At Lydian, ‘pragmatism is the hallmark, and they display an excellent ability to effectively manage complex real estate and environmental matters’. From Brussels, Antwerp, and Hasselt, the firm handles major transactions, as well as construction and development work. The ‘easily accessible’ Iris Hemelaer, Dario Petosa (who ‘always goes an extra mile ’), the ‘very accessible and intelligent’ Bruno Stroobants , Anne-Victoire Vandekerckhove (who has ‘a noteworthy eye for detail that can really make the difference’) are the key practitioners. Jens Debièvre left the firm in 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘How I experience Lydian is that they are extremely available. In addition, they communicate very clearly what input we should or should not expect and within what timeframe. The input that we get is also of a very high level.’

  • ‘All credits on my part go to Bruno Stroobants. Bruno is a very accessible and intelligent lawyer who has a perfect understanding of his subject matter. He also always pays attention to the commercial aspects of a real estate file. ’

  • 'Flexibility, willingness to think with you. good accessibility at any time, even during vacations.'

  • 'The personal approach as well as the availability to talk about a case at any time and exchange reflections. Fully understand how to handle difficult conversations or parties. Enjoy explaining the possible consequences.'

  • ‘Lydian provides advice of a high standard for a reasonable fee. Lydian has an excellent team of highly qualified lawyers who are able to process large volumes of assignments quickly and formulate effective outcomes. Availability, accuracy and substantial experience of the business for which we call upon them. Pragmatism is the Lydian hallmark. They display an excellent ability to effectively manage complex real estate/environmental matters. Lydian stands out because they deliver optimum results in a cost-effective manner.’

  • ‘Dario Petosa is very driven and always goes an extra mile for our interests in the most complex cases. He is knowledgeable, proactive, masters his files and is client-focused. Bruno Stroobants is knowledgeable and has strong legal and commercial skills. As a result, he handles files very efficiently so that our interests are always optimally represented.'

  • ‘Iris Hemelaer and the team is at all times easily accessible and prepared to make time for us and dive into our file.’

  • 'The Lydian Real Estate team is a one-of-a-kind team due to its considerable size and its wide-ranging field of expertise. By virtue of their size, they ensure that every single issue in any real estate matter receives an in-depth, yet swift and practical solution. They handle highly complex matters which require a lot of expertise and experience in the field. Nonetheless, they manage without fail to translate these legal issues/complexities into clear and to the point solutions, which are workable in practice. In general, the Lydian Real Estate team, with Anne-Victoire Vandekerckhove at the forefront, can be described as a team which tends to all your interests, delivers solution-oriented advice and is willing to go the extra mile.'

Key clients

  • 2B2 Immo BV
  • Accor Hotels Belgium
  • Visser & Smit Hanab
  • Advanced Power Solutions Belgium NV
  • Arcadis Belgium NV
  • Aveve BV
  • AVK Belgium NV
  • Axima SA (now Equans SA – part of Engie Group)
  • Accor Hotels Belgium
  • Baloise Belgium NV
  • BNP Paribas Fortis NV
  • BouWatch België
  • BPI Real Estate Belgium SA
  • Buro II & Archi + I bvba
  • BV Assurinvestment
  • BVI.EU NV
  • Candor
  • Ciner Glass Belgium
  • Colim NV
  • Coordinatie Organisatie Constructie NV
  • Cordeel Group NV
  • Corden Pharma Brussels NV
  • Cores Development NV
  • Cycle Concepts Den Haag BV
  • DCA
  • Den Trap Construct BV
  • DFDS Belgium NV
  • Divani
  • DS Engineering BV
  • Dornan Engineering
  • Euro Heat Pipes SA
  • EuroParcs Belgium Holding BV
  • Federale Real Estate
  • Fidelidade
  • FIVAC NV
  • Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
  • Fortis Lease NV
  • Galapagos NV
  • Ghent Transport & Storage NV
  • Goodman Belgium NV
  • Hoome Group NV
  • Houthoff - Amsterdam
  • Huis van het GO!
  • IMI Hydronic Engineering NV
  • Immo Arenberg NV
  • IBP Water Link
  • Immo B.S.2M. NV
  • Immobiliën De Swaef NV
  • Immobilien Sauniere SA
  • ION
  • Immogra
  • KBC Bank NV
  • KBC Verzekeringen NV
  • Kolmont Woonprojecten NV
  • KWS Infra BV
  • Lexence
  • LCL NV
  • LCP BELGIUM NV
  • Living Stone BV
  • M² Architecten BVBA
  • McCain Foods Belgium NV
  • Media Markt - Saturn Belgium NV
  • Mobix Engetec NV
  • Norton Rose Fulbright LLP - Amsterdam
  • Ninovimmo BV
  • Oklogi Hotels, S.L.
  • PegaCosmos BV
  • Pegaland BV
  • Pegamo I BV
  • Pegamo III BV
  • Pegamo V BV
  • Pegapark BV
  • Pegare BV
  • Pegason BV
  • Pegatrim BV
  • Poltronesofà Belgium NV
  • QBE Europe NV
  • Quares Residential Investment Fund
  • QRF NV
  • R.E. Investments bvba
  • Real Estate Belgium NV
  • Renotec NV
  • Retailors-FL NK Belgium B.V
  • Service & Development Group Belgium NV
  • Socotec Belgium SRL
  • Stora Enso Langerbrugge NV
  • SVR-Architects NV
  • Tans Group
  • Terberg Exploitatiemaatschappij NV
  • The Good Life Development Fund II
  • Tractebel NV
  • Van Benthem & Keulen
  • Vanden Bruyn BV
  • Vivalto Home Belgium SA
  • Vlinvesta NV
  • Volker Wessels Telecom Belgium NV
  • VZW het Domein Bokrijk

Work highlights

  • Advising Dornan Engineering on all aspects of the construction of complex data centres for Google in Belgium and abroad, including the liabilities of Google and Mace, their contractual position with different assigned subcontractors, and the negotiation with Google of the main construction agreement.
  • Advising Ciner Glass Belgium with the construction of a new container glass production plant at Kristalpark III in Lommel, in particular with a legal assistance in the negotiations of the service agreement with Tractebel, in drafting various models of construction agreements.
  • Advising Baloise Group in Belgium as its trusted lawyer in its real estate activities in Belgium, including significant share deals for more than EUR 200 million, among others relating to a mixed-use renowned building in a top-notch location in Brussels as well as the retail part of the Antwerp Tower.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Iris Hemelaer, Dario Petosa, Bruno Stroobants, Anne-Victoire Vandekerckhove

Other key lawyers

Laura Reynders