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Dispute Resolution

The “best Belgian independent law firm in litigation and arbitration” helps clients resolve disputes as painlessly as possible – but can take the gloves off when needed.

Focus areas

Litigation is usually a moment of crisis for a client, whether acting as a claimant or as a defendant.

The Lydian litigation team is understands this: from the outset, wefocus on determining, together with the client, the most suitable litigation strategy, taking into account the legal analysis and commercial and business priorities. With this in mind, our team’s first priority is to avoid (as much as possible) court proceedings, aiming at an amicable settlement by implementing a proactive litigation management approach.

We assist clients with proceedings before all courts and tribunals in Belgium, including injunction proceedings, attachment proceedings, and proceedings on the merits and other summary proceedings, both before the first instance courts and the courts of appeal.

We have experienced Dutch and French speaking litigators who can autonomously handle cases before all Belgian courts in their native language.

Some disputes need quick, confidential and commercially-inspired decisions rendered by specialist arbitrators.

Lydian’s litigators can demonstrate an impressive record of assisting clients in arbitral proceedings before national (CEPANI) and international (ICC) arbitral tribunals as well as ad hoc arbitral tribunals, notably in the fields of insurance, distribution and construction.

Some members of our team have been appointed as arbitrators, allowing them to combine both the counsel and arbitrator experience and insights.

We also have extensive experience in judicial proceedings related to arbitration: injunction proceedings to appoint arbitrators, challenging arbitrators, annulment proceedings and enforcing arbitral awards.

Mediation may offer a cost-efficient, economic way to resolve a dispute, as an alternative to litigation or arbitration.

By focusing on the parties’ interests and commercial objectives, mediation can resolve disputes to mutual advantage, with the parties remaining in charge. The outcome is not determined by a judge or arbitrator, but by the parties themselves, assisted by a mediator.

The mediator facilitates dialogue between the parties, often restoring broken lines of communication, to achieve a settlement. Mediation allows considerations which are not strictly legal in nature to be taken into account,

Our commercial lawyers are familiar with mediation and several are trained mediators.

When appropriate to our client’s business needs, we can assist with other ways of alternative dispute resolution: third party adjudication, mini-trials and negotiations.

Lydian’s dedicated and multidisciplinary Internal Investigations Team advises global and local clients on all aspects of business crime and employee fraud, including:

  • Assistance with internal audit and investigation
  • Advising internal fraud prevention teams or external forensic experts on investigation measures and tools
  • Review of interview minutes and investigation reports
  • Disciplinary actions, including dismissal for gross misconduct
  • Handling liability claims
  • Recovery actions and litigation
  • Criminal complaints
  • Design of internal policies and corporate governance
  • Employee fraud and disciplinary actions including dismissal for gross misconduct
  • Whistleblowing
  • Hotline