Our team
Faber Inter Legal is composed of a dynamic team of experienced legal practitioners in their fields of competence which is the guarantee of a high quality of service. In a constantly changing legal world, we pay specific attention to the continuing legal education of our partners and collaborators, in their respective fields of expertise.
The Partners
Serge Dufrene
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 537 11 10
E-mail : s.dufrene@faberinter.be
Serge Dufrene graduated from the University of Brussels (Université Libre de Bruxelles) and is a member of the Brussels Bar since 1982.
His career developed through :
- legal education:
- he was a teaching assistant at the University of Brussels (Université Libre de Bruxelles) from 1986 until 2009);
- he was a professor in the permanent formation courses for judges, organized by the Ministry of Justice;
- he was a professor in the professional training course for lawyers, organized by the Brussels bar;
- scientific activities:
- he received two scientific awards: the award of the review ‘Journal des Tribunaux’ (1984) and the award Jean-Jacques Boels (1988);
- he was a speaker at several scientific seminars and conferences;
- he is the author of numerous publications.
His daily practice concerns business law, including intellectual property law; his significant experience as a lawyer, as well as his quality of substitute counselor at the Court of Appeal of Brussels and his former experience as a judicial law teacher allow him to naturally apprehend both the complexes judicial proceedings and the arbitration.
His expertise has been officially recognised by the Council of the Order of the Brussels’Bar which has authorised him to carry both the titles of Specialist in Intellectual Property Rights and Specialist in Judicial Law (civil and commercial procedures). The combination of these specialties corresponds to the Anglo-Saxon profile of IP Litigator.
Michel Forges
“Michel is a recognized specialist of the law of seizures and of security interests. He is frequently appointed as arbitrator and he is an approved mediator”
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 69
E-mail : m.forges@faberinter.be
Member of the Brussels Bar since 1982, Michel Forges is the founder of Faber Inter Legal. Michel is the President (“Bâtonnier”) of the Ordre Français du Barreau de Bruxelles (Brussels Bar) since September 2018.
Michel is a recognized specialist in attachment and security law. He is the author of numerous publications and regularly participates in conferences on these subjects. He has taught commercial and corporate law at the University of Mons as a lecturer. He is also a former assistant at the UCL Faculty of Law and an honorary deputy judge at the Tribunal de commerce francophone de Bruxelles.
Michel is a certified mediator. He is frequently appointed as an arbitrator.
Michel defends individuals as well as small, medium and large companies before all jurisdictions in the country.
Michel speaks fluent French, Dutch and English.
Benjamin Daro
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 68
E-mail : b.daro@faberinter.be
Benjamin Daro was admitted to the Brussels Bar in 2008. He joined Faber Inter Legal in 2013.
Benjamin is mainly consulted for his expertise in matters relating to real estate and commercial law. He also has considerable expertise in the law of companies in difficulty.
Benjamin is also interested in environmental law issues.
Benjamin speaks fluent French and English and has a passive knowledge of Dutch, Spanish and Italian.
Nicolas Houssiau
“Nicolas’ practice primarily focuses on tax and company las”
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 63
E-mail : n.houssiau@faberinter.be
Nicolas Houssiau, founding partner of Faber Inter Legal, has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 1999.
After his law degree, Nicolas obtained a Master in Tax and Company Law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and a Master in Accounting at the Institut Cooremans.
Nicolas’ activities are mainly focused on tax law and corporate law.
Nicolas speaks fluent French and English and is also perfectly able to speak Dutch.
Tristan Krstic
After obtaining his Law degree (1997) and after an LLM in International Law (1999, magna cum laude), both at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Tristan was admitted at the Brussels Bar in 1999 and started his career as a lawyer in the Afschrift law firm. He handles mostly business law.
Tristan advises his clients on a regular basis in the fields of distribution franchise, commercial contracts, company law and tax law (direct and indirect taxation). Since the beginning of his career, he handled more than a hundred of acquisitions of companies and a variety of litigation, included arbitration.
He also advises and represents his clients in real estate law (commercial and private rental agreements, superficie and emphytéose….).
He defends his clients tooth and nail, but keeps a cool head and gives the priority to his clients’ interests. « Litigation is often long and, in spite of everything, uncertain. If there is little chance a case will stand up at court, I do not hesitate to advise against initiating legal proceedings ».
Due to his language skills, Tristan advises frequently companies and individuals with interests in Croatia and in other former Yugoslavia countries, as well as entrepreneurs from those countries wishing to start a business in Belgium.
He published many articles in specialized journals, mostly tax related.
Tristan works in French, in English, in Croatian and in Serbian. He has a good passive knowledge of Slovenian and Dutch.
Jean-François Michel
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 75
E-mail : jf.michel@faberinter.be
Jean-François started his career in 2000 at the IP/IT department of Linklaters. In 2001 he joined the commercial department of De Wolf & Partners where he became partner in 2013. Together with Luc Stalars he provides assistance to both national and foreign companies and advices them in their day-to-day activities in all their aspects.
The focus of Jean-François lies first and foremost with contract drafting and assistance with drafting operational contracts, administering Belgian and foreign litigation and arbitration proceedings. He sets himself to industrial and commercial project, service contracts (EPC, turnkey, maintenance), distribution law, leasing, renting and business cooperation agreement. He is responsible for a multitude of commercial court cases.
Jean-François has extensive practical business sense of companies for which he regularly offers in-house legal assistance.
Jean-François has also acquired considerable know-how of French law, as well as regulated business sectors such as competition law, leasing, energy law, pharmaceutical law and food law. He is well-versed in sport law.
Since 1 July 2015 he has joined Crosslaw, a partnership close to its clients and which embraces the new developments within modern legal practice, IT and communication technology.
Christine Sartini Vandenkerckhove
“With extensive litigation experience and as an approved mediator in civil and commercial mediation, Christine helps clients to solve their problems in the best possible way, mainly in
real estate matters.”
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 373 09 10
E-mail : chris.sartini@faberinter.be
Christine Sartini Vandenkerckhove graduated in Law and Economic Law from the Université Catholique de Louvain (U.C.L.) and was admitted to the Brussels Bar in 1978. Christine is a member of the International Bar Association, where she chaired the Civil Procedure Committee for several years before becoming a director of the Legal Practice Section.
She has contributed to several publications, chaired and organized numerous conferences at the international level in judicial and commercial matters.
Christine is a certified mediator in civil and commercial matters.
Christine is a member of the Commission des Relations Internationales de l’Ordre français des avocats de Bruxelles, the Association belge des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises, the Club Montgomery, the Cercle Chapel and the Cercle de Lorraine.
Christine works in French, English and Dutch.
Her preferred areas of practice are real estate law, insurance law, commercial law and judicial law.
Luc Stalars
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 71
E-mail : l.stalars@faberinter.be
Luc shares the passion of his clients for their business. It is in the very center of their professional activities that Luc develops his know-how alongside his clients’ managers.
Luc’s attention was naturally drawn to commercial law in which he specialized ever since. He practices this field of law on both a national and international level, litigation and arbitration proceedings included.
Luc assists international and Belgian companies of all sizes in their daily business. He is particularly keen on assisting in industrial projects, commercial contracts, temporary businesses en lease agreements.
Luc is also well-versed in construction law, social security law and business criminal law.
Before joining Crosslaw, he was a trainee under Batonnier Pierre Legros. Afterwards, he founded the association De Wolf & Partners which he left after 20 years. This offered him the opportunity to partake in a structure much better equipped to the evolutions in the legal world and to keep close contact with his clients.
Luc has always been active at the Bar. After being a member of the “Conférence du Jeune Barreau”, he was elected member of the Council of the Brussels’ Bar from 2006 to 2009. He was furthermore involved in numerous commissions and now acts as a judge of the Disciplinary Commission of Lawyers of the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal of Brussels.
Martin Van Beirs
His areas of interest are business law and tax law. He deals daily with matters relating to distribution franchises, commercial contracts and corporate law. He also advises his clients on direct and indirect tax matters, whether in the context of their business or in the context of the organisation of their assets. He is involved at both the consultation stage and in administrative and judicial proceedings.
Martin has been teaching Advanced Corporate Tax Matters in the Master of Tax Management programme of the Solvay Business School of Economics and Management for close to 30 years. He has also taught Corporate Law at the Ordre des experts comptables et comptables brevetés [Order of Chartered Accountants and Certified Accountants] of Belgium. He has spoken at various tax law conferences and has, in addition to academic articles, made numerous contributions to legal newsletters.
Nicole Van Crombrugghe
“Nicole has extensive experience in international transactions, both in mergers and acquisitions and commercial contracts.”
Partner
Phone : +32 (0)2 373 09 10
E-mail : n.vancrombrugghe@faberinter.be
Nicole holds a law degree from the Université Catholique de Louvain (U.C.L.) and a University Certificate in “Banking and Financial Law” (UCL, 2013). She is admitted to the Brussels Bar in 1977. She is also a deputy magistrate to the Brussels Court of Appeal.
She practices mainly commercial contract law and corporate law and is active in the field of mergers and acquisitions. Her practice is mainly international.
She has contributed to several publications on corporate and commercial law and is a regular speaker at seminars and conferences on these subjects.
Nicole is a member of various international associations. She is a member of the International Union of Lawyers where she held and is currently editor-in-chief of the “Juriste International “, the UIA quarterly publication. She is also a member of the IBA, of which she chaired the International Sales Committee, as well as of the Women on Board, the Associazione Internazionale Giuristi di Lingua Italiana and the European Women Lawyers Association, of which she was a director and treasurer.
Nicole works in French, English, Dutch and Italian. She has a passive knowledge of German.
Geert Van Grieken
“Geert also followed an education program at the University of Montpellier”
Partner
Phone Brussels : +32 (0)2 639 63 62
Phone Antwerpen : +32 (0)3 887 34 05
E-mail : g.vangrieken@faberinter.be
Geert Van Grieken, a founding member of Faber Inter Legal, is a lawyer since 2001. He is a member of the Brussels and Antwerp Bars.
Geert is a graduate of the Universities of Antwerp and Leuven. He is also an arbitrator with the Chambre d’Arbitrage et de Médiation and holds post-graduate training as a curator. Geert excels in all aspects of corporate law. He is also an arbitrator with the Arbitration and Mediation Chamber and holds post-graduate training as a curator and in intellectual property law at the University of Montpellier.
Geert handles and litigates cases in Dutch, French and English.
Of counsel
Tamara Leclercq
“The human side of the conflict is at the centre of Tamara’s concerns.”
Of Counsel
Phone : +32 (0)2 373 09 20
E-mail : t.leclercq@faberinter.be
Tamara is a lawyer at the Brussels Bar since 1988. She mainly deals with civil and commercial law (real estate law, contracts, companies, civil liability).
After a bachelor in law at the Facultés Universitaires Saint Louis in Brussels, she graduated from the Université Catholique de Louvain (U.C.L.).
She regularly practices in court but favours more consensual methods of conflict resolution, in particular through the acquisition of mediation training. The human in its conflict is also at the center of her concerns
She speaks fluent both French and English, and has a passive knowledge of Dutch and Italian.
Associates
Dietrich Bourguignon
Senior associate
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 78
E-mail : d.bourguignon@faberinter.be
Dietrich Bourguignon graduated from the KU Leuven in 2015 and started his career at the Brussels Bar. He gained several years of experience in various branches of law at several law firms. Since the beginning of 2019 he has been an associate lawyer at the law firm Faber Inter Legal where he mainly focusses on litigation-, contract-, debt recovery- and insolvency-, as well as commercial- and financial law.
In 2018 he was proclaimed the winner of the pleading competition of the “Vlaams Pleitgenootschap”. In the same year he became an accredited mediator in civil and commercial matters
He is actively involved in the life at the Bar as the Chairman of the JABkes (Young Lawyers Brussels – Circle of Trainees) and board member of the “Vlaams Pleitgenootschap” (Young Bar of Brussels).
Dietrich is Dutch-speaking and handles cases in Dutch, French and English.
Charlotte Henry
Hani Madani
“Hani thus acquired an extensive knowledge of corporate law and of security law”
Lawyer
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 73
E-mail : h.madani@faberinter.be
Hani holds a master’s degree in law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, in civil and criminal law (ULB 2016). His university career has been oriented towards business law, combining corporate law, business criminal law and the law of obligations in the broad sense.
He thus acquired a developed knowledge of corporate law and then extended it to security and insolvency law.
He joined Faber Inter Legal in 2016.
Hani speaks French and Arabic.
Hilde Palmers
“Hilde’s main areas of practice are corporate law, construction and real estate law, as well as
conflict management in commercial leases.”
Lawyer
Phone : +32 (0)3 887 34 05
E-mail : h.palmers@faberinter.be
Hilde Palmers was first admitted to the Brussels Bar in 2001. After a detour through the private sector as a corporate lawyer, Hilde returned to her first love, the Bar. She was then admitted to the Antwerp Bar and she joined Faber Inter Legal.
After her law studies, Hilde went on to study tax and labour law.
Hilde mainly practices corporate law, construction law and real estate law. She has also developed particular expertise in commercial lease litigation.
Hilde is fluent in Dutch, French, German and English.
Esteban Rozenwajn
Lawyer
Phone : +32 (0)473 20 72 76
E-mail : esteban.rozenwajn@faberinter.be
Previously graduated in psychology, Esteban acquired his law Master degree at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in 2020, with a major in social law.
Aside from his interest in labor law and social security, his practice also encompasses various fields such as corporate law, civil wrongs and criminal law.
He integrated Faber Inter Legal in January 2021.
Esteban speaks fluently French, English and Spanish.
Christopher Van Loo
Lawyer
Phone : +32(0)2 639 63 70
E-mail : c.vanloo@faberinter.be
After getting his undergrad at the Université Saint-Louis of Brussels, Christopher completed his graduating studies at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) from which he obtained his diploma in 2017.
Showing a great interest in civil and criminal law, he applies his knowledge to various areas of laws including contract law, business law as well as family law.
He joined Faber Inter Legal in September 2018.
Christopher speaks French, English, Swedish and a good understanding of Dutch.
Audrey Van Himst
“Audrey is specialized in several areas of law with a preference for corporate law and seizure law.”
Senior lawyer
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 64
E-mail : a.vanhimst@faberinter.be
Audrey Van Himst is a member of the Brussels Bar and Faber Inter Legal since September 2010.
After graduating from the Katholieke Universiteit Brussel, Audrey obtained her Master in Law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles.
Audrey is specialized in several areas of law with a preference for corporate and attachment law.
Audrey handles and litigates cases in both French and Dutch.
Sven Vanderhaegen
Jérôme Vanhomwegen
“Jérôme specialises in the law of companies in difficulty and bankruptcy.”
Senior lawyer
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 66
E-mail : j.vanhomwegen@faberinter.be
Jérôme Vanhomwegen is a lawyer at the Brussels Bar since 2011.
He began his career with a firm specializing in bankruptcy trusteeship.
He joined Faber Inter Legal in January 2014.
Jérôme holds a Master’s degree in law from the Université Catholique de Louvain in 2011.
Jérôme practices business law in general with a particular interest in the law of companies in difficulty and debt collection procedures.
Jérôme speaks fluent French and understands Dutch and English.
Catherine Halkin
Lawyer
Phone : +32 (0)2 639 63 74
E-mail : c.halkin@faberinter.be
Catherine graduated in Law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles with distinction in June 1995 and obtained a supplementary diploma in Economic Law from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in June 1996.
She has been member of the Brussels Bar since October 1996.
She mainly developed her professional experience in civil and commercial law.
Writing pleadings, developing oral arguments, editing different types of commercial contracts (lease, sale, contractor, franchising) and general terms and conditions, in French and in Dutch, are part of her daily practice.
Furthermore, she obtained in June 2013 with distinction the advanced master in Intellectual Property Rights at the KU Leuven and graduated in June 2014 with distinction for several courses in ICT Law at the same university.
In November 2015, Catherine joined the “Commercial Law” department of Crosslaw.
