices : Helsinki Other offices : Hong Kong Other offices : London Other offices : Luxembourg Other offices : Lyon Other offices : Madrid Other offices : Milan Other offices : Munich Other offices : Paris Other offices : Prague Other offices : Rome Other offices : Shanghai Other offices : Singapore Other offices : Stockholm Other offices : Sydney Other offices : The Hague Other offices : WarsawBird & Bird > Firm Profile
Bird & Bird is an international law firm with a focus on helping organisations being changed by technology and the digital world. With over 1,400 lawyers in 31 offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, the firm is ready to help clients wherever they are in the world. Bird & Bird’s history stretches back to the 1830s, with the firm formally established in 1846. Even back then, the firm’s excellence in client service and passion for key industries attracted leading innovators.
As technology allowed innovations and ideas to travel more quickly, the need to protect the ideas and innovations of its clients encouraged the firm to expand its international capabilities. In 1998, Bird & Bird became one of the first law firms to organise around key sectors, enabling it to share its deep industry knowledge more effectively across the firm.
Bird & Bird combines this commercial understanding of its clients’ businesses with its leading legal expertise and the international reach its clients need to achieve their goals.
Main areas of practice
For the past decade, Bird & Bird has been the go-to international legal firm for companies working with disruptive technology. Whether traditional businesses leveraging cutting-edge technology or start-ups changing the status quo, the firm guides its clients through all the regulatory, legal and commercial aspects of this fast-moving environment. Bird & Bird’s lawyers combine exceptional legal expertise with deep industry knowledge and refreshingly creative thinking, to help clients operating at the forefront of their industries to achieve their goals.
The firm currently works with over half of the first 100 companies in the Fortune 500 and nearly two-thirds of the world’s 100 most innovative companies, as named by Forbes. Over a third of Bird & Bird’s clients have been with the firm for more than a decade; testament to the high-level of service and legal expertise it delivers.
Bird & Bird’s wide-ranging practice in Latin America has been going from strength-to-strength since its inception ten years ago, working on projects across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. These projects have involved transactional work, dispute resolution and regulatory matters across multiple sectors including energy and projects, transport and aviation, food and beverage, TMT, life sciences and healthcare, employment, and financial services.
The firm’s offices in Madrid and London have spearheaded Bird & Bird’s activity in the region, making the most of Madrid’s connection in culture and language, as well as the extensive experience and expertise in the region of its individual lawyers. As a result, the firm has developed a very strong network of relationships with some of the most renowned and prestigious local firms in Latin American Countries.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Sectors | |||
Automotive | Christian Kessell | ||
Aviation and defence | Paul Briggs | ||
Aviation and defence | Leo Fattorini | ||
Energy and utilities | Matt Bonass | ||
Energy and utilities | Hermenegildo Altozano | ||
Financial services | Christian Bartsch | ||
Financial services | Stefano Febbi | ||
Retail and consumer | Mark Abell | ||
Tech and comms | Graeme Maguire | ||
Practice areas | |||
Commercial | Simon Shooter | ||
Commercial | Fabian Niemann | ||
Competition and EU law | Pauline Kuipers | ||
Competition and EU law | Morten Nissen | ||
Corporate | Stefan Silvestri | ||
Corporate | Peter Veranneman | ||
Dispute resolution | Peter Knight | ||
Finance | Trystan Tether | ||
Finance | Raimondo Maggiore | ||
Franchising | Mark Abell | ||
Intellectual property | Morag Macdonald | ||
Intellectual property | Christian Harmsen | ||
Outsourcing | Mark Leach | ||
Privacy and data protection | Arian Mole | ||
Privacy and data protection | Ruth Boardman | ||
Real estate | Jonathan Baker | ||
Regulatory and administrative | Jan Byok | ||
Tax | Andrew Brown | ||
Trade and Customs | Richard Eccles | ||
Trade and customs | Brian Mulier |
Staff Figures
Partners : 310 Other fee-earners : 1,300 Total staff : 2,225Comparative Guides
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United Kingdom: Employment and Labour Law
Published: March 2024
Authors: Alison DixonAnish PathakOlivia Baxendale
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Employment and Labour laws and regulations applicable in United Kingdom.
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Germany: Franchise & Licensing
Published: October 2023
Authors: Dr. Jiri Jaeger Jie Zhang Michael Brooks-Zavodsky
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Franchise & Licensing laws and regulations applicable in Germany.
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United Kingdom: Pharmaceutical Advertising
Published: December 2023
Authors: Sally ShorthosePieter ErasmusMax Gross
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Pharmaceutical Advertising laws and regulations applicable in United Kingdom.
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United Kingdom: Venture Capital
Published: March 2024
Authors: Struan PenwardenBenjamin Simon
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Venture Capital laws and regulations applicable in United Kingdom.
- EU regulatory: Pharma, medical devices and biotech
- EU regulatory: Privacy and data protection
- Fintech
- Industry focus: Food
- Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences
- Industry focus: IT and telecoms
- Intellectual property
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- EU regulatory: Financial services
- EU regulatory: Food
- Industry focus: Media and entertainment
- Industry focus: Retail
- Not-for-profit
Firm Rankings
- Netherlands > Fintech
- Germany > Antitrust