Wilfried De Wever, President of Effectius
Brussels Legal ran into Wilfried De Wever from Effectius, a Brussels based NGO working on improving the effectiveness of justice systems in the world.
Michel Bonne, President of the Brulex Organising Committee, Counsel at Van Bael & Bellis
Have you ever wondered if lawyers in Brussels with a passion for football are able to find time to play the beautiful game? Brussels Legal sat down to hear the thoughts with Michel Bonne, who runs brulex, a 5-a-side football league made up of Brussels law firms.
Dr. Anna Gergely, Director EHS Regulatory, Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Brussels Legal talked to Dr. Anna Gergely, an analytical and quantum chemist who now practices regulatory law.
Rainer Wessely, Senior Associate at Hogan Lovells
Brussels Legal sat down with Rainer Wessely to discuss his work at Lovells (now HoganLovells) and his past at the European Commission's DG Competition.
Pauline Tawil, Former Stagiaire in the European Commission Legal Service
Brussels Legal caught up with Pauline Tawil, a former Stagiare in the European Commission's legal service to find out what a stage in the commission is like in practice.
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims
Brussels Legal speaks to the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) about their work, their background and the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
Dr. Jörg Hladjk, Associate at Hunton & Williams
To most people, working as a lawyer in Brussels can only mean one thing: competition law. While it is true that there are few international firms in Brussels without a competition practice, there are many other fields that are often overlooked by applicants. One of these "niche" but growing areas is that of data protection and privacy. Brussels Legal sat down with Dr. Jörg Hladjk, associate in the European Data Protection and Privacy Practice at Hunton & Williams, to find out more.
Margarita Peristeraki, Référendaire at the Court of First Instance in Luxembourg
To most people, the “European bubble” is delimited by certain quarters in the city of Brussels. To others, this bubble has important and often forgotten offshoots. One of these offshoots is in Luxembourg, where the Courts of the European Communities are based. Brussels Legal spoke to Margarita Peristeraki on her impressions of her time in Luxembourg as a référendaire at the Court of First Instance.
Antonio Capobianco, Principal Administrator at OECD in Paris
Where would you go to develop your legal career? Italian-qualified lawyer Antonio Capobianco has experience of working in three Member States at the national, private practice and international level.
Mr. Capobianco talked to Brussels Legal about the insights gained from his professional progress in the field of competition law.
Wolter Kymmell, former Belgian country representative of the Association of Corporate Counsel Europe
The Association of Corporate Counsel Europe is an association for in-house counsel. Brussels Legal asked Mr. Wolter Kymmell, the former Belgian country representative, more about the association and its activities.
Robert Klotz, Partner at Hunton & Williams
After almost twelve years as an European Commission official, Robert Klotz, a German-qualified lawyer, has joined Hunton & Williams as a competition law partner.
Brussels Legal spoke with Mr. Klotz about why he decided to leave the Commission and his reasons for becoming a partner in private practice.
Geert Somers, Partner at time.lex
In 2007 time.lex, a niche Brussels-based law firm specialising in information, communication technology (ICT) law, was created.
Brussels Legal spoke with Geert Somers, one of the firm's three founding partners. We asked Mr. Somers about the reasons for the firm's creation, its structure and development over its first year.
Alessandra Fratini and Paolo Vergano, Partners at FratiniVergano
A new law firm, FratiniVergano, opened in Brussels on 11 November 2007 lead by name partners Alessandra Fratini and Paolo Vergano.
Brussels Legal spoke with Ms. Fratini and Mr. Vergano about why they started the firm, what challenges have arisen so far and how they plan to develop the firm.
Daniel Sharma, Partner at DLA Piper
In recent years two international business developments have been well-documented: rising foreign investment in India; and the increasing prominence of Indian business abroad. As both trends are likely to continue, what are the implications for business advisors such as lawyers?
David Ortega, Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU)
After several years working in private practice, David Ortega left Brussels to return to Spain to work in for OCU, Spain's consumer rights organisation.
Brussels Legal spoke with Mr. Ortega about his Brussels experience and how it has helped with his current work.
Marleen Mouton and Yolande Meyvis, Co-founders of Laun
How many associates think of starting their own law firm? But how many actually do? If some female lawyers chances of partnership change after having children, then what can they do?
Several years ago, two corporate lawyers, Marleen Mouton and Yolande Meyvis, were faced with these issues. So they decided to create their own firm, Laun (short for "Lawyers Unlimited"), specialising in corporate and corporate finance law.
Brussels Legal spoke with Ms. Mouton and Ms. Meyvis about why they decided to create their own firm and, with Laun's first year anniversary approaching, how the experience has been so far.
Jean Russotto, Partner of Steptoe & Johnson (Brussels)
After opening in 2002, Steptoe & Johnson's Brussels office expanded in 2004 with the absorption of Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly's Brussels office.
Brussels Legal spoke with Jean Russotto, senior partner in Steptoe & Johnson's Brussels office, about the office's creation and development.
Aurélie-Anne Gilly and Elsa Schropp, Former Stagiaires in DG Competition
What benefit and insight do young international lawyers gain from training at the European Commission? Brussels Legal spoke with two lawyers, Aurélie-Anne Gilly and Elsa Schropp, who have been working as stagiaires in different parts of DG Competition.
We spoke about their respective stage experiences and what advice they would give to antitrust lawyers undertaking a stage in DG Competition. Our interview starts with talking to Ms. Gilly and is then followed by our interview with Ms. Schropp.
Partners Ulrich Soltész (Gleiss Lutz), Olivier Clevenbergh (Stibbe) and Craig Pouncey (Herbert Smith)
The law firm alliance between Gleiss Lutz, Stibbe and Herbert Smith took a more visible form earlier this year when all three Brussels offices moved into the brand new Central Plaza building.
Brussels Legal spoke with three Brussels-based partners: Ulrich Soltész (Gleiss Lutz), Olivier Clevenbergh (Stibbe), and Craig Pouncey (Herbert Smith). We discussed the nature of the firms' alliance (called "the Alliance") and the significance of sharing the same premises in Brussels.
Conor Maguire, Solicitor and Founder of Brussels Matters
Brussels Matters is a forum that allows all lawyers practising or affected by EU law to participate in discussions, either in person or by teleconference, about topical legal developments with senior EU officials in Brussels.
Brussels Legal asked Conor Maguire, a solicitor who set up Brussels Matters, about the forum.
