Overview
International law firm McDermott Will & Emery today announced that Hendrik Viaene has joined the Firm’s international antitrust practice in Brussels as partner. He joins a dynamic, experienced and ambitious team, widely recognised for its outstanding credentials in defending multinational corporations in international cartels and regularly securing complex merger clearances in Europe.
Hendrik joins from Deloitte Legal where he led the global Centre of Expertise in Competition and Regulatory Law. His vast experience includes over 18 years at Stibbe, a Benelux law firm, where he specialised in European and Belgian antitrust law, including litigation.
Hendrik’s practice focuses on EU competition and regulatory law, including State aid, cartels, licensing agreements, merger control, abuse of dominance, and distribution agreements. His wide-ranging expertise extends over a number of sectors, including energy, chemicals and paints, automotive, financial data, recycling and waste management, telecoms, construction, renewables, media, private equity and the financial industry.
Hendrik frequently litigates for companies before the European Commission as well as before the Belgian competition authority in State aid, cartel, merger, and abuse of dominance matters. A seasoned and skilled litigator, he has also successfully represented clients before the European Court of Justice and Belgian courts.
He also regularly assists in the carrying out of compliance audits and provides strategic advice to international clients in the context of cartel immunity and leniency applications to competition authorities.
“I’m very excited about joining McDermott’s Brussels Competition team which is a central and strategic pillar of the Firm’s global antitrust expertise with strong practices in the US, Germany and France. As such, it offers me an unparalleled platform to advance my own capabilities and bring tangible results to my clients,” said Hendrik.
This expansion of the office will build on significant capabilities the Firm has in Brussels, led by prominent competition lawyer Jacques Buhart.
“Our global clients come to us for expertise in light of our outstanding track record in merger control, cross-border M&A and international cartel defence and trade”, said Jacques Buhart. “In addition to Andrea Hamilton, who concentrates on international mergers, and David Henry and Philip Bentley QC, both UK barristers, Hendrik will bring additional skills to offer our clients the highest calibre of legal advice to successfully defend them in complex competition and trade matters, including litigation.”
Hendrik is recognised by major international directories including Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Legal500, Who’s Who, Benchmark Litigation Europe, Leaders League, and IFLR1000. Clients refer to him as “a true subject matter expert” and he is considered one of the leading State aid lawyers globally.
ABOUT MCDERMOTT’S BRUSSELS PRACTICE
McDermott Brussels has an outstanding track-record in defending international corporations in antitrust matters and obtaining merger clearances in Europe. The Brussels lawyers have been involved in several Phase II EU merger cases in a variety of industries, either representing notifying parties or intervening third parties. McDermott Brussels lawyers also have in depth experience with successfully and seamlessly coordinating the notification of mergers to several European and non-European national competition authorities, as well as non-merger investigations. They have notably also coordinated from Brussels major international cartel investigations in particular with the Washington DC office and McDermott’s white-collar litigation lawyers. Our experience covers industries such as energy, retail, aircraft, paper, nuclear, automotive, telecommunications, packaging and healthcare.
About McDermott
McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective – and often innovative – solutions for McDermott’s clients. With more than 1,200 lawyers in more than 20 offices, we not only support companies around the world and around the clock, but we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
