Five renowned employment and pensions law specialists join forces to create a law firm practising exclusively in these complex areas. This "concentration of competences" in a niche structure will significantly enhance the social law advisory landscape. One more player; is that it? Not really: the five founding partners of Younity also embrace a different vision of client relations. With eight associates ranked behind them, the new firm sees its official launch on 1 October.
Seventy-seven years of expertise in social law and pensions law: that's the joint wealth that's been amassed by Jean-Philippe Cordier, Corinne Merla, Olivier Rijckaert, Sébastien Roger and Brecht Cops the five founding partners of Younity. Hailing from major business law firms (Stibbe, Field Fisher Waterhouse and Reliance), they are creating a centre of excellence for legal services linked to human resources and statutory and occupational pensions. With an initial complement of 13 specialist lawyers and a solid client portfolio, mainly made up of SMEs and major Belgian and international corporations, Younity is positioning itself from the outset as a prime player in the social law sector.
"In the increasingly complex areas of social and pensions law, only hardened specialists are able to provide their clients with a bespoke service. The stakes are too high in terms of human capital management, corporate strategy and compliance to entrust these issues to general practitioners or the small departments of so-called "full-service" firms. Younity draws its exponential strength from a conjunction between experience and the knowledge of each one of its partners and its associates, all of whom are also specialists," says Jean-Philippe Cordier, Younity's managing partner.
Younity also boasts the very rare feature of having a team of real specialists in the field of pensions. Five lawyers, of whom Corinne Merla is one, are dedicated exclusively to this area, which is currently in the spotlight, as well as being in a constant state of flux.
The lawyers' professional practice goes hand in hand with major academic and research credentials, seats on the editorial committees of specialist journals and assistant posts on the bench. A form of ancillary engagement - often on a no-fee basis - that can no longer be taken for granted as part and parcel of large business law firms; and one that bears witness to the passion that drives these lawyers to practise the law that is theirs.
Why Younity?
The choice of "Younity" as the new firm's name - rather than the common nameplate in the form of list of the founders' names - is indicative of the spirit that energises the founding partners. A meld between 'you' and 'community', Younity seeks to demonstrate that the lawyer-client relation can far exceed a simple provision of services. "Although the term 'business partner' is a bit hackneyed, the truth is that our approach is that of a true partner for your business: we're ready to roll up our sleeves and take risks; we want to try and understand and anticipate what it is that the client wants," says Corinne Merla.
Younity is also offering its clients added benefits such as workshops for HR and pensions professionals, conferences focusing on the latest in social law or on individual topics, intra-firm training in the practice of social law, and a regular e-newsletter.
Independent, and anchored in Belgium
Younity's independence and its firm Belgian base are essential aspects in its founders' eyes. "Two factors have to be considered," emphasises Olivier Rijckaert. "First is the fact that globalisation has for the most part passed social law by, except in a few areas like mergers & acquisitions. That's what gives us such a big added value as specialists in national employment law. Second, Younity's vocation is to cover the whole of Belgium, without ignoring the important economic network of SMEs in Flanders and Wallonia, a clientele that general legal practices often leave by the wayside. In addition, we're firmly of the view that a niche law firm with a controlled cost structure is precisely what our clients are looking for," he adds.
To make its range of services accessible to smaller-sized companies or company executives and officers, Younity has developed innovative feeing practices. "Our size means that each partner can be at our clients' side over the long term, without that pushing the fee up inordinately," says Jean-Philippe Cordier. He concludes, "Within corporations, employment law issues are not generally referred to the legal department but fall within the responsibility of the human resources director or HR legal office. As a niche player, we place ourselves at the same level as the people we talk to within the business."
Finally, backed up by a network of equally specialised correspondents in other countries ("best friends"), Younity is able to handle cases with an international dimension.
