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Commercial & Company law

Commercial law is the common platform of all legal activity; it constitutes the basic training of every solicitor in business law. The Commercial and Companies department therefore deals with the commercial law cases that the other departments never fail to generate.

Its competences are notably required in matters of company law in the broad sense, general commercial law and commercial contracts, as well as banking and financial law.

Focus on company law

We support out clients in the planning of company structure, constitution, writing of deeds (articles of association, reports, formalities, etc.) and the establishment and negotiation of shareholders’ agreements governing the financing, operation and good governance of companies, including relations between shareholders and investors.

We have furthermore developed an expertise with regard to staff profit and capital sharing in their company (establishment of SOPs, etc.).

We participate in every type of national and transnational operation for share transfer, merger and scission, equity swap or acquisition, MBO, LBO, acquisition of assets, joint ventures, spin-offs, etc. Our intervention includes legal audits, negotiations and the writing of conventions and deeds.

Our specialists are also competent in the writing of all types of commercial contracts (sale, rental, leasing, distribution, agency, sales concession, franchise, brokering, company, loans, guarantees, documentary credit, etc.). They have acquired a great deal of experience in commercial practices and consumer protection.

Focus on e-banking law

The in-depth experience of the department, notably developed with the New Technologies department, relates to the financial markets legislation, banking and financial services (from MiFID to the IT aspects), loans and investments, payment instruments and bank guarantees (legislation of application and licences, design and writing of contractual documents).

The department has thus for example constructed a European reputation in certain niche sectors, such as that of electronic payments, e-money and electronic billing, and even remote financial services.

The Ulys “footprint”

The firm has entered into agreements with other firms specialised in matters it does not cover, thus offering its clients at the very least the option of being signposted to a high level specialist in each matter: tax, administrative or social law, etc. These agreements also guarantee the client a level of quality equal to what he is used to receiving from Ulys.

The missions entrusted to the department are extremely varied, just like the client profiles.

There is of course the mission for assistance as part of the management of a project. In this framework the firm’s specialists integrate the project team in order to guarantee the project’s legality and its successful outcome on a legal level.

Then there is the mission of negotiation, both in the project management phase and in the (pre) contentious stage. Whether in direct contact with the other stakeholders or in support of the client’s negotiators, the department participates in the negotiation strategy and the writing of the texts.

Naturally, the firm also regularly defends clients’ interests before the legal or arbitration authorities, or as part of mediation.

The Brussels team furthermore particularly deals with contracts with the European competition authorities.

We speak the same language

The department makes it a point of honour to always intervene within the framework of business life, whether as counsel to the founders or the investors. The best legal solution is worthless if it is impracticable.

This notably involves ongoing training, not only in law but also on a practical business level.

Furthermore, several solicitors take on university teaching responsibilities in France and Belgium in matters affecting commercial law.

Some are holders of additional qualifications and have experience outside of the bar, notably in economics or economic law. They are therefore capable of speaking the same language as the client: the language of business, projects and cases.