Mathilde de Foestraets

Mathilde de Foestraets

Associate
Brussels
About

Mathilde advises and assists clients on all matters relating to employment law (both individual and collective) and social security law, including restructuring, drafting and reviewing company policies, preparing due diligence reports, and handling issues relating to recruitment. She also supports her clients in complying with complex legislation, such as the European Whistleblower Protection Directive and anti-discrimination laws. 

Her clients include national and international companies across various sectors, including insurance, healthcare, life sciences and the chemical industry. 

She also represents clients in employment litigation before Belgian labour courts and tribunals. 

Mathilde also specialises in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, with a particular focus on social aspects within the context of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Areas of FocusEmployment
Professional QualificationsAvocat registered with the Ordre Francais des Avocats du Barreau de Bruxelles

EXPERIENCE

  • Several international clients in the hospitality and life sciences sectors with collective dismissals and site closure projects, including information and consultation procedures, drafting of social plans, and interactions with regional and federal authorities.
  • A major insurance provider on day-to-day employment law matters.
  • Clients on the application of the new Belgian Private Investigation Act, by conducting the entire investigation process.
  • Several clients in employment law disputes before the Belgian labour courts.
Languages
  • French
  • Dutch
  • English
Education
  • UCLouvain, Master of laws, 2019
  • Université Saint-Louis of Brussels, Bachelor of laws, bilingual traject (French – English), 2017

Publications and media

  • Co-author, Do's and Don'ts for employers regarding COVID-19 vaccintation (lexgo.be).
  • Co-author, A new special social security contribution should discourage companies from excessively using successive daily temporary agency work contracts from 1 January 2023, www.lexology.com
  • Co-author, Transparent and predictable working conditions (part 2): be sure to inform your employees, www.lexology.com
  • Co-author, Help, my employee wants to work in a flexible way!, www.lexology.com
  • Co-author, Transparent and predictable working conditions: the importance of providing information to employees, www.lexology.com

Prior Experience

  • March 2023 – present, DLA Piper UK LLP, Brussels office.
  • 2020 – February 2023, Associate at one of the Belgium’s largest independent law firm.
  • March 2020 – June 2020, Interim policy office at the European Commission (DG INTPA).
  • October 2019 – February 2020, Bluebook Traineeship at the European Commission (DG INTPA).

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Member of the Brussels Bar since September 2020.

My latest insights

Events

Belgium: Employment law training

8 October 2026 .1 minute read

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Connect

Phone

+32 25 001 522
(Work, Brussels)

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