The real estate practice at Allen & Overy LLP is ‘pragmatic, to the point and very experienced‘. Clients pick out lead partner Rudy Dupont and highly-regarded senior associate Jeff Hermans for their  ‘broad experience and knowledge of the market‘. The practice brings together a broad range of expertise from its corporate and M&A, tax, regulation, finance, and environmental and public law teams to handle high-profile and high-value transactions, finance and tax issues, cross-border matters and more. Partners Filip Tanghe and Gauthier Van Thuyne handle finance and public law matters concerning the built environment respectively. Benjamin Pirlet moved to Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL.

Clifford Chance‘s real estate group ‘knows the key issues and the key players, and is very proactive in finding solutions to complex transactions‘. The firm handles high-value transactions, including a number ofg . Practice head Henri d’Ursel ‘stands out from his peers as he is business-oriented and understands the needs of his clients‘. Counsel Pieter De Bock is a key adviser on real estate projects, senior associate Ruben Vermang ‘stands out for his unwavering commitment for his clients‘, and partner Alexandre Ooms is the key contact for tax advice.

Liedekerke is ‘a one-stop shop for all real estate related issues and has some of Belgium’s finest lawyers‘. Calling on its tax, corporate and finance, and planning and environment groups, the firm provides comprehensive advice to high-profile clients such as LIDL, IKEA, GSK and Total Group. Head of the real estate and regulatory practice Yves Delacroix leads a group of ‘available, highly professional, efficient and business-oriented‘ lawyers, among them Alexandre Emond, who frequently handles major development projects. Up-and-coming partner Julie de Bonnet  moved to NautaDutilh.

Loyens & Loeff has ‘the leading role in the market by expertise, track record, availability and quality of service‘. The firm fully integrates its tax and legal real estate capability, providing a one-stop shop for major real estate developments involving permits, construction, VAT, leases and more. The firm also handles a growing number of lenders’ mandates for the financing of real estate transactions. ‘Outstanding‘ practice head Christophe Laurent, experienced partner Ariane Brohez, newly appointed partner Julien Lecler and counsel Lien Bellinck are the key contacts in the ‘pragmatic, commercial and results-driven‘ team.

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. Energy, public law and regulatory partner Jens Debièvre oversees the practice which relies on a deep bench of counsels. 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.

Stibbe is ‘unique in its depth of expertise, responsiveness and creativity in handling complex high-stake real estate transactions‘. It remains a key player in the market’s biggest deals. Practice head and ‘trusted adviser‘ Matthias Maselis handles commercial real estate transactions and developments in Belgium and Luxembourg. Partners Rudy Nauwelaerts, who frequently acts for insurers, project developers, retailers, public bodies and REITs, and senior associate Anneleen Quirynen ‘combining all skills for a pragmatic and business-oriented result‘. Rony Vermeersch is the standout partner for construction and energy matters, including PPP projects.

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL has ‘profound experience in contracting in the real estate sector‘, and is a key adviser to international investors on transactions, tax, litigation, forward funding, investments and lease arrangements. Highly respected partner Jean-François Vandenberghe leads the ‘very responsive, pragmatic‘ real estate and construction, which hired counsel Benjamin Pirlet from Allen & Overy LLP in 2023 following the retirement of Dominique Lechien. Pirlet adds significant experience in real estate tax issues. Senior associate Helena Verbeek frequently handles due diligence on large transactions.

DLA Piper handles real estate finance, tax, investment planning, construction, and transactional matters. The firm is a key adviser to local, regional, and federal authorities in Belgium, as well as large corporates and investment funds. Led by Joseph Spinks, the practice has ‘ a unique ability to dissect intricate legal issues and provide practical solutions‘. Counsel Bérénice Wathelet is highly recommended for advice on public infrastructure projects. Associate Luana Huybrechts focuses on corporate real estate matters, particularly in the context of complex real estate M&A deals.

The Linklaters real estate group has a broad scope and brings ‘vast experience and expertise,‘ to M&A, joint ventures, investment and development projects, real estate finance, public procurement and much more. Practice head Yves Moreau  is ‘a legal legend – very professional and solution-driven‘. For project finance, Pieter Puelinckx and managing associate Lothar Van Driessche have ‘experience and a pragmatic approach‘. Counsel France Englebert focuses predominantly on the hotel sector.

The real estate practice at NautaDutilh is particularly adept in PPP projects, though it handles a broad palette of transactions. Lead partner Didier De Vliegher is a veteran of the domestic market; loan finance partner Thibaut Willems, and public and regulatory specialist Jens Mosselmans play key roles in the practice. Local partner Julie de Bonnet joined from Liedekerke.

The real estate and construction team at Schoups is ‘extremely dedicated, accurate, and to the point‘. A leading player in construction, the firm recently acted for Constructiebedrijf Ivens, the leading Belgium-based tank construction company, on a project in the state-of-the-art tank terminal in Rotterdam. Ewoud Willaert led that matter. ‘Accurate and sharp‘ practice head Marco Schoups and Els Op de Beeck are key figures in litigation, while Kris Lemmens for public procurement and PPP work and Maarten Somers for projects work are highly recommended.

Simont Braun has ‘deep knowledge of all law matters in the real estate sector‘. Lead partner Manuela Von Kuegelgen, who is ‘highly qualified and extremely conscientious‘, recently advised Fondation Kanal on the creation of the Contemporary and Modern Art Museum and Architecture Museum in Brussels Litigator Béatrice Thieffry is the other senior member of the practice. Counsels Renaud van Melsen and Laura Grauer stand out for public law matters.

AKD‘s real estate and construction practice ‘understands the issues at hand, and is proactive in how to tackle the issues‘. The firm assists domestic and international clients with acquisitions, disposals, and contentious matters.  Steven Ongena, who is ‘very professional, patient and understanding‘, and ‘outstanding partner‘  Simon Ceulemans lead the practice, while counsel Pol Cools is a key adviser to corporates and government entities on relocation projects.

The real estate practice at ALTIUS ‘consistently provides quick solutions and has top-notch expertise‘. The firm frequently handles cross-border transactions and development projects. The ‘accessible, open, accurate and knowledgeable‘ Lieven Peeters co-leads the practice with regulatory partner William Timmermans. Counsel Caroline De Mulder‘s work encompasses public procurement and construction matters.

CMS is ‘very reactive and always available‘ and clients note that the practice led by Bruno Duquesne, who handles complex cross-border portfolio transactions, ‘can handle institutional counterparties as well as private ones, which is a rare feature‘. Pierre-Axel Chabot , who is ‘very efficient and gets truly involved in his files‘, has a broad portfolio that includes construction contracts, property finance, and construction-related disputes. Senior associate Catherine Matton is recommended for property sales and acquisitions.

The real estate practice at Deloitte Legal is ‘very professional, reactive and commercial, with a high knowledge sector’. The firm majors on property sales and real estate M&A, a recent example being the €78m forward acquisition on behalf of the Dutch government of a long lease on a new Belgian and EU embassy building in Brussels. Practice head Maximilien Van De Werve , who handles the lion’s share of the work, has ‘very good technical and practical knowledge‘. Tax partner Danny Stas and corporate partner David Roelens are also key to the practice.

Eubelius has an excellent reputation for advising REITs on regulatory, tax and transactional matters, though clients note that it also ‘delivers integrated advice which covers the entire spectrum of applicable laws and legislation‘ in the real estate sector. Corporate real estate lawyer Lars Van Bever and tax specialist Wouter Claes lead the practice. in which senior attorney Eva Milants is a key adviser on capital markets and M&A transactions.

KPMG Law in Belgium is ‘hardworking and pleasant to work with‘ and clients praise the firm’s ability to advise both complex transactions and related tax matters. Managing partner Gerald Van Walle leads the practice, which is home to ‘very pragmatic and hands on‘ retail sector specialist Jim Bauwens, senior counsel Sébastien De Callataÿ who acts for domestic and international investors or lenders, and senior associate Valerie Dhooghe who handles both transactions and litigation.

Monard law, joined by Buyle‘s real estate and construction practice is particularly well known for its litigation and arbitration work, though it has a strong flow of work on public infrastructure and PPP projects, and corporate transactions. Luc Linders lead a group that is ‘very thorough and has strong market awareness‘. PPP specialist Benoit Samyn, construction disputes expert Gregory Grouwels has expertise in construction-sector disputes, and the ‘calm, knowledgeable and thrustworthy‘ Stefaan Van Dyck , who handles a broad range of transactional matters, are the key contacts.

The real estate and regulatory practice at Eversheds Sutherland is known for its ‘great communication and ability to put complex legal terminology into layman’s terms‘. Practice head Johan Joos oversees a ‘friendly and approachable‘ group that handles real estate M&A, sales and acquisitions, planning, infrastructure development and real estate investment matters.

‘Trustworthy, pragmatic, market-focused and dedicated‘, Antwerp-based GSJ Advocaten joins the ranking this year thanks to its growing portfolio of work for Flemish public authorities, and through its alliance with firms in the Netherlands and the UK, local and international developers and investors in real estate projects. Christophe Lenders (who is ‘very customer-oriented and actively searches for practical solutions‘) and the ‘thorough and punctual‘ Yves Loix are the lead partners.

Laurius is a popular choice for M&A deals and investments in real estate, and it frequently acts for institutional and private equity investors. The practice is led by  Michael Bollen, who ‘increases and improves negotiations rather than slowing them down or overcomplicating them‘ and Christina Trappeniers, who specialises in domestic and cross-border healthcare sector deals.

PwC Legal has ‘a professional team with high knowledge of the real estate market‘. Led by François de Montpellier, who advises Belgian and foreign REITs on transactions and real estate financing, the practice handles project development, construction, investments and more. Senior associate Nicolas Chaval is a key adviser to investment companies, developers, institutional funds, public authorities and credit institutions.