05/02/17

Law Square welcomes renowned urban planning lawyer Els Empereur

Law Square announces the further strengthening of its Real Estate team, with the arrival of Els Empereur, who joins on February 1, as an Advocaat Vennoot / Avocat Associé. Els adds more than 20 years’ experience in Public and Administrative Law to the Real Estate practice.

Els focuses on zoning, town planning, environmental law as well as all public and administrative law aspects of major real estate projects (redevelopment of cities, development of sport infrastructures and large residential, retail, logistics and/or multi-use projects, etc.).

In this respect, Els assists public authorities, Belgian and foreign investors and developers with regulatory real estate related matters. This includes assistance relating to the delivery of necessary authorisations (zoning, building, environmental, socio-economic permits, etc.), contacts with the public authorities, drafting contracts, as well as handling complex litigation before judicial and administrative courts.

Her expertise also includes PPS, public tenders and restructuring of public entities. She also assists various public authorities in the drafting of legislation and has advised the Flemish Government on planning issues and brownfield projects. Her clients include a mix of private companies and large public authorities.

Els joins Law Square’s Real Estate team led by François de Montpellier and will lead the new Antwerp office of Law Square. She will be joined shortly by her previous team members, Ive van Giel and Olivier Drooghmans, expert lawyers in Administrative and Public Law, with a particular focus on zoning, planning and environmental law.

A member of the Antwerp Bar, Els graduated from the University of Leuven (1987) and holds a Public Law degree from the University of Ghent (1993). Before joining Law Square, Els held the position of Partner in a number of notorious law firms.

Els Empereur is the author of a large number of books, including “Jaarboek Administratief Economisch Recht” and “De milieuvergunning in het Vlaams Gewest”, as well as articles in legal reviews such as Panorama Codex Stedebouw, Larcier Wetboeken, Vlarebo, Vlaremi, Rec. Arr. Rvst, Handboek Bouwrecht, and UGA. She regularly speaks at conferences and seminars organised by, amongst others, Kluwer Opleidingen, A.E.S., K.U.L. or Jura Falconis, on Administrative and Public Law topics.

Managing Partner Karin Winters commented: “I am very honoured and happy to welcome Els on board. Els’s appointment adds real weight to our expertise and it completes our offering, providing our clients with a 360° legal Real Estate service. Extending our service offering corresponds to our clients’ needs and expectations and to the current market developments, more specifically for example in the public health sector and the restructuring of public entities. Our firm has been growing rapidly and successfully and we must ensure that our focus remains on delivering high value and high quality to our clients. Els’s profile and expertise fit perfectly in our strategy.”

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