Reed Smith re-hires trade specialist from Amazon as a partner in Brussels

Philip Heeren will lead the firm’s EU trade and customs practice

Philip Heeren Photo courtesy of Reed Smith

Reed Smith has re-hired Philip Heeren from Amazon to expand the firm’s trade coverage in Brussels.

Heeren rejoins as a partner and will lead the firm’s EU trade and customs practice, having spent the past two years as corporate counsel at Amazon, where he worked in its EU operations team. He previously spent nearly three years in Reed Smith’s Brussels office as a senior associate.

Heeren’s practice focuses on helping companies move goods across borders, advising clients on all matters relating to customs, trade and excise tax in the EU and the UK. His work involves compliance assessments on valuation, tariffs and origin, contract reviews, managing broker relationships, coordinating disclosures, administrative appeals and representing clients in the national and European courts.

He said: “Reed Smith’s collaborative culture, global platform and client-first mentality were all key reasons for my return.”

He also paid tribute to his former colleagues, saying his time at Amazon was “truly special”. He called the progress made with Amazon’s EU trade legal team “remarkable”, saying he would “remember the inspiring working environment – with action-driven collaborations, where friends were made”.

Prior to his first spell at Reed Smith, Heeren spent five years at Deloitte Legal where he started his career. He also currently lectures at Antwerp Tax Academy, was a former lecturer at Tilburg University and has contributed to policymaking and law-making at national and EU levels.

Isabelle Rahman, Reed Smith’s Brussels office managing partner, said that Heeran’s arrival “will prove an asset to our clients as we help them to navigate an increasingly complex trade and compliance landscape”, with the EU anticipating potential disputes with the incoming second Trump Administration.

She added: “[This year] marks five years since we opened our Brussels office, and seeing a ‘boomerang hire’ is particularly pleasing. It’s a clear signal of the maturity of the office, and we look forward to building further in the years ahead.”

Those comments echoed global managing partner Casey Ryan’s stated desire to grow strategically if needed.

Reed Smith opened its Brussels office in 2020 by hiring five partners: Christian Filippitsch, Geert Goeteyn, Isabelle Rahman, Yves Melin and Wim Vandenberghe from Norton Rose Fulbright, legacy Shearman & Sterling, Sheppard Mullin, Steptoe & Johnson and Deloitte Legal, respectively.

Heeran’s return follows early January activity in the Brussels legal market, with former Quinn Emanuel partners Trevor Soames and Steven Mavrogenis joining Geradin Partners and Goodwin, respectively.

Earlier this month, Reed Smith appointed Brigid North to succeed London managing partner Andrew Jenkinson, while in November Paris managing partner Natasha Tardif received the International Bar Association’s Outstanding Woman Lawyer award.

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