Olivier Wouters

Olivier devotes much of his practice to advising and assisting companies on all matters related to labour and employment. He has a strong expertise in matters such as individual and collective dismissals, company reorganization, mergers and acquisitions, change processes and strategic internal communication aspects related thereto, harmonization projects, negotiations with trade unions, duties and rights of employee representatives, social elections, strikes, management agreements, platform economy (“Gig economy”). He regularly represents companies before the Belgian labour tribunals and courts.

With respect to his areas of expertise Olivier is a frequent speaker at seminars, webinars and workshops. He also regularly conducts in-house management training for our clients. Olivier regularly publishes articles in legal magazines and books. He is, amongst others, co-author of the annual publication "Praktijkboek Ontslag" and the quadrennial publication "Case law Social Elections". He is editor-in-chief of the editorial board of the law journal "Oriëntatie". Olivier is also a member of the Brussels’ association "Vereniging Sociaal Recht".

Olivier is recommended in the "Who’s Who Legal" 2021 edition as follows: "Olivier Wouters is a "highly capable" lawyer, renowned for being "very solutions driven and an excellent communicator."  In the 2022 edition he is mentioned as follows: “Olivier Wouters is widely recognised as a leading practitioner and specialises in restructuring and dismissals.”. In 2022 he is mentioned as follows by Legal 500 EMEA: "Our collaboration with Olivier Wouters is excellent, his flexible approach and outstanding legal knowledge is combined with a practical and down to earth mind, that keeps track on the day to day HR practice.” Olivier was named as a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer in 2024.

Olivier graduated with a Master of Laws from the K.U.Leuven in 1998, after securing his LL.B at the Université de Namur (Facultés Notre-Dame de la Paix). In 1999, he obtained a special degree in social law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

Olivier started his career as an attorney at the Brussels’ Bar with Claeys & Engels in 1999 and became a partner in 2009. He is also the firm’s Managing Partner.