Practice
areas

Whereas law is divided into different practice areas, the assignments handled by “ebl redsky” typically combine different problematics in such a way that every lawyer shall have both a high level of expertise in his/her specialty areas as well as a global understanding of law. Furthermore, each practice area involves several types of work (drafting of contracts, advising, dispute resolution, etc).

As business lawyers, “ebl redsky” operates in corporate law, commercial law, real estate, banking and finance, tax law, employment, insolvency as well as in various different matters.

"ebl redsky advises numerous shareholders, private companies, managers and investment funds during the start-up phase, the day-to-day running of the company, its development (e.g. mergers, acquisitions, demergers) and specific securities transactions (capital increases, stock options, etc.). The resolution of internal conflicts and questions of directors' liability are part of the firm's day-to-day practice, both at the preventive stage and in litigation.

  • Investments and shareholdings
  • Mergers, demergers and similar transactions (contribution or disposal of a business or branch of activity, etc.)
  • Choice of corporate form
  • Incorporation of companies (with or without legal personality)
  • Opening or closing branches
  • Compliance with the Companies and Associations Code
  • Corporate housekeeping (drafting of minutes, domiciliation of registered office, etc.)
  • Transfer of shares
  • Exclusion and compulsory purchase of shares
  • Issue of shares, warrants and bonds
  • Increases and reductions in share capital
  • Corporate governance (including UBO register)
  • Due diligence & legal audit
  • Management contracts
  • Shareholder agreements
  • Protection of minority shareholders
  • Liability of founders and directors
  • Audit of annual accounts
  • Winding up and liquidation
  • Joint ventures
  • ASBL, foundation & AISBL
  • Trust & fiduciary

"ebl redsky" assists its clients in the drafting, negotiation and dispute resolution phases of all types of commercial contracts. In addition to its recognised expertise in this vast and dynamic discipline, "ebl redsky" stands out for its understanding of what matters to your business.

  • All types of commercial collaboration (licensing, consultancy, provision of services, joint ventures, memoranda of understanding, leasing, factoring, etc.)
  • Civil and commercial debt recovery (including seizure and execution procedures)
  • Commercial distribution (concession, agency, franchise, commission)
  • Sale or acquisition of business assets
  • General terms and conditions of sale or purchase
  • Commercial practices and consumer protection (Internet sales, acts contrary to honest practices, etc.)
  • Non-competition clauses
  • Transport law
  • E-commerce (distance contracts, electronic invoicing, etc.)

"ebl redsky" has recognised expertise in property and construction law. Our lawyers advise, assist and defend companies, individuals, public authorities and financial institutions in the various aspects of real estate and construction law in the broadest sense, including

  • Property transactions (purchase/sale, development, construction, office leases, commercial leases, etc.)
  • Construction problems (faulty workmanship, late completion and non-completion, instability, cracks, disregard for the rules of the trade, etc.)
  • Contractor's agreement
  • Subcontracting agreement
  • Access to the profession
  • Buying off-plan
  • Ownership, usufruct, possession, surface area, emphyteusis, easements
  • (Management of) co-ownership
  • Joint ownership
  • Leasing, principal residence leases, farm leases and commercial leases
  • Shared ownership, grouped housing and other forms of collective housing
  • Financing real estate projects
  • Property leasing
  • Mortgages
  • Expropriation
  • Neighbourhood relations
  • Expertise (amicable or judicial)
  • Drafting contracts: architects', contractors', engineers' and estate agents' contracts, management mandates, sales mandates, property mediation, health and safety coordination, etc.
  • Assistance with environmental and town planning disasters and offences
  • Environmental permits and audits (soil remediation)
  • Obtaining environmental and operating permits
  • Obtaining planning permission
  • Administrative appeals
  • Legal environmental audit

"ebl redsky" assists its clients in their various financial transactions, including issues relating to security law. The firm provides its expertise when applying for financing from credit institutions or third-party investors.

  • Loan agreements and associated securities (pledges, mortgages, first demand guarantees, etc.)
  • Legal opinion on guarantees of all types
  • Asset or project financing
  • Relations with credit institutions (intensive care, abusive denunciation, etc.)
  • Leasing transactions
  • Cash management

Belgian tax environment is characterized by its scalability and its complexity. The lawyers of « ebl redsky » advise and assist companies, financial institutions and individuals in the following areas:

  • Direct taxation: individuals’ income tax, corporate income tax, non-residents income tax, etc.
  • Indirect taxation: VAT, customs and excises, registration tax, etc.
  • Holding structure
  • Tax formalities and tax due diligence
  • Tax aspects in relation with mergers, acquisitions and venture capital
  • Tax aspects in relation with national and international (re)organizations of companies, holding structures
  • Inheritance and estate planning
  • Transfer prices
  • International taxation
  • Tax optimization of remunerations, expat regime and salary-split
  • Stock options schemes
  • Tax aspects in relation with real estate
  • Fiscal procedures
  • Local, regional or federal taxes
  • Administrative claims and judicial remedies for all national and international tax litigations
  • Ruling and alternative tax disputes resolution
  • Support in case of tax controls
In general, we closely work with the other departments of “ebl redsky”, notably with the corporate, real estate and employment law departments.

Employment relations are strictly regulated in Belgium. "ebl redsky" offers advice, support and defence in all aspects of employment relations and social protection, for both Belgian and cross-border issues.

  • Drafting employment contracts, work regulations and other documents
  • Negotiating collective labour agreements
  • Salary management and optimisation
  • Restructuring and transfer of companies
  • Individual and collective redundancies
  • Non-competition
  • Strikes, social elections and social bodies
  • Compliance in various areas: social legislation, working hours, privacy at work, etc.
  • The problem of false self-employment
  • International mobility and cross-border work
  • Secondment of staff and temporary work
  • Social inspection
  • Sickness and invalidity benefits, special solidarity fund
  • Unemployment, optimising pensions and family allowances
Given the complexity of certain issues, "ebl redsky" does not hesitate, when necessary, to seek the assistance of experts in any area of employment law or social security.

Insolvency law affects every company. "ebl redsky provides completely independent assistance to companies and their directors facing economic difficulties, with a view to ensuring their recovery or avoiding (or mitigating) any potential liability. "ebl redsky" never acts as receiver (or in any related capacity), but regularly advises the creditors of companies in difficulty in order to protect their rights or implement recovery plans.

  • Business continuity & judicial reorganisation procedure (PRJ)
  • Bankruptcy (assistance with admissions, contestation of bankruptcy, post-bankruptcy assistance)
  • Assistance with commercial investigations before the Enterprise Courts
  • Dissolution and judicial or voluntary liquidation
  • Drafting and filing claims declarations
  • Enforcement of liens, mortgages, guarantees, security interests or retention-of-title clauses
  • Defence against proceedings initiated by the receiver in bankruptcy

"ebl redsky" has built up a network of expert lawyers, both in Belgium and abroad, making it possible to obtain, in complete independence and in the best interests of the client, specialist assistance in other areas of business law.

  • Specific issues in intellectual property law (e.g. patent law)
  • Business criminal law
  • Specific issues in town planning law
  • Family law
  • Medical law
  • Etc.
In addition, the firm is regularly consulted by major international law firms in Belgium with a view to delegating case management, providing a second opinion or defending a client following a conflict of interest.