Chambers Global 2025: VBB maintains strong rankings with 14 lawyers mentioned across 5 practice areas
- 27/02/2025
- News
VBB has maintained a strong performance in this year’s Chambers Global Guide rankings, with all core practice areas and 14 of our lawyers recognised in the 2025 edition.
Our “outstanding” international trade practice retains its Band 1 ranking for International Trade/WTO, praised in particular for its trade remedies, WTO, customs and sanctions expertise. “The quality of the partners and their experience, precision and diligence” are acknowledged as key strengths. Six partners receive individual recognition. Founding partner Jean-François Bellis continues to be ranked as a Senior Statesperson, Philippe De Baere has again earned the prestigious Star Individual ranking, and partners Richard Luff, Fabrizio Di Gianni, Pablo Muñiz, and Yuriy Rudyuk are all listed as notable practitioners. The Guide’s Global Market Leaders section calls out the team’s “outstanding know-how and practical experience”, along with its “renowned expertise in WTO and trade remedy matters” and “robust trade customs practice”.
Our competition practice remains a cornerstone of our success, reflected in its Band 3 recognition in the Guide’s Competition: EU category. The Guide highlights our EU as well as our Belgian domestic capabilities across all areas of competition law, including “notable experience in the appeal of EC decisions” and business conduct work for “an impressive list of life sciences [and] consumer goods companies”. Clients appreciate the well-balanced nature of the team, its ability to deal with complex matters and the clarity of its advice. Accolades include: “our go-to law firm for any antitrust matter” and “...honestly one of the best counsel I have worked with. The team is extremely responsive and very knowledgeable”.
At individual level, four key partners receive recognition: practice co-heads Andrzej Kmiecik and Porter Elliott, Kris Van Hove, and Jean-François Bellis – “one of the top competition lawyers in Brussels” – who is again acclaimed as a Senior Statesperson. The practice is also featured in the Global: Multijurisdictional section of the Guide, in recognition of its expertise in European Commission Phase II merger cases, and major cartel, abuse of dominance and state aid investigations, with Andrzej Kmiecik and Porter Elliott listed as notable practitioners.
The expertise of our transactions team in cross-border M&A, joint ventures, restructuring and corporate governance work contributes to its continued ranking for Corporate/M&A. Clients compliment our lawyers’ pragmatic and proactive approach, with one client stating, ‘’the team at Van Bael & Bellis offers excellent legal knowledge paired with commercial acumen. The whole team performs beyond expectations”. Practice head Michel Bonne retains his 2024 ranking, while partner Caroline Daout makes her debut in the rankings, as a result of her “really deep technical understanding and great advice”. Counsel Hannelore Matthys enters the Up and Coming category for the first time, recognised by clients in the digital services industry in particular for her M&A expertise, further strengthening our team’s strong standing in this competitive area.
Described as “fantastic and reliable’’ Johan Mouraux maintains his ranking in the Banking & Finance category, while Life Sciences co-head and litigation specialist Catherine Longeval is ranked for Dispute Resolution, referred to by a client as “an experienced litigator who truly shines in pleadings before the court”.
The rankings reflect VBB’s unwavering dedication to providing top-tier legal expertise across its core practice areas in a highly competitive global landscape. We are especially proud to see increased recognition this year for our Corporate/M&A team.
We extend our gratitude to our clients and colleagues for their continued trust and collaboration and look forward to another year of working together on important legal projects.
For more details on our rankings, visit Van Bael & Bellis, Global 2025 | Chambers Profiles
