We got great news to share!

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Laura Sente to counsel and Cathy Van den Branden to senior paralegal. 👏

Laura joined 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 in 2017. Over the years, she has developed strong expertise in EU and Belgian merger control as part of our competition & EU team. Known for her sharp analytical skills, calm presence and ability to build trusted client relationships, Laura is a highly valued colleague and adviser.

Cathy joined 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 in 2020. She has consistently demonstrated exceptional skill in navigating legal complexities with precision, reliability and a hands on approach. As the driving force behind our Vibes team, Cathy plays a pivotal role in organising meaningful initiatives that strengthen our team spirit and foster a positive working environment.

We are grateful that Laura and Cathy take this next step in their careers. A well deserved recognition of their expertise and continued commitment to 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 !

Please join us in congratulating them! 👏

#promotion #lawfirm #competitionlaw #commerciallaw #contrasttalent

Knipperlichten 2026 - gastspreker Axel Desmedt

𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝟓 𝐦𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔💡

We zijn bijzonder verheugd dat Axel Desmedt, voorzitter van de Belgische Mededingingsautoriteit, de keynote zal verzorgen. Hij geeft zijn inzichten mee over de werking van de BMA en de rol van de Voorzitter. Daarnaast beantwoordt hij graag vragen van het publiek.

👇 Ontdek in de visual meer over Axel Desmedt en het volledige programma.

𝐌𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐳𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐭!
Schrijf u vandaag nog in via volgend formulier.

𝐖𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧?
· U blijft mee met de juridische en economische tendensen die uw praktijk in 2026 en daarna zullen bepalen.
· Deelname levert 𝟓 𝐎𝐕𝐁/𝐈𝐁𝐉 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧 op (aangevraagd).
· Uw inschrijvingsgeld gaat 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐫 KickCancer.

#legalseminars #competitionlaw #contrastconnects #20yearscontrast

Omnibus I package - update

𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: Omnibus I has been published in the Official Journal of the EU and will enter into force 20 days from now. The transposition deadlines have also been fixed, to 19 March 2027 for CSRD amendments and 26 July 2028 for CSDDD amendments. You can find the publication here.

#EU #CSDDD #CSRD #Omnibus #corporate #duediligence #ESG #sustainability #corporatesustainability

Fire aid and safety

Recently, our colleague Winny refreshed our fire safety know‑how: what to do in case of fire, how to evacuate safely, and when to use CO₂ or foam extinguishers.

Our first aid team members, Cathy and Michèle, shared practical tips on how to provide the right first‑aid response in case of a fire-related emergency.

Knowing what to do in an urgent situation can make all the difference, which is why continuous training remains essential.

#firesafety #firstaid #safetyatwork #ESG #contrasttraining #contrastcares

Omnibus I package - Council gives final approval to CSRD & CSDDD amendments

Almost a year to the day after the European Commission published its initial proposal on 26 February 2025, the European Council today formally approved the final text of Omnibus I. Following the earlier, final approval by the European Parliament on 16 December 2025, this wraps up the legislative process of the amendments to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

The text will now be finalised to be published in the Official Journal in the coming days. Entry into force will be 20 days following this publication, with a transposition deadline within 12 months for CSRD-related amendments and by 26 July 2028 for CSDDD-related ones.

📌 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜 (e.g. see our latest updates here). Also keep an eye on our page, as we have a more in-depth update coming soon!

📌 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥’𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.

💬 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? Feel free to reach out to our corporate team or your usual contact person at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭!

#EU #CSDDD #CSRD #Omnibus #corporate #duediligence #ESG #sustainability #corporatesustainability

In the Picture - Bid rigging: winning or losing (together)?

𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 ... 💭

You’re preparing a bid for a major EU tender. At a trade fair, a competitor mentions that only your two companies are likely to bid. He suggests a “solution”: you submit an inflated offer, he submits a slightly lower one, wins, and then subcontracts part of the work to you.

You walk away and call your legal counsel. He labels it as bid rigging and advises you to clearly reject the proposal and avoid any further discussion.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞? Read our latest #inthepicture ‘Bid rigging: winning by losing (together)?’ here, or contact our competition partner Sebastien Engelen.

#bidrigging #competitionlaw #europeancommission #contrastpublications

Knipperlichten 2026 - Prof. dr. Bernard Tilleman in de spotlight

𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 – 𝐮𝐰 𝐣𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐣𝐤𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞💡

Op donderdag 5 maart organiseert 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 het 15e Knipperlichten seminarie waarbij de meest recente evoluties in het mededingingsrecht, vennootschapsrecht, handelsrecht en het bijzonder contractenrecht worden toegelicht.

𝐈𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐣𝐤 𝐖𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐞𝐤
Prof. dr. Bernard Tilleman, co-voorzitter van de Commissie tot hervorming van het bijzonder contractenrecht, geeft een update over de stand van zaken van de hervorming van het Burgerlijk Wetboek en gaat meer concreet in op het bijzondere contractenrecht (Boek 7 BW).
👇 Bekijk onderstaande visual voor meer info en het volledige programma.

𝐌𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐳𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐭!
Schrijf u vandaag nog in via https://lnkd.in/e4umcXuA

· Zo blijft u mee met de ontwikkelingen die uw praktijk in 2026 en de komende jaren zullen bepalen.
· Deelname levert 𝟓 𝐎𝐕𝐁/𝐈𝐁𝐉-𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧 op (aangevraagd).
· Uw inschrijvingsgeld gaat integraal naar KickCancer.

#legalseminars #Boek7BW #burgerlijkrecht #contrastconnects #20yearscontrast

Kick-off 20 years of contrast

𝐈𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝟐𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭.

We officially kicked off our anniversary year during our annual winter dinner, held this year at the Botanic Sanctuary in Antwerp. It was an evening filled with laughter, good conversations, nostalgic memories and a wonderful fine dining experience.

This year we're feeling a little extra... and you will notice this in everything we do. From team activities to a special edition of our annual 'Knipperlichten' seminar and more. We look forward to celebrating this with you!

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭? Follow #20yearscontrast and stay up to date with all the festivities, or experience it firsthand and join our ‘Knipperlichten’ seminar on 5 March 2026.

Check out our festive photos on LinkedIn.

#lawfirm #anniversary #lawdinner #contrastvibes #20yearscontrast

Family Evening at contrast

Last week, we hosted our annual Family Evening at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭, welcoming the family, friends, and partners of our newest colleagues.

From a cosy reception and introductory presentation to a delicious buffet and a behind‑the‑scenes tour of our building, our guests got a real taste of daily life at 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭.

A big thank‑you to everyone who joined us. Always a joy to meet the loved ones behind our team.

#familyevening #teamspirit #lawfirmlife #contrastvibes #20yearsofcontrast

Guest lecture on litigation and arbitration at UCLL

Today, our colleagues Benjamin Magnus, Lise Ryckaert, Cathy Van den Branden and Marthe Wouters gave a ‘litigation & arbitration’ guest lecture to second-year law practice students at UCLL.

Benjamin and Lise guided them through the world of litigation and arbitration, while Cathy and Marthe highlighted the crucial role paralegals play in this process.

A big thank you to Ellen Schiepers and Manou Eyskens for inviting us once again. We have been giving guest lectures at UCLL for several years now, and it is always a pleasure, especially for our paralegals, to return to their campus and share their legal expertise with the next generation.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥? Feel free to explore our career and internship opportunities here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_RYkM_d

#guestlecture #litigation #arbitration #law #paralegals #UCLL #contrastoncampus