King & Spalding (K&S) has hired a pair of trade lawyers in Brussels from Baker McKenzie, as the firm restocks its trade bench in the city following departures late last year. 

Partner Arnoud Willems has joined the 1,300-lawyer firm’s international trade team and government matters and regulation practice group alongside Bregt Natens, who has made partner on the move. 

Their hire follows international trade partner Marie-Sophie Dibling exiting K&S’s Brussels office last November to co-found the European arm of US trade boutique Cassidy Levy Kent. Senior trade expert Hervé Jouanjean moved over alongside her, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Steve Orava, leader of K&S’s international trade team, said the incoming duo would broaden the firm’s European trade offering “at a time when US and EU trade, economic and security issues are moving to the top of the agenda for clients”.

“Arnoud and Bregt are team-oriented leaders who will strengthen our global trade experience, expand our presence in Brussels and support the growth of many of the firm’s practices across Europe,” he added. 

Willem’s practice is ranked Band 1 by legal rankings guide Chambers and Partners and focuses on trade defence, free trade agreements, customs, trade controls and the application of World Trade Organization (WTO) law and other trade rules. His clients span sectors including technology, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, automotive, chemicals, energy and transportation. 

He joined Bakers in 2022 alongside Bregt after nearly two decades at Sidley Austin, having earlier worked at Linklaters and in-house at Philips. 

“King & Spalding has a firm culture that is highly collaborative, which is more important than ever as the landscape for trade policy becomes more diverse, political and integrated across practices and geographies,” Willems commented. “Bregt and I are enthusiastic about the opportunity to join this practice and work with our new colleagues to help clients address trade barriers, unlock new markets, decrease risk and improve compliance.”

Bregt advises clients on EU and international trade law and regulations, with a focus on trade defence, customs rules, market access and regulatory barriers. He brings experience representing clients in litigation before the EU courts and the WTO, and before EU and EU member state authorities in the context of trade remedies and customs matters. He was most recently a counsel at Baker McKenzie. 

The duo will join K&S’s three existing partners in Brussels, who advise across antitrust and competition and life sciences regulatory matters and split their time between Brussels and either Frankfurt or Paris. The office, which opened in 2019, also has four associates. 

A Bakers spokesperson commented: “We can confirm that Arnoud Willems and Bregt Natens have left the firm. We thank them for their contributions and wish them all the best for the future. We look forward to continuing to provide seamless service to our clients.” 

The hires come hot on the heels of K&S hitting Akin in London for a pair of energy and project finance partners, the latest in a string of senior City hires by the firm that also saw it recruit a quartet of finance partners from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft last June.