This is what The Legal 500 says about Strelia in their 2021 guide:
Industry focus: Retail - Tier 1
Clients appreciate Strelia's 'business-oriented' practice and its ability to 'anticipate clients' needs', with notable experience advising on the commercial relationships between retailers and their franchisees. Led by corporate and distribution specialist Olivier Clevenbergh, the team advises on the set-up and development of outlets and networks across Belgium, with a particular focus on suppliers’ contracts, joint purchasing structures and lease agreements. Renowned litigator Jean-Pierre Fierens oversees contentious matters, having recently assisted on various cases concerning the termination of tenders and franchise partnerships. Fierens works closely with 'smart, reactive and fast' disputes partner Joanna Kolber.
Testimonials
‘The lawyers of Strelia are practical and efficient in the sense that they understand our business. We don’t need to tell them the same thing twice. They are business-oriented and anticipate our needs. They are dedicated to respecting deadlines. A real business partner.’
‘Joanna Kolber is a solution-oriented lawyer who is not afraid to think outside the box. Smart, reactive and fast, Joanna not only masters the relevant legislation but she also understands the specific needs and challenges in the retail sector.’
Insolvency and Restructuring - Tier 2
Strelia's restructuring and insolvency department leverages the firm's full-service offering to benefit from a range of corporate, tax and employment expertise. Led by the 'exceptional' Bart De Moor, the practice handles judicial reorganisation and bankruptcy-related matters, with a strong reputation for defending debtors during litigation proceedings. Clients recognise the firm's 'great network in Belgium', with De Moor and associate Marine Callebaut also regularly appointed as administrators or liquidators by the court.
Leading individuals: Bart de Moor - Strelia
Testimonials
‘Professional, targeted advice and implementation.’
‘Bart De Moor is multilingual and friendly, with outstanding technical skills.’
‘Great network in Belgium.’
‘Bart De Moor is exceptional.’
Commercial, Corporate and M&A – Tier 3
Corporate boutique Strelia, which undertakes a mix of transactional and contentious work, has particular strengths in matters connected with the retail, financial services and food sectors. It is also increasingly making a name for itself in the biotech sector. In addition to handling domestic work, the firm is also sought out in cross-border deals. The practice is led by Olivier Clevenbergh, who led the advice to French film company Pathé on its acquisition of the Euroscoop group in 2019. Elsewhere, the team advises clients on joint ventures, and private equity and venture capital transactions, among other matters. Gisèle Rosselle and Laurent Verhavert are also recommended.
Testimonials
‘Strelia provides a first-class and world-class M&A legal service and negotiation support while being very reactive and affordable for start-ups / scale-ups which is unique in the market.‘
‘We mainly work with Olivier Clevenbergh. What we appreciate in him is that he does not only advise on the legal issues but gives a broader guidance in the way we should make our deals, without being too intrusive.‘
‘I believe the manner in which Gisèle Rosselle approached us as a client and her approach to leading the negotiations can be summarized as: pragmatic if possible but firm and relentless on material items.‘
‘We mostly work with Gisèle Rosselle for our M&A projects and she is doing a great job in delivering accurate and timely work but also in thinking together with us in finding solutions to issues that arise. She knows our business very well.‘
‘Gisèle is straightforward and to the point, and is a good negotiator.‘
‘Reliable and accurate.‘
Dispute Resolution – Tier 3
Jean-Pierre Fierens heads up the department at Strelia, which has 'a strong litigation practice, particularly in the field of disputes in insolvency and restructuring law'. The 'very reliable' team is also noted for its expertise in corporate litigation, as is evidenced by the fact that it is representing directors of Optima Bank in ongoing damages claims which arose after the bank was declared bankrupt. Bart De Moor is 'very knowledgeable and easy to work with'. Sébastien Ryelandt has expertise in banking litigation, while Olivier Clevenbergh is well-versed in handling commercial and corporate disputes. Other key names are partners Gaetano Jannone and Joanna Kolber, who is 'very reliable, dedicated and easy to work with'.
Hall of Fame: Jean-Pierre Fierens - Strelia
Rising Star: Joanna Kolber - Strelia
Testimonials
‘They are reliable, business-oriented, flexible, and capable of acting on a broad range of matters. Their commitment and quality of work is undoubtedly their strongest point.‘
‘Joanna Kolber – flexibility, business orientation, accessibility, high communication skills, individual and responsive service.‘
‘A team that listens to your needs.’
‘Olivier Clevenbergh: availability; smartness in negotiation; human approach to complex litigations.‘
‘The trust we could place in Gaetano Janonne is very important. Not once did I question his judgment.‘
‘I have worked very closely with Gaetano Jannone. He follows up files meticulously, is punctual, perfectionist and has very good file knowledge.‘
‘Joanna Kolber – very professional legal assistance, very effective, very helpful to the client, great communication skills.‘
‘Client-focused, efficient, solution and business-oriented. We appreciate the team’s flexibility and availability. It has a good mix of technical skills and pragmatism. Offers good value for money.‘
Private Equity – Tier 3
Gisèle Rosselle leads Strelia's team in Brussels, which is particularly noted for its work in the biotech sector, where it has a strong profile acting for life sciences investment funds and Belgian biotech companies. Elsewhere, the firm is also engaged in transactions involving other industries, such as manufacturing, technology and chemicals. In 2019, Laurent Verhavert acted for German investment fund JOIN Capital on a Series B private equity investment in Belgian tech company Proxyclick, alongside Five Elms Capital. Also notable is that the successful growth of the firm's private equity offering in Belgium has led to it opening an office in Luxembourg.
Next Generation Partner: Laurent Verhavert - Strelia
Testimonials
‘Strelia is a very good independent Belgian law firm that is perfectly adapted for international deals when targets are in Belgium. The corporate team has high technical skills, is very responsive and easy to work with.’
‘We mainly worked with Gisèle Rosselle and her team. Gisèle is extremely competent, responsive and understands the business aspects of transactions. She is very pleasant to work with.’
About The Legal 500
For 33 years The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 150 jurisdictions.
The rankings are based on a series of criteria, but simply put, they highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. Their research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.