Ian Forrest, Partner, Birmingham and Head of Brussels office

The firm's Brussels office opened in 1990, in response to popular client demand. The Brussels office has grown since its inception to become one of the leading teams in Europe in the fields of competition, trade law and EU Regulatory, as recognised consistently by such independent sources as Chamber and Partners and the Legal 500.

The firm's Brussels office is situated at the decision-making heart of the European Union, and houses most of the firm's specialist EU, Competition, Trade and Regulatory practice. As such, we advise on all aspects of law related to the institutions of the EU and the World Trade Organisation, including the national and international implementation of laws deriving from these institutions in Europe. We have also established a steadily growing Belgian business and competition law practice.

Over the last two decades, in the course of its work in the capital of the EU, Hammond's Brussels office has established an excellent working relation with the European Institutions in all fields of Community competence, as well as with the permanent representatives of the EU Member States and the missions of several non-Member States in Brussels. Indeed, the firm has been regularly instructed by the European Commission in the fields of EU competition and trade law.

The nature of the EU is that it spans many different national jurisdictions and languages, and accordingly in order to advise in the different jurisdictions properly the firm has strategically hired lawyers qualified across a range of different territories who co-operate together in order to provide the firm's clients with the seamless pan-European service they require. In so doing the Brussels office liaises with the firm's other national offices in the various jurisdictions across Europe. The Brussels office's usual working language is English, but our lawyers work as well in French, German, Dutch, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian as required.

The Brussels office works closely with our colleagues in the UK, particularly the competition specialists located in our Manchester and London offices, to ensure a comprehensive service.