Dispute Resolution
AMBOS takes a different approach to disputes. We firmly believe that our clients are best served by dispute counsels with specialist knowledge of the industry and/or the law underlying the dispute. Moreover, our team includes native speaking lawyers with ample experience and legal training to successfully handle international procedures.
This means that in each area in which we offer litigation, arbitration, mediation and collaborative negotiation expertise, our dispute counsels have gained in-depth understanding from handling the full range of legal issues facing those businesses.
We have this degree of experience in:
- biotech
- oil and gas
- construction
- insurance
- shipping and transport
- employment
- intellectual property
- IT
- telecoms
- real estate
- insolvency
- administrative law
AMBOS’s structure focuses on partner level expertise. We ensure that our disputes are always handled by lawyers with the experience required to make a realistic assessment of the case and choose the most cost-effective procedural route and, when circumstances warrant, to litigate, arbitrate, mediate and/or negotiate collaboratively at the highest level.
International Dispute Resolution
AMBOS handles procedures in Dutch, French and English. Our team includes native English lawyers from the best US law schools with decades of international disputes experience, as well as other lawyers with US, English and French legal training. All of this allows us to successfully compete against the best Belgian and Anglo-American firms.
Arbitration
The AMBOS Arbitration group is led by Kathleen Paisley and consists of four partners and related associates, who both act as counsel and arbitrator.
Arbitration Services
Our lawyers have decades of experience as counsel in major international arbitration cases under the AAA/ICDR, CEPANI, ICC, VIAC, LCIA, ICSID, UNCITRAL and WIPO Rules, as well as in ad hoc proceedings. We also work closely with English colleagues on LMAA (London Maritime Arbitrators Association) arbitration cases in London and have acted as witnesses on Belgian law before the High Court in London on various occasions.
Our partners are considered among the preeminent Belgian arbitrators in their fields, including Roel Nieuwdorp for Corporate and Carl Bevernage for Employment.
Litigation
AMBOS has highly experienced, strategically minded dispute specialists based in our Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent offices and also serves clients seamlessly in the US, UK and throughout Europe (including pan-European patent actions and US-based litigation matters).
Mediation
AMBOS is experienced in handling mediations both as counsel and as mediator. We strongly encourage clients to mediate their disputes before proceeding to litigation or arbitration.
Mediation is a time-effective and cost-effective means of settling disputes that is successful in settling most cases in which it is tried.
Our team includes lawyers who combine their legal skills with business, finance and accounting qualifications, which gives us a greater appreciation of both the disputes and the resulting damages. This allows us to develop creative solutions and potential ‘win-win’ scenarios that other firms might miss. Our clients appreciate the fact that the partner helping them solving their dispute also understands their business inside out.
The AMBOS Mediation group is led by Alexis Goeminne, a bar-certified mediator in civil and commercial matters.
Corporate disputes
The AMBOS Dispute Resolution team has ample expertise and knowledge in all matters of corporate litigation and arbitration. We focus on shareholders’ disputes in or outside of shareholder’s agreements. Our lawyers advise private and corporate shareholders and investors on all issues at shareholder’s level.
AMBOS represents companies and private persons on the side of the buyer and the seller. We handle disputes originated in negotiations on share or asset deals, as well as in share purchase agreements. Our dispute resolution team is also the trusted advisor of directors of emerging and growth companies. We advise established corporates on management disputes and on the due performance of their mandate and associated liabilities towards the company, shareholders and third parties.
AMBOS resolves conflicts effectively and efficiently, allowing full focus on the business activities. When litigation or arbitration is unavoidable, our team devises applicable strategies that take into account the client’s objectives. If necessary, we employ summary proceedings.
Collaborative negotiations
The AMBOS Dispute Resolution team also engages in collaborative negotiations. Collaborative negotiation is a novel form of amicable dispute resolution, different from mediation as collaborative negotiation does not require the involvement of a mediator acting as a neutral third party.
In collaborative negotiations, the aim is to resolve the dispute through negotiations whereby each party is assisted by a bar-certified collaborative lawyer who abandons its traditional role of opposing the other party, and who tries to find 'creative solutions' together with the collaborative lawyer of the other party, in order to reach in all transparency an amicable agreement between the parties.
The AMBOS Collaborative Negotiations group is led by Jens Van Hecke, a bar-certified collaborative negotiator in civil, commercial and corporate matters.