Firm hires: ​Van Bael & Bellis launches international trade team

Van Bael & Bellis’ (VBB) London team has established a UK-based international trade team with senior hires from Crowell & Moring and Ashurst. The firm’s Brussels and Geneva teams are recognised as one of the leading international trade practices in Europe.

Michelle Linderman, previously a partner in Crowell & Moring’s international trade group, joins VBB as a partner to lead the UK trade team. She advises clients on UK-specific and cross-border sanctions, the UK Modern Slavery Act, export controls, and cybersecurity issues, among other specialised areas that concern national and international trade as well as financial sanctions.

Former head of international trade at Ashurst Ross Denton joins VBB as senior counsel. He will work alongside Linderman in developing the UK trade practice. His expertise covers export controls, sanctions, customs and trade remedies, as well as cartels, state aid/subsidy control and foreign direct investment control.

Linderman commented: 'I am very excited to join VBB and to help to build their UK-based trade practice alongside Ross Denton. Ross has a huge wealth of expertise and experience and we are looking forward to working with our new colleagues at VBB to service trade clients in the UK, EU and across the globe. Over the past 14 months there has been unprecedented growth in EU and UK sanctions and export control legislation. Working with the team at VBB, Ross and I will be well placed to provide clients with the commercially-focussed, practical and strategic guidance needed in this complex area of law'.

Denton commented: 'I am delighted to be joining VBB in London with Michelle, who is a genuine sanctions specialist, and a great lawyer. After Brexit, the UK has been given back its power to make and operate its own trade policy. The London legal market has yet to rise to the challenge of servicing clients fully in this space. Michelle and I are very excited to have been asked to help VBB, one of the great European trade firms, build up its UK-based trade practice.'