Senior Associate/Counsel Commercial Law (Franchising, Distribution & Retail)
Job Details
Description
Join Osborne Clarke’s Commercial/Litigation team in Brussels and work directly with Marie Canivet, advising Belgian and international clients on their franchise and distribution networks, retail operations and commercial disputes.
Who is Osborne Clarke?
Osborne Clarke is an award-winning international legal practice that has grown rapidly over the past few years and now spans 27 offices around the world. Our Brussels office was established over 13 years ago and has since grown into a full-service law firm of around 40 qualified lawyers, serving market leaders, challenger brands and fast-growth businesses across industries and borders.
Our mission is clear: to advise and advance the businesses of tomorrow. To be a firm that clients depend on for strategic counsel and to navigate complexity. To spot opportunities and fend off threats. To move faster than competitors and challengers. We foster a culture where high performance and heart sit side by side, where people feel connected, supported and challenged, and where talent thrives and the firm does too.
We are investing in technology and AI‑enabled tools to deliver high‑value, strategic work with a future‑focused mindset.
The Commercial/Litigation Team
Our Commercial/Litigation team in Brussels assists a broad range of national and international clients – from start‑ups and scale‑ups to multinational groups – mainly active in the retail (consumer products and franchising), technology, media & telecommunications, hospitality, and life sciences & healthcare sectors.
The practice combines commercial advisory work with dispute resolution. Its expertise covers franchising, distribution and agency networks; commercial contracts and retail operations; consumer protection and trade practices; and related competition issues. The wider team also handles commercial leases, business transfers, and contractual and contentious matters in logistics, infrastructure and construction.
Our lawyers work in close collaboration across practice groups and jurisdictions, delivering pragmatic, business‑oriented solutions.
Recognised as a Tier 1 firm for Retail by Legal 500, we act for a number of well-known Belgian and international clients, who value our combination of sector insight, legal excellence and a human, collaborative culture.
What We Offer
This is an opportunity to combine substantive client responsibility with a meaningful role in developing the practice.
You will benefit from:
- Close collaboration with Marie Canivet and an experienced team on a varied mix of strategic projects, ongoing advisory work and commercial disputes.
- Substantial autonomy, with support from colleagues across complementary specialisms.
- Opportunities to strengthen your market profile, develop client relationships and help shape the growth of the practice.
- Access to an international network, cross-border mandates and knowledge sharing across offices.
- Tailored professional development, including support for leadership and business development.
- Investment in technology, data and AI-enabled tools to support efficient, high-quality legal work.
- An open, inclusive culture that combines high performance with heart, with attention to wellbeing and sustainable careers.
The Role
We are looking for a Senior Associate or Counsel to strengthen our Commercial/Litigation practice in Brussels.
In this role, you will:
- Lead client matters involving the establishment, expansion, restructuring and ongoing management of franchise, distribution and agency networks in Belgium and internationally.
- Draft, review and negotiate franchise, distribution, agency and other commercial agreements, including supply arrangements, e-commerce terms and commercial leases.
- Advise on pre-contractual disclosure, renewals, terminations and transfers, including the interaction between franchise agreements and commercial leases.
- Provide commercially focused advice on retail operations, trade practices, consumer protection and new routes to market, coordinating with regulatory specialists where needed.
- Advise on competition issues affecting franchise and distribution arrangements, including vertical restrictions, and work with specialists on related intellectual property and data protection matters.
- Develop dispute strategies and represent clients before Belgian courts and arbitral tribunals, particularly in disputes involving franchise, distribution and agency relationships.
- Manage cross-border workstreams with colleagues across Osborne Clarke and contribute to other commercial advisory and contentious mandates.
- Supervise and mentor junior lawyers, and contribute to client development, business development and knowledge sharing.
Your Profile
We are looking for an experienced commercial lawyer ready to take on substantial responsibility within a collaborative team.
You:
- Have at least 6 years’ relevant experience, with a strong grounding in franchising and distribution law.
- Have experience advising on commercial agreements and network-related issues, together with a solid grounding in commercial litigation. Knowledge of consumer and product regulatory law is an asset.
- Can manage complex matters with appropriate autonomy, exercise sound judgement and provide pragmatic advice that reflects clients’ business objectives.
- Have strong drafting, negotiation and communication skills, and a rigorous, precise and proactive approach.
- Enjoy working internationally and collaboratively, and are comfortable coordinating matters and supporting junior colleagues.
- Have excellent written and spoken French and English, and a very good command of Dutch.
- Hold a Belgian law degree with strong academic results; an additional UK or US LL.M. is an asset.
- Have a genuine interest in retail, franchising and the ways digital commerce and innovation are changing distribution models.
