Key Contact - Belgium

Dirk is the practice head of our Real Estate department in Belgium. This department won the 2007 Belgian Legal Award for Real Estate and Construction Law Firm of the Year and is ranked Tier 1 in the European Legal 500 for 2007.

Dirk is recognised as an expert in corporate real estate transactions. He was nominated as the leading real estate lawyer in Belgium by Legal Media Group in their 2007 Guide to the World's Leading Real Estate Lawyers .

Chambers Europe 2007 states: "'He is committed, remains consistently involved with his files and, above all, he is a deal maker', say clients of department head Dirk Caestecker. He has a high profile within real estate and is known for his hard-line approach.'"

The Practical Law Company's Corporate Real Estate, 2005/2006 refers to Dirk as: "Excellent in all aspect of commercial real estate. Widely considered to be a rising star in Belgian real estate law".

The Legal 500's 2006 edition quotes a client's testimony: “I consider Dirk Caestecker and his real estate team as the number one in Belgium, asserts one client.”, and adds: “Dirk Caestecker is the key contact at DLA Piper, where he practises in most areas of corporate law, particularly acquisitions and group reorganisations involving mergers, de-mergers, equity and asset-based transactions, contributions of branch operations and public offerings.”

Legal Business recognises Dirk as a real estate, tax, corporate and commercial expert in its publication European Legal Experts, 2005.

Key experience:

• advising on IPO and accreditation of a real estate company as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) 
• advising on the reverse takeover of a REIT 
• advising on several mergers and takeovers of real estate companies by REITS 
• advising on general legal issues to REITS 
• advising on several share transfers and asset transfers relating to real estate companies 
• acting for global institutional investment trusts and companies with their real estate acquisitions in Belgium 
• advising on mergers and restructuring companies 
• advising on general corporate law and consultancy 
• advising on real estate and tax litigation