ChantalBiernaux

Partner

Brussels + 32.2.645.15.32

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Chantal Biernaux has more than 25 years of experience practicing Belgian and European labor and employment and social security law. She heads the Labor & Employment Practice in Brussels.

Chantal represents global corporations and major national companies on labor issues at collective and individual levels, including corporate restructurings (collective layoffs/closure of plants), negotiating and drafting collective bargaining agreements, managing collective and individual labor relations, and litigation. She is particularly knowledgeable in occupational pension schemes (pension funds and group insurances).

Chantal is recognized annually by Chambers Europe, where she is found by clients to be a "proactive and pragmatic lawyer" who is "good at respecting deadlines and clients' timelines" (2020); recognized as a "very flexible and available" practitioner and draws praise from clients for her "technical knowledge and to-the-point advice" (2019); her "positive approach when looking for a solution" (2018); described as "technically very strong, with good commercial awareness and timely responses" (2017); "responsive, creative and knowledgeable" (2016); "works hard and is very practical" (2015); praised for "very hands-on and focused approach" (2014); and "very personable and good at finding practical solutions when things are ambiguous" (2013).

Chantal has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 1994. In 2012, she was appointed deputy judge in the Brussels Labor Court. She is a certified mediator in labor affairs. She is a regular speaker at seminars on labor and employment-related topics.

Chantal is fluent in Dutch, French, and English and has a working knowledge of German, Russian, and Bulgarian.

Experience

  • SmartSD enters into strategic partnership with CobepaJones Day advised SmartSD and its longstanding stakeholders Smile Invest, co-founders and management on a strategic partnership with new majority shareholder Cobepa, a leading European private equity company.
  • GfK sells European Consumer Panel (GfK CP) business to YouGovJones Day advised GfK SE in the €315 million sale of its European Consumer Panel business (GfK CP) to YouGov PLC, a leading international online research data and analytics technology group headquartered in the United Kingdom and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: YOU).
  • Norwest Equity Partners acquires United Sports BrandsJones Day represented Norwest Equity Partners in the acquisition and financing of United Sports Brands, a global leader in sports performance and protective products, including the Shock Doctor, McDavid, Cutters, Nathan, PEARL iZUMi, and Glukos brands.
  • Blue Point-backed Next Level Apparel acquires StedmanJones Day advised Blue Point Capital Partners in the acquisition by portfolio company Next Level Apparel of Germany-based Stedman GmbH, a designer, manufacturer and supplier of premium casual and sportswear blank apparel for the printwear industry.
  • Eastman sells adhesives resins business product lines for $1 billionJones Day advised Eastman Chemical Company in the $1 billion sale of its adhesives resins assets and business to Synthomer plc.
  • Consortium BelGaN Group BV acquires ON Semiconductor Belgium BVJones Day advised the consortium BelGaN Group BV with the acquisition of ON Semiconductor Belgium BV, a subsidiary of Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC, which designs and manufactures semiconductors components.
  • Fragbite acquires Lucky Kat B.V.Jones Day advised Fragbite Group AB, a global esports and gaming company, in the acquisition of Lucky Kat B.V.
  • PTTGC acquires allnex from AdventJones Day advised PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited in the €4 billion acquisition of allnex Holding GmbH from Advent International.
  • Eastman sells tire additives business product lines to One Rock Capital PartnersJones Day advised Eastman Chemical in the $800 million sale of the rubber additives (including Crystex™ insoluble sulfur and Santoflex™ antidegradants) and other product lines and related assets and technology of the global tire additives business of its Additives & Functional Products segment to an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners, LLC.
  • Sasser Family Companies acquires Falcon LeaseJones Day advised Sasser Family Companies in the acquisition of Singapore-based global container lessor Falcon Lease Holdings Pte Ltd and its group of companies.
  • Cardinal Health sells its Cordis business to Hellman & Friedman for approximately $1 billionJones Day advised Cardinal Health in connection with the divestiture of its Cordis business to Hellman & Friedman for approximately $1 billion.
  • STERIS acquires Cantel Medical for $3.6 billionJones Day advised STERIS plc in its acquisition of Cantel Medical Corp, a global provider of infection prevention products and services primarily to endoscopy and dental customers, for $3.6 billion.
  • EIC acquires assets of CG Power Systems BelgiumJones Day advised Electrical Industries Company (EIC) in the acquisition of the production activities from the assets of the bankrupt estate of CG Power Systems Belgium.
  • Riverside portfolio company acquires Eurogarden/F1 GroupJones Day represented The Riverside Company in connection with the acquisition and financing by portfolio company Arrowhead Engineered Products, Inc. of the Belgian-based Eurogarden/F1 Group, which is active in the distribution of outdoor power equipment and original replacement spare parts for outdoor power equipment.
  • Wilink and LFPI join forces to develop WILINK InsuranceJones Day advised Wilink SA on the strategic partnership between Altro Finance & Insurance (AFI) and LFPI Gestion to develop the insurance brokerage companies WILINK Insurance and Elitis Insurance in order to strengthen their leading position among individuals and SMEs in Belgium.
  • Advanced medical products manufacturer weighs labor and employment approach to international multijurisdictional mattersJones Day is providing multijurisdictional advice on all aspects of labor and employment law to an advanced medical products manufacturer in several labor and corporate law matters, including hirings, terminations, possible litigation with independent contractors, squeeze out procedures, and specific trade law matters in the Middle East and Russia.
  • Filtration systems provider deliberates approach to complex multijurisdictional HR mattersJones Day is assisting a major European-based filtration systems provider with several complex multijurisdictional HR matters regarding termination of employment contracts, including extra territorial aspects, termination of employment contracts for cause, and harmonization of salary packages.
  • Natural products company addresses labor and employment aspects of multijurisdictional litigation, data protection, and DIRECCTE mattersJones Day is advising a leading U.S.-based natural products company on the labor and employment aspects for a variety of multijurisdictional matters, including labor law advice on hiring and termination of employees in Belgium; matters related to collaboration with independent contractors, including litigation; data protection matters for various affiliates of the client in Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and UAE; as well as advising on administrative/competition law-related procedures against French governmental institution DIRECCTE (Regional Offices for Commerce, Competition, Consumption, Labour and Employment).
  • Western Digital sells ActiveScale™ business to QuantumJones Day advised Western Digital Corporation's subsidiary Western Digital Technologies, Inc. in the sale of its ActiveScale™ business to Quantum Corporation.
  • Seal for Life acquires Flame Control Coatings, Highland International, LifeLast, and US CoatingsJones Day advised Arsenal Capital Partners ("ACP") on the four acquisitions by portfolio company Seal for Life of Flame Control Coatings, Highland International, LifeLast, and US Coatings, manufacturers of protective coating technologies.
    • View All

    June 2021 Commentary

    Vaccination FAQs for European Employers

    March 2021 Commentary

    COVID-19 Vaccinations and Considerations for European Employers

    September 2020 White Paper

    European Court of Justice Ruling on Daily Registration of Working Time—One Year Later

    August 2020 Commentary

    Strategies and Considerations for Reducing Labor Costs in the EU

    April 2020 Commentary

    New Belgian Law on Shareholder Rights: Fostering Corporate Transparency and Long-Term Shareholder Engagement

    February 2020 White Paper

    Coronavirus: The Impact on Employers Throughout Europe

    November 2019 Commentary

    Daily Registration of Employee Working Time in the European Union: Practical Recommendations for Employers

    June 2019 Jones Day Publications

    European Court of Justice: Employers Must Implement a Daily Working Hours Registry

    May 2019 Reprint

    Vade-Mecum from A to Z

    September 2017 Jones Day Publications

    European Labour & Employment Update
    View All

    Speaking Engagements

    • May 23, 2019
      European Labor & Employment Conference 2019
    • May 16, 2018
      European Labor & Employment Conference 2018
    • May 18, 2017
      European Labor & Employment Conference 2017
    • May 19, 2016
      European Labor & Employment Conference 2016
    • May 21, 2015
      Jones Day's European Labor & Employment Conference 2015: Managing Change Across Europe
    • May 15, 2014
      European Labor & Employment Conference 2014: Managing Today's Employment Relationships Across Europe
    • April 18, 2013
      2013 Annual European Labor & Employment Conference
    • June 21, 2012
      European Labor & Employment related compliance issues: The latest developments in Labor law impacting local or multi-national employers
    • April 28, 2007
      Emerging Trends in European L&E Law and their Impact on Multi-National Corporations
    • April 26, 2007
      European Labor and Employment Issues Facing the Financial Services Industry
    • November 2003
      The obligation to organize social elections:  The number of workers required - Definitions of functions and voters - The chronological course of the procedure, The social elections : A last update and resume of your obligations as employer conference
    • March 2003
      The proposition of law Vandenbroucke regarding occupational pension schemes, Stibbe seminar
    • March 2003
      What is meant by 'leaving a pension plan' and what are the rules to be respected in the light of the new Law on Occupational Pension Schemes? Law Vandenbroucke on occupational pension schemes and its repercussions on life insurance conference
    • August 2002
      An overview of the new regime introduced by the new law on occupational pension schemes: the industry wide pension plans, Vandenbroucke Act on the Occupational Pension Schemes conference
    • May 2002
      Current events in labor law: Occupational pension schemes: What happens with the rights of employees regarding the occupational pension schemes (including pension funds) in case of transfer of undertaking? The actual impact of the proposition of law of Minister Frank Vandenbroucke on existing and future pension plans, Client seminar
    • January 2001
      How to prepare and conduct an effective due diligence in international business transactions? Social audit : performance factors, conference
    • February 1999
      Introduction to the labor and employment legislation, Axa Belgium conference

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