A&O Shearman’s ‘broad team of well-rounded professionals‘ handles a large volume of mid- and upper-market matters, with the practice exhibiting notable strengths in connection with cross-border and innovatively structured transactions. The team, which advises major funds and their portfolio companies in the Benelux region and abroad, regularly assists with the negotiation, due diligence, and financing aspects of buy- and sell-side buyouts, minority investments, and carve-outs. Practice head Wouter Van de Voorde  regularly collaborates with the firm’s global offices to advise on high-value multi-jurisdictional transactions, often with complex restructuring and reinvestment elements. Dirk Meeus and Pierre-Olivier Mahieu are vastly experienced with M&A and equity capital markets, while Frederiek Adams is noted for his advice on joint ventures, among other issues.

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL remains very active across the full range of private equity work, handling a large number of high-value transactions and investments for Benelux-based and international private equity houses in addition to regularly advising clients on the formation of new private funds. The team’s expertise in corporate financing, regulatory, and tax matters enables it to comprehensively advise clients on the structuring aspects of new alternative investment outfits, while also being an asset in connection with fundraising and financing matters. The team, which is particularly active on transactions and financings in the life sciences, IT, and real estate sectors, is led by corporate finance and governance expert Roel Meers. Further key names include Luc Meeus, who advises on the corporate and tax aspects of private equity transactions and fund formations, cross-border M&A experts Davinia Martens and Dominique Maes, and financing specialist Koen Vanhaerents. Kristoff Cox and Kim Stas are also highly recommended.

Boutique firm ARGO Law is very established in the Benelux private equity market, handling a large volume of complex transactions while also drawing on cross-practice expertise to advise on fund structuring, tax, and governance matters. The team is increasingly active on cross-border buyouts and minority investments and is noted in particular for its advice on fund formation, regularly applying its regulatory and governance expertise to advise on the incorporation and post-incorporation structuring of new private equity and venture capital funds. Kris Verdoodt and Bert Van Ingelghem, whose portfolios encompass a wide range of private equity transactions, co-head the practice. Tax and fund structuring experts Philippe Rens and Freya Jorens are also highly recommended, as is transactional expert Louis Hoet.

Clifford Chance maintains a client base that encompasses private equity funds, portfolio companies, and start-ups and scale-ups seeking investments, with a particular focus on the energy and TMT sectors. The team is noted for advising on the transactional aspects of major energy transition undertakings, handling joint ventures, portfolio acquisitions, and minority investments for funds and companies seeking to develop renewable energy projects and green technologies.  Global and cross-practice connections furthermore equip the practice to handle the regulatory and tax aspects of complex cross-border acquisitions and investments. Niek De Pauw, whose expertise spans the full range of private equity transactions, leads the practice. while Xavier Remy and Patrice Viaene are further key contacts for private equity and venture capital deals in the energy sector.

DLA Piper’s team is capable of advising on the full gamut of private equity transactions and has a standout record of handling acquisitions, investments, and buy-and-build strategies for private equity clients active in the sports space. Tech and healthcare are further areas of focus for the team, which besides advising on transactions also routinely assists with the incorporation, structuring and commercialisation of new venture capital and private equity funds. Financial services specialist Pierre Berger is a noted expert in this space and also regularly advises on VC investments. He co-leads the practice with PE and VC transactions experts Koen Selleslags and Michaël Heene.

Linklaters displays a ‘thorough knowledge of PE and VC practices‘ and advises Benelux-based and large global funds throughout the lifecycle of investments. The team benefits from cross-border and cross-practice connections, which enable it to handle the tax, financing, and corporate structuring aspects of fund set-ups as well as acquisitions, investments, buy-and-build transactions, and exits. Practice head Arnaud Coibion is well-regarded for his ability to advise private funds on PIPE transactions as well as on complex dual-track exits. Further key contacts in the team include finance expert Charles-Antoine Leunen and cross-border M&A specialist An-Sofie Van Hootegem.

Loyens & Loeff’s private equity offering encompasses transactional advice in connection with venture capital investments, take-private acquisitions, and buy-and-build-strategies, as well as structuring and financing advice in relation to fund formation. The team regularly handles the domestic aspects of high-value cross-border acquisitions for upper-market funds and their portfolio companies, working with the firm’s international offices as well as global partner firms to handle Belgian regulatory and tax due diligence as well as transaction negotiations. The practice is co-led by Robrecht Coppens, who advises on restructuring matters in addition to handling a wide array of transactions, and Thomas Lenné, who is noted for advising on private equity deals in the energy, life sciences, and tech sectors. Capital markets expert Mathias Hendrickx is a further name to note.

Noted for its prolific advice in connection with sell-side private equity deals, the team at Stibbe also advises funds on distressed acquisitions, buy-and-build strategies, and investments in innovative companies in sectors such as IT and life sciences. Belgian private equity funds and their portfolio companies routinely instruct the team, which benefits from integrated tax, regulatory, and financing expertise, to advise on the Belgian aspects of global high-value sales to multinational funds. Key contacts in the team include practice head Stefan Odeurs, who is noted for his expertise on leveraged acquisitions, divestments, and turnarounds, as well as Dries Hommez, who is particularly active on cross-border M&A, and Jan Peeters, an expert on capital markets and financing matters.

Cross-border private equity transactions are a key area of focus for the team at White & Case LLP, which works across the Benelux region and also frequently collaborates with the firm’s global offices to handle a diverse range of high-value private equity investments and acquisitions. In addition to its international work, the team also advises Belgian funds and portfolio companies on transactions, financing matters, and VC-backed fundraising rounds. Although it is active across a wide array of deals, the team is particularly noted for its ability to handle private investments in the tech, financial services, and energy sectors. Practice co-heads Carlo Meert and Thierry Bosly focus on cross-border M&A, as does Thomas Glauden, who exhibits particular expertise in Luxembourg-based matters. Philippe Hendrickx  left the firm in October 2024.

Belgian-based private equity and venture capital clients as well as international funds such as Platinum Equity instruct ALTIUS to advise on the domestic due diligence and negotiation aspects of cross-border buyouts and investments, relying also on the team’s integrated expertise across tax, regulatory, and financing matters. In addition to its transactional expertise, the team routinely advises international clients on the set-up of new Belgium-based fund structures. Tom Vantroyen and Marie Brasseur are key contacts for corporate matters, while Audrey Zegers is recommended for her financing expertise.

Cresco Advocaten fields a team of ‘real specialists in VC and startup fundraising‘, serving a rapidly growing client base of funds and growth companies active especially in the tech sector. The team regularly provides guidance to funds in connection with their buy-and-build acquisitions and is additionally well-versed in fund formation matters, while also handling all aspects of VC-backed investment for its corporate clients. In addition to its activity in the venture capital space, the team advises an increasing number of established private equity funds on cross-border acquisitions. Practice head David Dessers is a key contact for strategic and fund-backed transactions, while Glenn L’hoëst is noted for his expertise in fund formation and VC investment matters.

Eubelius handles mergers, buyouts and minority investments for portfolio companies and private equity funds as well as publicly backed venture capital outfits. The team’s full-service offering encompasses a ‘great depth of knowledge in contracts, secured transactions and litigation’ as well as the ability to handle an array of restructuring and fundraising issues. Accordingly, the consortium of practice heads exhibits a diversity of specialisms in connection with private equity matters: Erwin Destuyver focuses on cross-border M&A, Filip Jenné has experience advising on real estate transactions, Matthias Wauters is noted for his restructuring and litigation expertise, and Felix Dobbelaere routinely advises clients on entering into strategic alliances.

Jones Day remains active on a large volume of cross-border transactions, regularly working with the firm’s international offices in key jurisdictions such as the US and France to handle high-profile and innovatively structured acquisitions, strategic alliances, and VC-backed financing rounds. The team also handles a growing volume of domestic transactions and is particularly well-versed in advising both funds and innovative tech scale-ups on investments in the TMT and life sciences sectors. Practice head Thomas De Muynck is noted for advising on PE and VC investments in growth companies, while Jonas Van Den Bossche is a key contact for cross-border work.

Lydian advises on the full lifecycle of mid-market and bulge bracket private capital transactions and governance matters, counting a range of Benelux-based target companies as well as international PE and VC funds in its client roster. The team’s advisory expertise enables it to handle fund relocations and corporate restructurings in connection with carve-outs, while it applies its transactional expertise to advise on cross-border buyouts and sell-side M&A. Private equity and real estate transactions expert Peter De Ryck jointly leads the team with Maxime Colle, who handles corporate governance matters, and Tom Geudens. Florence Colpaert is another key contact.

NautaDutilh’s private equity team primarily works with Benelux-based funds and target companies across the lifecycle of investments, handling domestic acquisitions, sell-offs and exits as well as advising on the Belgian aspects of global deals. The team is also well-versed in acting for start-ups and scale-ups in connection with fundraising and financing matters. Philippe Remels, who is noted for advising on transactions in regulated sectors such as life sciences and energy, jointly leads the practice with Nicolas de Crombrugghe, who primarily advises funds on acquisitions in the financial services sector. M&A and restructuring expert Christophe Wathion is a further name to note.

The ‘pragmatic and knowledgeable‘ team at Strelia advises private equity and venture capital funds as well as their portfolio companies on a wide range of transactions, financing rounds, and (re)investments, focusing heavily on regulated sectors such as life sciences and tech. Under the leadership of Gisèle Rosselle, the team handles the due diligence and negotiation aspects of a growing volume of cross-border M&A, frequently with the firm’s integrated employment and real estate capabilities to provide comprehensive regulatory advice. Further key contacts include transactional experts Katrien Vorlat and Laurent Verhavert.

Boutique firm Ace Law chiefly advises domestic investment funds, portfolio companies as well as the shareholders of target companies on mid-market transactions. The team is capable of assisting with the full lifecycle of private equity deals, from initial investments to exits, and also advises its clients on a growing number of cross-border matters. Corporate finance expert Didier Roemers co-leads the practice with experienced transactions specialist Filip Meire. M&A expert Wouter Verhelst is a further name to note. Bert Van Camp left the team in December 2022, while Christophe De Backere and Rabauke Kenis arrived from Eubelius in June and April 2023, respectively.

Cambrian is a boutique firm that focuses on advising venture capital funds, innovative start-ups, PE-backed portfolio companies and scale-ups in sectors such as tech and life sciences. The team assists investors with their buy-and-build strategies and advises on the regulatory and fundraising aspects of fund formations, while also working with target companies on sales and VC-backed funding rounds. Pieter Capiau mainly advises on VC transactions in the tech sector and heads the practice together with fund structuring expert Wim Van Berendoncks and transactional advisor Yannick Verrycke.

Deloitte Legal is is capable of advising both private equity and venture capital investors as well as a large roster of start-up and scale-up clients on buy- and sell-side M&A, focusing in particular on early-stage investments and mid-market acquisitions. The firm regularly also regularly leverages its internal tax and financial advisory capabilities to provide its clients with comprehensive regulatory advice. David Roelens, Christoph Michiels, and Marc Van tieghem jointly lead the team and handle acquisitions, sales, and investments in a broad range of sectors. Tim Baart left the practice in December 2022, while Benoît Féron departed in May 2023.

Liedekerke‘s private equity and venture capital offering targets funds as well as corporate clients and encompasses fund structuring advice, transactional guidance, and a large volume of work in connection with VC-backed fundraising. The team is particularly active across transactions in the energy, tech, and life sciences sectors, owing heavily to the expertise of M&A expert and practice head Damien Conem. Further key contacts in the team include IT transactions expert Christel Van den Eynden as well as versatile PE and capital markets specialists Jacques Meunier and Wim Dedecker.

In addition to advising both Belgian and international funds on cross-border acquisitions, Monard law, joined by Buyle is regularly instructed by innovative start-ups and scale-ups to assist with venture capital-backed investment and financing rounds. The team leverages its multi-disciplinary tax, regulatory, and transactional expertise to guide clients through the entire investment life cycle and is particularly well-established in mid-market transactions. Practice head Nicole Segers advises both family-owned companies and domestic private equity funds on a wide range of matters, while Benoit Samyn and Pieter Van den Broeck specialise in domestic and cross-border M&A. Maxime Monard is a key contact for VC matters.

Simont Braun backs up its capabilities in sell- and buy-side private equity deals with integrated tax and financing expertise, allowing the firm to handle a wide variety of investments, acquisitions, and fundraising rounds for domestic and international PE/VC funds as well as for the shareholders of target companies. Drawing on the expertise of Axel Maeterlinck, the team also acts on a growing number of fund structuring matters. Maeterlinck co-leads the practice with transactions expert Tom Swinnen and Steven Callens, who also focuses on dispute resolution. Sandrine Hirsch retired in June 2023.