
Magda Vandebotermet
Partner
Magda Vandebotermet has a special interest in criminal law. She handles both counselling and litigation cases in that area.
Magda not only has a white-collar crime practice but she also specialises in resolving criminal issues relating to labour law, social security, environmental law, construction law, etc.
Magda focuses on criminal law in the context of business activities. As such, she represents clients in criminal litigation and provides assistance in a wide range of areas, such as insider trading and market abuse, bankruptcy offences, corporate and tax fraud, anti-money laundering, internal investigations, administrative procedures before the FSMA, negotiation with tax authorities, public and private corruption, breach of environmental or health and safety regulations, auditing regulations, criminal offences against social security and employment legislation, improper accounting practices and, other corporate and individual misconduct.
She advises clients and assists them throughout the process of proceedings before the criminal courts and up to Belgium’s Court of Cassation.
Magda acts for major Belgian and multinational companies in various industries, such as finance, construction, automotive, petroleum, food, telecom, environment and technology. She also recurrently advises and assists SMEs, high profile individuals, non-profit entities and public bodies.
She has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 1985. She was a partner at Dassesse Demeur Godfroid since 1988 before joining Liedekerke in 1991.
Contact
Relevant expertise
Assisting a multinational involved as suspect in a criminal investigation concerning infringements to the waste legislation, helping them with preparing for all expected inquiries
Assisting and representing a slaughterhouse and meat processing company, which is a suspect in a proceeding before the criminal court concerning infringements of (amongst others) the legislation concerning hygiene, labelling and animal welfare
Assisting an international bank in a criminal investigation focused on the bank and some of its clients for non-compliance with the Belgian anti-money laundering legislation.
Assisting a real estate investment firm involved in a criminal investigation led by the Public Prosecutor and in particular, to obtain the release of a construction site in one of its buildings.
Assisting the CEO of an investment company being prosecuted for several offences, including amongst others misuse of corporate assets and breach of trust.
Assisting an American multinational automotive and clean energy company specialised in electric vehicles, in a case related to the permanent access to data filed in the memory of the cars.
Assisting a real estate investor and operator suspect in a criminal investigation concerning a severe accident on a construction site.
Assisting a Belgian entrepreneur involved as suspect in a criminal case concerning a large-scale VAT fraud and money laundering.
Assisting a leading European waste management company prosecuted because of infringements to the waste disposal regulations.
Advising a Belgian foundation for the public interest on the potential criminal risks for itself and its employees if certain operations were carried out with a view to the return of art, stolen abroad by third parties.
Advising an American cloud computing company on the admissibility of its incentive programs with regard to the Belgian anti-bribery regulations.
Drafting company guidelines for a client in the banking & investment sector on the do’s and dont’s in case of dawn raids by the police.
Drafting an opinion concerning the Belgian legislation on public and private bribery.
Advising a Belgian bank on all the potential risks (including applicable criminal sanctions) arising from depollution work to one of the premises of the bank and assisting with the definition of a strategy to be followed for the depollution work.
Publications/Speaking Engagements
Belgian Chapter of Legal 500 Bribery & Corruption Country Comparative Guide, June 2022
Lex Mundi Global Anti Corruption Compliance Guide, March 2022.
Belgian Chapter of Chambers’ Practice Guides - White Collar Crime 2021, October 2021
Vandebotermet, M., Uitoefening van de strafvordering door de arbeidsauditoraten en de arbeidsauditoraten-generaal en de nieuwe verjaringstermijn van de burgerlijke vordering naar aanleiding van sociaalrechtelijke misdrijven. In X., Sociaal Strafrecht (pp. 207-240). Antwerpen, 1998.
Vandebotermet M., De Nauw, A., Art. 29 Milieuvergunningsdecreet. In X., Commentaar Milieurecht. Vlaams Gewest. Brugge, 1998.
Vandebotermet M., De Nauw, A., Art. 39 Milieuvergunningsdecreet. In X., Commentaar Milieurecht. Vlaams Gewest. Brugge, 1998.
Vandebotermet M., De Nauw, A., Art. 40 Milieuvergunningsdecreet. In X., Commentaar Milieurecht. Vlaams Gewest. Brugge, 1998.
Vandebotermet M., De Nauw, A., De verjaring van de rechtsvorderingen ex delicto in het sociaal recht. In X., Actuele problemen van het arbeidsrecht 4 (pp. 1-29). Antwerpen, 1993.
Vandebotermet M., De Nauw, A., Het bevel tot aanhouding. In X., Voorlopige hechtenis. De Wet van 20 juli 1990 (pp. 89-136). Leuven, 1991.
Vandebotermet, M., Goyens, K. (2018). De “dood” van de rechtspersoon leidt niet noodzakelijk tot het verval van de strafvordering – artikel 20, tweede lid V.T. Sv. Nullum Crimen, 2018 (2), pp. 225-231.
Vandebotermet M., Geerebaert, P. (2011). De oneerlijke concurrentie van artikel 17 3° van de Arbeidsovereenkomstenwet als ‘opvangnet’ in geval van afwezigheid van het concurrentienadeel vereist voor de concurrentiebedingen van de artikelen 65 en 86 van diezelfde wet?. Oriëntatie, 2011 (3), pp. 84-88.
« De verjaring van de rechtsvorderingen ex delicto in het sociaal recht », with A. De Nauw, in M. RIGAUX (éd.), Actuele problemen van het arbeidsrecht, Antwerp, Maklu, 1993, pp. 1-29
Vandebotermet M., De Nauw, A. (1988). De gevolgen van de overschrijding van de 'redelijke termijn' van art. 6.1. E.V.R.M. Rechtskundig weekblad, 1988-89, 1281-1292.
Memberships & Admissions
Member of the Brussels Bar
Vereniging Sociaal Recht vzw
European Criminal Bar Association
Languages
- French
- English
- Dutch