Chantal Biernaux has more than 25 years of experience practicing Belgian and European labor and employment and social security law. She heads the Labor & Employment Practice in Brussels.
Chantal represents global corporations and major national companies on labor issues at collective and individual levels, including corporate restructurings (collective layoffs/closure of plants), negotiating and drafting collective bargaining agreements, managing collective and individual labor relations, and litigation. She is particularly knowledgeable in occupational pension schemes (pension funds and group insurances).
Chantal is recognized annually by Chambers Europe, where she is found by clients to be a "proactive and pragmatic lawyer" who is "good at respecting deadlines and clients' timelines" (2020); recognized as a "very flexible and available" practitioner and draws praise from clients for her "technical knowledge and to-the-point advice" (2019); her "positive approach when looking for a solution" (2018); described as "technically very strong, with good commercial awareness and timely responses" (2017); "responsive, creative and knowledgeable" (2016); "works hard and is very practical" (2015); praised for "very hands-on and focused approach" (2014); and "very personable and good at finding practical solutions when things are ambiguous" (2013).
Chantal has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 1994. In 2012, she was appointed deputy judge in the Brussels Labor Court. She is a certified mediator in labor affairs. She is a regular speaker at seminars on labor and employment-related topics.
Chantal is fluent in Dutch, French, and English and has a working knowledge of German, Russian, and Bulgarian.
Experiencia
- May 23, 2019
European Labor & Employment Conference 2019 - May 16, 2018
European Labor & Employment Conference 2018 - May 18, 2017
European Labor & Employment Conference 2017 - May 19, 2016
European Labor & Employment Conference 2016 - May 21, 2015
Jones Day's European Labor & Employment Conference 2015: Managing Change Across Europe - May 15, 2014
European Labor & Employment Conference 2014: Managing Today's Employment Relationships Across Europe - April 18, 2013
2013 Annual European Labor & Employment Conference - June 21, 2012
European Labor & Employment related compliance issues: The latest developments in Labor law impacting local or multi-national employers - April 28, 2007
Emerging Trends in European L&E Law and their Impact on Multi-National Corporations - April 26, 2007
European Labor and Employment Issues Facing the Financial Services Industry - November 2003
The obligation to organize social elections: The number of workers required - Definitions of functions and voters - The chronological course of the procedure, The social elections : A last update and resume of your obligations as employer conference - March 2003
The proposition of law Vandenbroucke regarding occupational pension schemes, Stibbe seminar - March 2003
What is meant by 'leaving a pension plan' and what are the rules to be respected in the light of the new Law on Occupational Pension Schemes? Law Vandenbroucke on occupational pension schemes and its repercussions on life insurance conference - August 2002
An overview of the new regime introduced by the new law on occupational pension schemes: the industry wide pension plans, Vandenbroucke Act on the Occupational Pension Schemes conference - May 2002
Current events in labor law: Occupational pension schemes: What happens with the rights of employees regarding the occupational pension schemes (including pension funds) in case of transfer of undertaking? The actual impact of the proposition of law of Minister Frank Vandenbroucke on existing and future pension plans, Client seminar - January 2001
How to prepare and conduct an effective due diligence in international business transactions? Social audit : performance factors, conference - February 1999
Introduction to the labor and employment legislation, Axa Belgium conference
"Very experienced and easy to work with attorney, who always provides very rational analysis."Legal 500
- University of Louvain (J.D. cum laude 1994; Germanic Philology cum laude 1988; 1st Degree Slavonic Languages cum laude 1988)
- Brussels Bar
Recognized annually in The Legal 500 Belgium as a leading individual in L&E law (2020-2023):
"nothing can shock her anymore, she will still continue the fight to obtain the best solution for her client ... lawyer with extremely strong engagement and sense of responsibility" (2023)
"incomparable with her experience but at the same time the drive and the client-orientation that is needed nowadays"; "she is a class act" (2022)
- Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, German, Russian