Lydian appoints two new Partners as of 1 January 2025

Lydian is pleased to announce the appointment of Olivia Santantonio (IP/Commercial) and Kyoto Van Herreweghe (Planning, Environment & Energy) as Partners. Effective January 1, 2025, these appointments reflect the firm’s growth strategy and will further strengthen its capabilities in key practice areas.

Olivia Santantonio has been with Lydian since 2007. She specializes in intellectual property, guiding clients through all stages of IP protection, from strategy development to litigation. Olivia also advises on complex data protection issues, product compliance, and dispute resolution. Recognized as a "Rising Star" in Intellectual Property by The Legal 500 and a "Bronze" lawyer in Trademark by WTR1000, Olivia’s expertise significantly contributes to the firm.

Kyoto Van Herreweghe joined Lydian in 2016 and leads the Planning, Environment, and Energy practice. She specializes in environmental law, including soil and waste legislation, as well as in urban planning, and in energy law. Kyoto also advises clients on these matters in transactions, including in due diligence and during contract negotiations. Recognized as a "Rising Star" in The Legal 500, her diverse expertise makes her a key asset to the firm.

Jan Hofkens, Managing Partner at Lydian: "These appointments are a testament to our commitment to growth and our goal of providing clients with exceptional, comprehensive support. Olivia and Kyoto bring a unique combination of expertise, leadership, and client service that will play a crucial role in shaping the firm’s future success."

About Lydian
Established in 2001, Lydian takes pride in being a leading independent Belgian law firm, recognized for delivering comprehensive legal services. Our expertise spans a broad spectrum of Belgian business law disciplines, covering corporate matters such as M&A and private equity, commercial law, intellectual property (IP), information and communication technology (ICT), information governance, data protection (privacy) law, dispute resolution (litigation), employment law, real estate, regulatory affairs, and taxation.

What sets us apart is our lawyers' specialized knowledge in finance, insolvency, energy, the public sector, insurance, life sciences, healthcare, outsourcing, ports, logistics, pensions, real estate development, investments, telecommunications, as well as media and technology (TMT).

At Lydian, we are dedicated to fostering a robust and professional environment, committed to providing top-tier legal services. Rooted in the traditions of London's renowned Magic and Silver Circle firms, as well as Belgium's premier law practices, our legal culture positions us to deliver services of the utmost quality aligned with international standards. We seamlessly blend the sophistication of a major law firm with the personalized client-lawyer interactions typically associated with an independent practice. Straight-to-the-point advice and effective communication with our clients remain paramount to our approach.

Our esteemed roster of clients includes a substantial number of prominent Belgian and international clients, both publicly listed and privately held, who consistently seek our expertise and rely on the quality of our work. We routinely handle referral cases from prestigious law firms beyond Belgium's borders. Embracing the Anglo-Saxon model, our firm distinguishes itself through the efficiency of our services, the pragmatic approach of our lawyers, and their unwavering dedication to every detail