Our lawyers
Partners
Olivier DUGARDYN
Olivier Dugardyn has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 1988. His practice focuses on national and international corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, competition law and antitrust matters (cartels), unfair competition, distribution law, e-commerce, financial law and commercial litigation. His clients include both national and international corporations and organizations. He also serves as counsel to many European trade associations, in various industries, for instance in their dealings with the European Institutions.
Olivier is also considered a leading expert in the travel and tourism industry and counsels both small and international travel companies, national and international associations, hotel and resort chains, airlines, cruise companies, on-line agencies, insurance companies and governments. He is regularly appointed as arbitrator or mediator in this field, and is President of a chamber of the Ministry of Economic Affair's Disputes Committee for the Travel Industry.
He also serves as Deputy Judge at the Court of Appeal of Brussels.
Olivier publishes regularly on selected legal topics and has been a speaker at various universities and numerous seminars and conventions both in Europe and around the world.
He is a member of CEPANI, the Belgian Centre for Mediation and Arbitration.
He is very involved in the Chinese legal market, where he started to develop activities more than twelve years ago. He represents both European clients in China and Chinese clients in Europe.
Mr Dugardyn speaks Dutch, French and English and has a working knowledge of German.
Thierry ONGENAE
Carl VAN GANSEWINKEL
Carl Van Gansewinkel is a partner with our Leuven office. His practice focuses on construction law, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and administrative law.
Carl received his law degree from the University of Leuven in 1988 and was admitted to the Brussels Bar that same year. In 1989, he followed a post-graduate degree in management. He was called to the Leuven Bar in 1996, and subsequently started the firm's office in that city.
Carl has been instrumental in assisting contractors, property owners and promoters in large transactions and has extensively experience in drafting and negotiating all types of agreements in the field. He is particularly skilled in initiating and providing assistance to real estate projects from their inception until completion. He also handles any regulatory filings regarding such projects and assists in the financial aspects, as well. Mr. Van Gansewinkel also conducts due diligence and drafts and negotiates both share agreements related to real estate transactions (such as offices, warehousing, etc.) and domestic contracts for various clients in the real estate sector.
Carl speaks Dutch, French and English.
Birgitta VAN ITTERBEEK
Birgitta van Itterbeek has extensive experience in (i) aviation law, specifically aircraft finance and leasing, (ii) asset-based financing including leasing and project finance and (iii) insurance. She regularly advises airlines, charter companies and lessors. She has also counselled Belgian and foreign companies, venture capital funds and banks on matters of acquisition finance and secured lending. Birgitta van Itterbeek has also a particular knowledge in insurance matters including reinsurance and retrocessions and regularly assists reinsurance and insurance companies.
Birgitta van Itterbeek received her law degree from KU Leuven (1988) and holds an LL.M (1989) from the University of Virginia School of Law as a Fulbright Scholar. She joined Dugardyn & Partners office as a partner in 2006. Prior to joining the firm, she was partner at NautaDutilh in Brussels and before that head of asset finance at Loyens in Brussels. Prior to joining Loyens, Birgitta van Itterbeek was senior in-house counsel at Sabena, responsible for overseeing the fleet and financing of the Sabena group.
Birgitta van Itterbeek publishes regularly on selected topics in the field of aviation law and leasing and is frequently invited to speak at seminars.
She is selected by Who’s Who of Aviation Lawyers and of Business lawyers as a world leading Aviation Lawyer.
Birgitta joined the Brussels Bar in 1991, is a native Dutch speaker and has a fluent knowledge of English, French and Italian and a working knowledge of German.
Christophe VAN HECKE
Christophe Van Hecke joined our Brussels office as off counsel on October 1st, 2009 and became partner on March 1st 2011. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, labour law, company law, construction, commercial contracts and liability law.
