Dominique Blommaert

Dominique heads Janson's Banking and Finance Law Department with a focus on consumer and mortgage credit. He is – in this matter - one of the most sought-after lawyers in Belgium and also enjoys an excellent reputation. He is a key figure in the firm's dispute resolution practice and is widely recognized as a leading lawyer in corporate and commercial litigation, including Legal500 and Chambers Global and Europe.

 
 

Dominique has over 30 years of experience and specializes in credit law, asset management and financial regulation.  

His field of expertise also covers banking and finance litigation, in which he has represented various national and international financial institutions and high profile Belgian M&A litigation, including arbitration proceedings (both as counsel and arbitrator). He has acted in numerous complex and high-profile cases, such as the collapse of Fortis (representing the former CEO), SpaarSelect, Optima Bank, Arco, Sibelco, the Eternit asbestos case, Lunch Garden etc.

Dominique was a visiting professor at Ghent University in 2021-2022 where he taught banking and finance law. He has been a partner at Janson since 1998, after having joined as an associate in 1994. Since 1990, he is a member of the scientific team of the Financial Law Institute at Ghent University, combining academic work with legal practice.

In recent years, Dominique has also gained recognition for his ability to resolve disputes strategically, helping clients avoid lengthy litigation by fostering amicable settlements.

He works in Dutch, French and English.

    • Representation in landmark disputes such as Fortis, Arco, Optima Bank, Sibelco and Lunch Garden, and multiple interventions as arbitrator.

    • Assisting a consortium of lenders in the setting up of mortgages and floating charges by Belgian borrowers and guarantors

    • Advising several international banks and financial conglomerates on their banking and credit activities in Belgium

    • Assisting numerous financial institutions in their applications for admission as credit providers in Belgium

    • Negotiating and drafting various complex financing agreements for credit institutions, including project finance transactions and cash pooling agreements

    • Assistance to the IPO of a SICAFI (closed-end real estate investment trust)

    • Defending one of the major Belgian banks in the largest class action ever filed in Belgium

    • Representation of financial institutions in several disputes concerning the loss of financing under credit agreements

    • Representation of numerous banks in litigation concerning investment mortgages

    • Defense of a renowned financial institution in a credit risk dispute

    • Chairing an arbitration tribunal on the application of the so-called "MiFID" legislation

  • Banking & finance

    Commercial

    Corporate, M&A & Private equity

  • Education:

    Master in contemporary history (KUL 1987)

    Master of laws (KUL 1988)

    Master in economic law (ULB 1989)

    Bar : Brussels and Ghent

  • Legal 500, Chambers, Leaders League

    • Scientific member of the Financial Law Institute at Ghent University

    • Board member of DA/OR and RAGB

    • Member of the editorial boards of Traité pratique de droit commercial and Wet en Duiding – Economisch Recht – Bank en Zekerheden

    • Former member of the Dutch-speaking Brussels Bar Council (2003–2006)tion

  • • Pay and Borrow as you go mobile’. Het juridische kader inzake m-payments & - credit, in M-Commerce (J. Vannerom ed.), Antwerpen, Intersentia, 2017, 103 – 148 (with J. Vannerom)

    • Le champ d’application du crédit hypothécaire, in Le crédit hypothécaire au consommateur. Etat de la question, Brussel, Larcier, 2017, 55 e.v. (with P. Algrain)

    • Le champ d’application des différentes réglementations, in Crédit aux consommateurs et aux P.M.E., CUP, 170, Brussel, Larcier, 2016, 10 e.v. (with P. Algrain)

    • Le crédit en droit commun et le crédit réglementé, in Traité Pratique de Droit commercial, Tome 5, Kluwer 2016, 339-686

    • De aansprakelijkheid van de bankier als kredietverlener in het gemeen en het bijzonder kredietrecht, Gent, Larcier, 2015, 267 p. (with D. Bracke)

    Ongoing academic focus on credit regulation law and the implementation of EU credit directives and payment services.

 

 Contact details.

E-mail: d.blommaert@janson.be

Brussels: +32 2 675 30 30

Ghent: +32 9 240 77 20