Henk Verstraete joins Belgian Law Firm Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick from Freshfields

Premier Belgian independent law firm Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick announced yesterday that Belgian tax lawyer Henk Verstraete is joining the firm as a partner, effective 1 December 2008.

Henk Verstraete, 32, comes to Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, where his current practice focuses on Belgian and international tax advisory, transactional and litigation work. This includes assisting clients in the corporate and financial sectors on a wide range of tax matters, including corporate reorganisations, public and private M&A, capital markets transactions, structured finance, and employee incentive plans.
The appointment of Henk Verstraete underscores Liedekerke’s ambition to further strengthen its highly-reputed tax practice and to further expand its top-notch services.
In 1999, Henk Verstraete became a member of the Brussels bar within the firm Loeff Claeys Verbeke. He joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in April 2000 as an associate, and was appointed as principal associate in May 2008.
After graduating magna cum laude from the Law School of the University of Leuven in 1999, Henk Verstraete obtained an LL.M. in Taxation at New York University School of Law in 2003, on a Fulbright Scholarship and a Fellowship from the Belgian American Educational Foundation. He also studied at the Law School of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Since 2000, Henk Verstraete has been a member of the faculty of the Law School of the University of Leuven, where he currently teaches corporate income tax law. Henk Verstraete frequently speaks at seminars and regularly publishes on tax related topics.
Commenting on the arrival of Henk Verstraete, Daniel Garabedian, Tax Practice Group leader at Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick, said: “We are very enthusiastic about Henk joining us. He is a highly talented and energetic tax lawyer and his arrival is consistent with the continuous development of our tax practice. It will also bolster the firm’s capabilities, as we address the growing needs and demands of our clients.”