Osborne Clarke Belgium appoints new co-heads to lead IT, IP and Data practice
Published on 1st October 2025
International legal practice Osborne Clarke has appointed Laurens Dauwe and Valentin de le Court as Co-Heads of its IP, IT and Data practice in Brussels, effective 1 October. Laurens assumes responsibility for data-related and IT matters, including data protection and digital regulation, working closely with Valentin, who continues to lead the Brussels' IP practice.
Laurens specialises in all aspects of information technology law including internet law, computer law, communications law, and data protection. In practice for 17 years, his expertise includes outsourcing and software development, cybersecurity, privacy and protection of personal data, and IT & Telecoms disputes. He leads cross-border technology deals and digital transformation in regulated sectors and is recognised by the Legal 500 for his work in the IT sector and his expertise in data privacy and IT regulatory. Beyond his client base of Belgian and European companies, Laurens advises on several cutting edge projects funded by the European Commission that exploit satellite and space technology.
Laurens comments, "I'm delighted to take on this leadership role, especially as we put into action our ambitious 2030 strategy to help clients more strategically grow their business in a rapidly changing world. My focus will be on investing in our people, embracing tech-enabled ways of working, and maintaining strong relationships across our international network to continue to deliver seamless, pragmatic solutions at pace."
Valentin de le Court is an innovation-focused IP lawyer with over 15 years’ experience, including four years in China. He concentrates on patent litigation and strategy, trade secrets protection and management, open innovation contracts and China-related IP strategies, working closely with Osborne Clarke’s offices in Asia. Valentin is recognised as an IP expert by Legal 500 and IAMPatent 1000.
Valentin comments, "The strength of our IP, IT and Data team lies in our collaboration and our ability to deliver comprehensive, commercially astute advice to clients in our key sectors. This is an exciting time to lead as co-head of the practice. I’m grateful for the trust our clients place in us, and I look forward to continue our track record of protecting our clients’ most valuable assets.”
The appointment of Laurens and Valentin builds on a decade of growth since the practice was founded. Under new leadership, the team will deepen its capabilities across data protection; new technologies; intellectual property; and emerging EU digital regulation.
David Haex, Co-Managing Partner of Osborne Clarke Belgium, comments, “Laurens and Valentin are talented leaders with complementary strengths across IT, IP and Data. Their appointments underline our long-term commitment to supporting clients at the forefront of digital transformation, innovation and regulation. We’re proud of what the team has achieved over the past decade and excited about the next chapter under Laurens and Valentin’s leadership.”
Osborne Clarke's Belgian office is in the heart of Brussels, advising clients on national and EU law and acting as trusted partners for businesses of all sizes. Our team is made up of experts in Commercial, Corporate, Employment, Energy, EU, Data, IT & IP, Payments and Regulatory, Real Estate and Tax law.
