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Amanda Atherton
Compliance team
Sydney office
Belgium
Brussels is a vibrant city in the heart of Europe. English is extremely widely spoken but the city’s mother-tongues are really Flemish and French. Around a quarter of its inhabitants are ex-pats from across the globe. The quality of legal practice in Brussels is second-to-none, being at the cutting-edge of anti-trust and competition law.
Law Firms
While there are some local law firms and other European outfits, it is the UK Magic Circle and New York white shoe firms which dominate. As an evolving and dynamic jurisdiction, the landscape relating to who’s who regularly changes, with US firms opening up new offices from time-to-time.
Principal Areas of Demand
Principal demand is for EU/Competition Law. The work on offer tends to include a mix of general competition, anti-trust, cartel, state aid, 'whistleblower' cases and merger matters. There is some lesser demand for International Trade Law, IP/IT and Life Sciences.
Various European languages are desirable. And for most positions, perfect written and spoken English skills are essential.
There are almost always opportunities for high calibre candidates, ranging from newly qualified to partner level. To put you in a strong position, at least a seat in your training contract (in London or Brussels) and/or good training post-qualification is essential. Some experience with the Commission ('stage') may be helpful, as will post-graduate study (LLM) in the field.
Remuneration & Benefits
For a common law lawyer, salaries in Brussels are usually equal to those in London. This has not always been the case. Until recently, the Brussels market paid common law lawyers up to 20% less than their London counterparts. Now, a newly qualified lawyer at a strong UK firm for example, could expect to be paid the same if not slightly more than their London peers, depending upon the strength of the Euro.
As in Europe, generally lawyers can expect to be paid on a self-employed basis whereby they submit monthly invoices for the agreed rate.
The cost of living is considerably lower in Brussels than London and this should mean that a common law lawyer should not be unduly worried by the comparison in salaries in any event. In particular, accommodation is particularly cheap compared to London and the overall cost of living is typically around 30% less.
Outside The Office
Living in a major European capital, you can expect to find a variety of after-hours pursuits on your door-step – and on the basis of significantly shorter commute times alone, you will definitely have more leisure to enjoy them. Brussels plays host to an excellent variety of restaurants, bars and nightlife entertainments. Shopping and travel are also well catered for.
For further information on the legal market and job opportunities in Belgium please contact your nearest Taylor Root office:
London:
Guy Adams E: guyadams@taylorroot.com T: +44 (0)20 7415 2828
Dubai:
Shane Morton E: shanemorton@taylorroot.com T: +971 4 319 7601
Hong Kong:
Michael Luckett E: michaelluckett@taylorroot.com.hk T: +852 2973 6333
Sydney:
Sandra D'Souza E: sandradsouza@taylorroot.com.au T: +61 (0)2 9236 9000
Melbourne:
Tim Fogarty E: timfogarty@taylorroot.com.au T: +61 (0)3 8610 8400