Audrey Despontin

Corporate and association law – Commercial law
Bankruptcy, restructuring and insolvency law
Banking and Finance Law
Tort/Liability Law
ADR and Third party binding decision

Audrey Despontin is member of the Brussels Bar since October 2009.

She obtained her law degree in 2008 from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. She then specialised at the same university, where she obtained, with great distinction, a DES in economic law.

Her practice focuses mainly on civil and commercial law, with a particular interest in banking and finance law and insolvency proceedings, for which the Brussels Bar has awarded her the title of specialist.

She deals also with various cases and actions for damages against the Belgian State (health measures to combat Covid-19, breach of the RGPD, backlog of court cases, etc.).

She has been a Capa lecturer and assistant lecturer at U.L.B. in insolvency law and is the author of several contributions in her preferred subjects. She is a collaborator at the private law centre of the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

She is also an accredited mediator in civil and commercial matters.

Audrey Despontin was Secretary of the Conférence du Jeune Barreau from 2017 to 2019 and is its Vice-President for 2023-2024.

She was awarded Second Prize in the “Mario Stasi” International Moot Court Competition organised by the Paris Bar in 2018.

Professional activities

  • Member of the Brussels Bar since 2009.
  • Judicial reorganisation appointed mandatary.
  • Vice-President of the Brussels Young Bar Conference, 2023 – 2024
  • Accredited mediator in civil and commercial matters.
  • Member of the Brussels Bar Communication Committee, 2019 – 2020.
  • Secretary of the Brussels Young Bar Conference and editor-in-chief of the Periodical, 2017 – 2019.

Academic positions

  • Scientific associate at the ULB private law centre
  • Capa Professor of Insolvency Law, 2020-2022
  • Assistant lecturer at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, in solvency law and guarantees, 2012-2019
  • Member of the Editorial Committee of the journal Droit du financement de l'économie.

Academic career

  • Complementary Master in Economic Law - Obtained with Great Distinction, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium (2008 - 2009).
  • Licence en droit - Obtained with distinction, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium (2005 - 2008).
  • Law degree, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium (2003 - 2005).
  • Director and then President of the Student Office of the ULB Faculty of Law, 2006 - 2009. Year delegate and member of the Faculty Council - Editor of the faculty newspaper, 2006 - 2009.

Career path

  • Collaboration within the law firm Buyle Legal association.
  • Trainee and associate at the law firm Dal & Veldekens, specialising in banking, commercial and insolvency law, 2009 - 2015.
  • Partner at the law firm Sybarius since 2021

Awards

  • Second prize in the "Mario Stasi" International Moot Court Competition organized by the Paris Bar in 2018.

Seminars and Conferences

  • 25 March 2023: Speech at the Notre Bon Droit conference on the subject of "Health measures to combat covid-19 and legal action: provisional assessment", alongside Me Lackner.
  • 3 February 2022: Participation in the Anthémis conference on compulsory vaccination, alongside Me Lackner.
  • 23 November 2021: contribution to a study day on credit organised by Abilways
  • 10 November 2021, speech at the annual colloquium of the association of notaries, on the subject of the notary's duty to advise on debt.
  • 25 November 2019: presentation of banking law news at the Marathon du droit organised by the Journal des tribunaux.
  • 4 October 2018: speaker at a seminar organised by Febelfin on the reform of pledges and its practical aspects.
  • 17 April 2018: speaker at an OBFG-accredited training lunchtime session on pledge reform
  • 26 November 2017: speaker at a seminar organised by the IFE on the reform of the insolvency regime.
  • Scientific coordination of the conference on La réforme du droit de l'insolvabilité et ses conséquences (sur les avocats): une (r) évolution? (scientific coordination), Larcier, 2017.
  • 26 February 2015: speaker at a seminar organised by the IFE on "Companies in difficulty - financial guarantees".

Publications

  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1er juillet - 31 décembre 2022 (première partie)", J.T., 2023/22, n° 6944 p. 357-366
  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1er janvier - 310juin 2022) (première partie)", J.T., 2022/41 pp. 821-832
  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1 July - 31 December 2021 (first part)), J.T., 2022/23, no. 6861, pp. 393-402
  • Buyle, J.-P. and Despontin, A., "Le serment, les normes déontologiques et le droit disciplinaire du banquier" in Liber Amicorum Xavier Dieux, 1st edition, Brussels, Larcier, 2022, p. 1051-1072.
  • "L'obligation vaccinale déguisée in La vaccination obligatoire contre la Covid 19 obligatoire en Belgique", Anthémis, 2022, in collaboration with Audrey Lackner
  • "La liberté d'entreprendre à l'épreuve du Covid-19 face à la crise sanitaire, in La pandemie de Covid 19 face au droit, Anthémis, 2022, in collaboration with Audrey Lackner.
  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1er juillet - 31 décembre 2020) (première partie)", J.T., 2021/23, no. 6861, pp. 421-430.
  • "La dette dans tous ses états ou le devoir de conseil du notaire dans les opérations d'endettement", Larcier, Association des licenciés et master en notariat, 2021
  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1er janvier - 30 juin 2021) (1re partie)", J.T., 2021/41, n° 6879, p. 877-885.
  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1 January - 30 June 2020) (First part), pp. 861-872.
  • "Chronique de législation en droit privé - (1 er juillet - 31 décembre 2019) (Première partie)", J.T., 2020/24, n° 6820, p. 481-488.
  • "Chronicle of private law legislation - (1 January - 30 June 2019) (Second part)", J.T., 2019/41, No. 6795, pp. 849-866
  • "Who will take the banker's oath?" in collaboration with Jean-Pierre Buyle, carte blanche published in L'Echo on 12/11/2019
  • "Le registre des gages celebrates its eighteenth month: 'registre, ouvre-toi!'", J.T., 2019/27, no. 6781, p. 543.
  • "Chronicle of legislation in private law - (1 July - 31 December 2018) (First part)", J.T., 2019/23, No. 6777, pp. 461-471 (collective work)
  • "La réforme du droit de l'insolvabilité et ses conséquences (sur les avocats): un (r)évolution?", Brussels, Éditions Larcier, 2017, pp. 9-12.
  • "Les sûretés réelles et les privilèges - Chronique de jurisprudence de 2007 à 2015", D.B.F.-B.F.R., 2016/4, p. 219-230
  • "Les exceptions à l'appel à la garantie bancaire à première demande", J.T., 2014/32, n° 6576, p. 618-621.
  • "Damage assessment, civil liability and insurance", J.T., 2014/29, no. 6573, p. 580.
  • "Le compte courant dans la vie des affaires - Aspects juridiques fiscaux et comptables", J.T., 2013/37, no. 6539, p. 731.
  • "L'accord des créanciers : une étape indispensable", with Me Vanessa de Francquen published in May 2012 in La Libre Belgique, a supplement devoted to the law on the continuity of companies.
  • Participation in the re-edition of the volume of the Traité élémentaire de Droit civil belge (H. De Page, Bruylant, 1972) devoted to the law of securities, edited by Michèle Grégoire.

Sybarius provides support for economic players (multinationals, SMEs, business owners and public entities), located in Belgium and abroad, at all stages of development of their activities.