Bird & Bird > Brussels, Belgium > Firm Profile

Bird & Bird > The Legal 500 Rankings

Belgium > EU regulatory: Pharma, medical devices and biotech Tier 1

Belgium > EU regulatory: Privacy and data protection Tier 1

The Brussels office of Bird & Bird’s global data protection team frequently works on cross-border matters, working closely with international offices of the firm. Practice leader Benoit Van Asbroeck is recognised for his wide-ranging expertise, covering areas such as e-commerce, digital marketing, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. Hein Hobbelen brings significant experience in representing clients before the European Commission and other sector-specific regulatory bodies.

Belgium > Fintech Tier 1

Characterised by its ‘expertise, industry understanding and customer focus‘, Bird & Bird's fintech practice has experience spanning innovative payment services, blockchain technology, and new lending platforms. The team has particular expertise regarding e-banking and e-finance, supporting high-profile clients in their fintech-related businesses. At the helm of the practice, Scott McInnes is an expert in payment regulations and competition law matters in the payments sector, assisting payment service providers, international merchants and platforms. Cathie-Rosalie Joly is a go-to for clients developing their presence across Europe and Central and Western Africa, and Julien Sad is recommended for advice on anti-money laundering regulation.

Belgium > Industry focus: Food Tier 1

At Bird & Bird, the team is sought after by prominent food and beverage sector entities for its expertise in handling a broad range of matters. Under the leadership of Jean-Christophe Troussel and Nicolas Carbonnelle, the group has a solid track record in assisting multi-national companies with mandates spanning multiple jurisdictions, as well as advising on non-contentious and contentious IP work. Regulatory matters are another core area of instruction for the practice. Troussel is the firm's national head of IP, and Carbonnelle heads up the international food and beverage sector group at the firm.

Belgium > Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences Tier 1

Bird & Bird's broad offering has an established track record in acting for clients in proceedings before the General Court (EGC) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), often involving data protection issues, market authorisations and ethical considerations. Practice head Marc Martens is highly regarded for his expertise in handling data exclusivity cases, as well as assisting with biobanking and clinical trials work. Jean-Christophe Troussel leads the firm’s IP group, and is a key contact for patent license matters and research and development (R&D) deals. Corporate expert Paul Hermant brings experience in advising on venture capital financings and M&A transactions, and regulatory expert Kevin Munungu is well versed in handling public procurement matters for clients in the life sciences sector. Domien Op De Beeck is a key contact for IP-related mandates.

Belgium > Industry focus: IT and telecoms Tier 1

Led by Benoit Van Asbroeck and Hein Hobbelen, the team at Bird & Bird is renowned for its expertise in IT contracts, IT litigation, media law, privacy, and data protection. Hobbelen brings extensive experience in competition and EU trade defence matters, while Van Asbroeck excels in technology law. The team is highly regarded for its regulatory and public affairs practice; media-related matters are another strength of the team, focusing on broadcasting, advertising, and content licensing work. The team routinely assists international corporations and Belgian companies.

Belgium > Intellectual property Tier 1

Bird & Bird is adept at providing patent and enforcement advice to clients, frequently handling complex, multi-jurisdictional patent litigation. The practice has extensive knowledge of copyright, design protection and transactional IP, frequently working closely with the tax department. Patent disputes and brand protection are also core strengths of the practice. The ‘extremely responsive and available‘ Jean-Christophe Troussel leads the practice, with expertise in the food and beverage, life sciences and consumer goods sectors. Benoit Van Asbroeck and Domien Op de Beeck are integral to the team, strongly supported by Guillaume De Villegas De Clercamp.

Belgium > EU regulatory: Financial services Tier 2

Bird & Bird is particularly adept at acting on the intersection of technology and regulation, with expertise across innovative payment services, blockchain technology, and open banking. Cybersecurity is another strength of the practice, with the team advising on preventative measures and complying with regulatory requirements. Practice head Scott McInnes ‘understands the sector incredibly well and is second to none when it comes to anything payment or card scheme related’. Paul Hermant has experience in regulatory, structured, project, and acquisition finance, and is integral to the team, while Cathie-Rosalie Joly has expertise in fintech-related matters.

Belgium > EU regulatory: Food Tier 2

Bird & Bird‘s food practice represents food and beverage producers, distributors, and biotech companies in a wide range of regulatory matters, from market access requirements to labelling and marketing requirements. Nicolas Carbonnelle leads the team, with extensive knowledge of food and beverage products. Carbonnelle is particularly noted for his work in innovative areas, including lab-grown meat and novel genomic techniques. Julie Dernelle is noted.

Belgium > Industry focus: Retail Tier 2

Belgium > Not-for-profit Tier 2

Bird & Bird‘s not-for-profit practice group has particularly strong expertise in advising trade and industry associations based in Belgium. It also assists associations with their establishment and advises them on questions of tax, commercial, regulatory and competition law. Notably, Brent Springael regularly assists non-profit associations with direct and indirect tax matters. Cedric Berckmans specialises in structural work for non-profit organisations, particularly research associations. Anne Federle often advises non-profit clients on competition law matter.

Belgium > Competition: Belgian law Tier 3

Bird & Bird‘s competition practice regularly handles multi-jurisdictional cartel matters, and works closely with the firm’s public affairs offering to support clients in competition cases. It has growing experience of the Belgian foreign direct investment regime, and often advises on compliance concerns. Hein Hobbelen co-heads the practice with José Rivas, Hobbelen combining technology sector knowledge with competition, including State aid, experience.

Belgium > Competition: EU and global Tier 3

Bird & Bird‘s competition and EU practice group leverages its experience of the technology, telecoms, aviation, automotive, and sports sectors alongside competition and trade law expertise, supporting clients with the application of the Digital Markets Act, as well as in competition litigation before EU courts. José Rivas and Hein Hobbelen co-head the team: Rivas a go-to for state aid matters, and Hobbelen boasts particular experience of the technology and communications fields. Baptist Vleeshouwers is also recommended.

Belgium > Industry focus: Media and entertainment Tier 3

Bird & Bird‘s media practice handles high-profile cases across broadcasting, radio, advertising, and distribution. The team works closely with members of the competition and IP practice. Benoit Van Asbroeck leads the team, highly commended for his intellectual property expertise. Hein Hobbelen also heads of the practice, working with leading international companies on media-related competition matters. Guillaume de Villegas is key to the team.

Belgium > Customs, trade, WTO and anti-dumping Tier 4

Owing to its skill and strong track-record in complex anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases, the trade and customs team at Bird & Bird is a long-term partner to leading industry associations and industrial clients. Practice head Hein Hobbelen brings longstanding experience in competition and trade matters and is a key contact on trade defence cases, assisting clients in the paper and chemicals segments with anti-dumping measures and investigations.

Belgium > Employment Tier 4

Bird & Bird‘s international HR services practice group works closely with colleagues from the firm’s global offices to handle day-to-day support, strategic advice on large-scale transactional matters, and disputes. It has a notable sector focus in technology, including data privacy matters. Pieter De Koster and Anton Aerts co-head the team; De Koster is experienced in high-profile employment litigation and cross-border matters, while Aerts regularly handles transfer of undertakings, corporate restructurings, and redundancies.

Belgium > Tax Tier 4

R&D and innovation tax work forms the cornerstone of the Bird & Bird tax practice, which has a notable focus on the life sciences sector and a specialism in IP-related tax issues. Its growing tax disputes offering is another standout element. Brent Springael, ‘a highly skilled and dedicated lawyer’ and authority on patent box cases, heads the team while Olivier Bertin takes the lead in tax litigation and controversy matters.

Belgium > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 5