Benoit Simpelaere
Partner
Avenue des arts, 46
1000 Brussels
1000 Brussels
+32 2 274 51 83
+32 475 36 83 05
+32 2 274 51 81
Professional Experience
Benoit Simpelaere has been a member of the Brussels bar since 1992. He has broad experience in corporate and commercial law, M&A, distribution law, international contract law, real estate and dispute resolution.
Benoit’s primary focus is on distribution and franchise law in which he assists with the establishment, expansion and restructuring of networks. He is often consulted on the drafting of distribution and related contracts (agency, reseller agreements, (master)franchise agreements, commercial leases, purchase of real estate, protection and licensing of intellectual property rights …).
He has a deep knowledge of insolvency proceedings, including how to mitigate D&O liability, elaborating out of court solutions (for example through pre-pack agreements, appointment of enterprise mediators …) and assists both debtors, seeking protection, and creditors, seeking enforcement, before the Companies (Enterprises) courts.
Benoit advises local and international clients on setting up bodies corporate and not-for-profit entities, as well as on Mergers & Acquisitions including solving complex post M&A disputes.
He is a skilled negotiator, able to swiftly move from the negotiation table to the courtroom, if required. As an accredited mediator, trained in understanding parties interests, he conducts delicate multiparty and multilingual mediations with a focus on providing dedicated and expedited mediation services to the parties and their counsel.
His activities as an arbitrator (ad hoc and institutional) and as a replacement justice add to his tactical and psychological insights into both negotiation and litigation.
Languages
Dutch, French, English, German (spoken)
Education
- Master of Laws (Lic. Jur.) – University of Brussels (VUB) (B), 1989
- Post Graduate in Notarial Studies – University of Brussels (VUB) (B), 1990
- Diploma in Management – EHSAL Management School – Brussels (B), 1995
- European Mediation Training for Practitioners of Justice, 2012
- International Negotiation Training, International Business, 2016
Membership and Activities
- Member of the Brussels’ Bar (B), since 1992
- Member of Lawrope, European Association of Lawyers, since 1991 – Past President (2002 – 2004) and still active in its Organizing Committee
- Member of the legal committee of the Belgian Franchise Federation and involved in its
working sessions and publications, since 1997 - Member of the Association pour l’étude du Droit de la Concurrence, Groupe belge de la
Ligue Internationale du Droit de la Concurrence, since 2010 - Member of Association for International Arbitration (AIA), since 2011
- Member of the Brussels Bar Association (VPG), since 1993
- Arbitrator, since 1998
- Civil and commercial Mediator, since 2012
- Replacement of the Justice of the Peace 1st District Anderlecht, since 1997
Recent Publications/Speeches
Publications
- HAWKES L. and SIMPELAERE B., Practice Guide – Franchise “Electronic commerce, Social Media & Franchising”, Getting the Deal Through, forthcoming spring 2019
- SIMPELAERE B. and HAWKES L., “The International Comparative Legal Guide to Franchise, A practical cross-border insight into Franchise Law, Country Question and Answer Chapters: Belgium”, Global Legal Group Ltd, 2018, 4th ed.
- DEPREAY D., JEANMART P., DELAYE Y., DEMOLIN P., SIMPELAERE B. en JANSSENS C., “Gids van Franchising”, M.I.B Publishing, 2018
- VANHAVERBEKE P., de MUELENAERE D., SIMPELAERE B. and SEGERS M., “La situation des franchisés en matière de requalification de la convention” in Subordination et para-subordination, entre dépendance juridique et économique, Anthémis, 2017
- SIMPELAERE B., “De Effecten van de Belgische PID-wet in de praktijk”, in Franchise en Recht, n° 5, Maastricht, 2017, 3rd, n°5
- SIMPELAERE B., “Overdracht van outlets in moeilijkheden: is de gerechtelijke reorganisatie een werkbare oplossing”, Commercial Distribution, Larcier, 2017
Speeches
- 4 December 2018, Brussels (BE), Comeos WG Data Protection GDPR & Franchise
- 18 September 2018, Brussels (BE), BFF Ronde tafel over de specifieke implementatie van de GDPR binnen de franchiserelatie
- 29 September 2017, Düsseldorf (DE), “Consensualism, Good Faith & Applicable Law in Cross-border M&A Deals”, 13th M&A International Lawyers’ Conference
- 30 May 2017, Brussels (BE), “State of play of distribution law” – Seminar organized by the Brussels’s Bar Association (VPG)
