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Laurens Cools

Counsel, Brussels

“I advise both our domestic and foreign clients on a range of finance transactions, with a particular focus on project finance and PPP, restructuring and insolvency. I bring considerable technical expertise, offering best in class advice with a strong commercial approach aimed at delivering the results our clients are striving for.”

Overview

Professional experience

Education

Overview

Laurens specialises in banking and finance law, with a focus on restructuring and project finance, including PPP projects. He has worked for clients on a range of domestic and international finance transactions, including syndicated lending, project finance, real estate finance, debt restructurings and insolvency matters. 

Work highlights

Laurens has advised and represented clients in a broad range of industries. His recent experience includes:

  • European Investment Bank (EIB) on the project financing of the SeaMade EUR 1.3bn offshore wind project in the North Sea in Belgium
  • Invesis as sponsors with regard to the Brabo 2 tramway project in the City of Antwerp
  • Virya on the sale of Parkwind to Jera
  • Jan De Nul on the structuring and financing of the development of Payra Port in Bangladesh
  • Engie Electrabel on the project financings of various on-shore wind farms (Wind4Flanders and Wind4Wallonia)
  • New Look on the reorganisation of its retail business
  • The lenders on the reorganisation of Greenyard
  • Stellantis on the structuring of the JV arrangements with Punch Powertrain in relation to the DT2/eDCT technology.
 

Professional experience

Laurens joined the Linklaters Brussels Corporate and Finance Group in 2013. He was promoted to Managing Associate in May 2019 (and to counsel in May 2024)

In 2017, he was seconded to the Linklaters Restructuring & Insolvency Group in London.

Education

Laurens studied law at the University of Leuven, holds a master’s in law from the University of Leuven and Duke University, an LL.M in Tax Law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and a Master of Science (MSc) in Law and Finance from the University of Oxford. 

He speaks Dutch, English, French and German.