In the Picture - Arbitration: final destination or simple stopover?

𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 ... 💭

One of your business partners claims that your company is abusing its dominant position and threatens to go to court to stop that abuse and claim damages. An amicable solution proves impossible to reach.

To avoid a protracted legal battle before the courts, you propose that the dispute be settled through arbitration. The other party agrees, the arbitration proceedings run smoothly and the outcome is positive: the arbitrators reject the alleged abuse of a dominant position.

You are relieved until you receive a message from your solicitor a few weeks later. Apparently, the other party does not accept the ruling and is still going to court. You frown. Is this possible? Wasn't arbitration final?

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞? Read our latest hashtag#inthepicture ‘Arbitration: final destination or simple stopover? ’ here, or contact our dispute resolution counsel Benjamin Magnus or associate Marie-Julie Kormoss.

#disputeresolution #arbitration #competitionlaw #sportslaw #CourtOfJusticeEU #CASArbitration #FIFARegulation

World Cleanup Day at contrast

In honour of World Cleanup Day on 20 September, our team contributed to a cleaner and greener neighbourhood by collecting litter in the streets surrounding our office. Equipped with litter pickers and bin bags, we removed bottles, plastic wrappers, and other waste from public spaces.

At 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭, we believe that small actions can lead to meaningful change. This initiative is one of the ways we aim to support a more sustainable and responsible environment.

A big thank you to everyone who took part, and to the City of Zaventem for kindly providing the materials that made this possible.

Want to know how you can make an impact in your own neighbourhood? Visit the website of Mooimakers 👉 https://lnkd.in/gUJQ-eqw

#sustainability #VCDO #ESG #worldcleanupday #communityimpact #duurzaamondernemen #contrastcares

Team spirit, sea breeze, and a whole lot of laughter

Last Friday, we swapped our desks for the Belgian coast and headed to De Haan for our annual team building weekend.

We kicked off the day with a guided go-car tour, discovering the rich history and hidden gems of the coastal town. The afternoon brought out our competitive side with fun team games on the beach, followed by an adrenaline-filled rafting session. We ended the evening with a beachside barbecue, enjoying a stunning sunset to end the day.

We at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 are grateful for moments like these to bring us closer together, recharge our spirits, and remind us why teamwork matters.

A big thank you to the 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 vibes team for organising this weekend getaway!

#Team #TeamBuilding #LawFirm #TeamSpirit #FunAtWork #LawFirmLife #thecontrastisclear #contrastvibes

Paralegal Day 2025

Our colleagues Ine Schockaert, corporate counsel, and Marthe Wouters, corporate paralegal, will be speaking again at this year’s Paralegal Day on 𝟐𝟑 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓. The Paralegal Day is an annual, full-day congress designed specifically for paralegals and legal support professionals with the possibility to follow inspiring keynotes and network with other professionals in the field. We have been a returning speaker at the event for a number of years now, and are always proud to contribute!

In their session, Ine and Marthe will guide participants through the complexities of corporate housekeeping, offering useful and practical tools to manage company administration more efficiently.

Sounds interesting? Check out the website of NCOI Learning for more information.

See you there!

#paralegal #corporatelaw #continuouslearning #keynote #corporatehousekeeping #meetcontrast

Smashing health goals @ contrast!

At 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭, wellbeing isn’t just a buzzword. We’re committed to fostering a healthy and active workplace.

One way we do that? Our monthly summer ping pong tournaments!

August’s edition brought together associates, interns, employees, and partners for some friendly competition and a whole lot of fun. Beyond the rallies and smashes, it’s about movement, connection, and creating space for wellbeing at work.

Our winners of last month are…
🥇 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧: Hendrik Verbruggen
🥇🥇 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Hendrik Verbruggen & Daniel Murray

Thanks to everyone who participated and helped keep our office energy high. One more tournament to go in September. Let’s keep the momentum going!

#wellbeingatwork #lawfirmlife #sport #VCDO #thecontrastisclear #contrastcares

A warm welcome to our September interns!

September 1st marks a fresh start for many! Today, we’re glad to welcome four talented students to the 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 team.

Robine, Matthias, Amelie and Rodrigue will be joining our competition, corporate and commercial teams as summer interns. They will dive into interesting legal work, experience exciting projects and learn from our lawyers.

We wish them a great start and lots of good luck!

Also interested in experiencing a legal internship at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭? Visit our website to learn more about student internships and career opportunities in 2026.

#internship #legalinternship #lawstudent #careergrowth #learningopportunities #studentcorner #contrastlaw #thecontrastisclear

Become our HR Business Partner & drive real impact

Are you an 𝐇𝐑 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 ready for your next challenge?

We’re looking for an 𝐇𝐑 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 to join our dynamic team. If you're an empathetic, people-focused professional with a passion for strategic and process-driven thinking, this could be your moment.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭?

• A full-time position in a varied, strategic role;
• A close-knit team of supportive colleagues;
• Opportunities to maximise your personal growth through interesting training and development opportunities;
• ... and much more!

📩 Submit your resume today via our website: https://lnkd.in/enzw8tGF, or reach out directly to our counsel, Eva Alboort, for more information.

We’re already excited to meet you!

#hiring #HR #HRBusinessPartner #careeropportunity #contrastcareers #legalcareers #joinus #vacancy

Subscribe to our In the Picture!

𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!

In the Picture is our monthly online newsletter. It keeps legal and business professionals updated on important legal developments in our practice areas, in an engaging and accessible way, with, in the best Belgian tradition, a fun cartoon!

Have a look at our online archive, all available for free, in Dutch, French and English. https://www.contrast.law/.../news.../in-the-picture/archive/

Do you want In the Picture delivered directly to your inbox? Subscribe here https://www.contrast.law/.../in-the-picture/subscribe/

#legal #law #competitionlaw #corporatelaw #commerciallaw #compliance #disputeresolution #inthepicture

contrast's sustainability efforts showcased in VOKA magazine

After a successful first year with the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (VCSE), we have entered our second year with great energy and enthousiasm to further strengthen our commitment to sustainability.

In light of this, we’re proud to share that contrast’s VCSE journey has been featured in the latest issue of Voka’s Ondernemers Magazine. In the interview, we reflect on impactful initiatives that we have implemented – both within our firm and through the ESG advice and training we offer to clients – to create a more environmentally conscious workplace.

A heartfelt thank you to Voka - Kamer van Koophandel Vlaams-Brabant for spotlighting our story, and to Adriana Wilmots, VOKA sustainability advisor, for her support. We are very grateful for this opportunity, and we hope to inspire others to join us on this journey.

Want to learn more about our sustainability initiatives? Read the full article in Dutch here, or reach out to our ESG team Eva Alboort, Karlien De Ryck or Marthe Wouters.

#sustainability #VCDO #ESG #SDG #CSRD #VCSE #contrastcares

Welcome Lukas!

It’s always a pleasure to welcome young talent on board. This week, we’re happy to have Lukas Fesser join our Competition & EU team for a summer internship.

We wish him an insightful and inspiring internship with us.

Check out his photo on LinkedIn.

#internship #legalinternship #lawstudent #careergrowth #summerintern #learningopportunities #studentcorner