BRUSSELS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Maarten Meulenbelt has joined the firm as a partner in the Brussels office. Mr. Meulenbelt will focus his practice on EU regulatory affairs, litigation and competition law issues affecting the life sciences sector in Europe.
“Service to the global life sciences industry is a strategic focus for the firm,” said Scott Bass, a coordinator of Sidley’s global life sciences practice. “Maarten has vast EU regulatory and antitrust experience, specifically in the life sciences sector, and he will be a great resource for our clients.”
In addition to advising on EU life sciences matters, Mr. Meulenbelt also handles competition litigation at the EU and national levels. He has extensive litigation experience before the EU Courts, national courts and competition authorities, the European Commission and national regulatory authorities in several EU Member States. Mr. Meulenbelt has significant competition law experience in sectors with strong State regulation, including seaports, transport and the financial sector.
“Sidley is recognized for its leadership and presence in the life sciences and antitrust arenas,” said Mr. Meulenbelt. “Its global platform offers me a tremendous opportunity to expand my practice while helping to broaden the firm’s already robust European life sciences practice.”
Mr. Meulenbelt frequently writes and speaks on legal issues affecting the life sciences industry. He received his Master of Laws from the University of Ultrecht and he is fluent in English, Dutch, French and German.
Sidley’s global life sciences practice, comprised of lawyers in the United States, Europe and Asia, counsels clients on the full array of issues they face throughout the life cycle of their products. The firm litigates and arbitrates on their behalf around the globe; defends them in criminal and civil government enforcement actions; assists on strategic transactions; and represents their interests before legislative and key regulatory agencies. Sidley was recently ranked among the top five firms that comprise PLC’s “Life Sciences Super League.” In the PLC Life Sciences Cross-Border Handbook 2010/11, Sidley received a leading ranking, the guide’s top honor, in the areas of Corporate & Commercial (China/Hong Kong), Government Enforcement and Investigations (U.S.), Product Liability (U.S.) and Regulatory (U.S.), and the firm is highly recommended in the European Union Regulatory and Competition/Antitrust areas. Sidley is the only law firm to receive a leading ranking in the Corporate & Commercial (China/Hong Kong) category for the second year in a row. In total, the firm received recommendations in 13 practice areas in three jurisdictions, and leading lawyer rankings for 18 lawyers.
Sidley Austin LLP is one of the world’s largest full-service law firms, with approximately 1700 lawyers practicing in 17 U.S. and international cities, including Beijing, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. Sidley is recognized for service and responsiveness. Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings of any U.S. law firm in the inaugural U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings for 2010. BTI, a Boston-based research and consulting firm, has named Sidley as one of only three firms to have been in the top ten of the BTI Client Service rankings every year since the inception of those rankings in 2001, and as number one in three of those years.
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