Since 2011, I have dedicated my life to the legal profession in line with the above philosophy. Following many years of experience at a leading criminal law firm, I founded my own specialized practice in 2020 under the name GRAND LAWYERS BV, based in Ghent. Over the years, I have developed expertise in complex and often high-profile criminal cases before all courts in Belgium, including the Court of Cassation, where I am qualified to act in criminal matters, and the Constitutional Court. In addition, I represent clients before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Experience shows that national borders are increasingly fading. Criminal case files are now more often supplemented with foreign (digital) evidence, and cooperation between judicial authorities from different countries occurs with growing frequency and intensity. This trend is reinforced by the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Moreover, the case law of the CJEU and the ECtHR is becoming ever more influential at the national level in matters of criminal law and criminal procedure.

These are irreversible developments, which make it essential for the defence to cooperate across borders and to further specialize in these areas.

Only by doing so can we fully safeguard the fundamental rights of our clients.

In this light, being part of JDT’s project is simply basic logic and the natural way forward.