Chris Van Olmen

Chris Van Olmen is co-founder of the law firm Van Olmen & Wynant and head of the employment law practice. He is also co-founder and managing partner of L&E Global, an integrated alliance of premier employment law boutique firms.

Chris covers all aspects of employment and industrial relations, including employment-related issues connected to reorganisation and restructuring processes, collective dismissals and closures and individual and collective employment disputes, including litigation for the Belgian Labour Courts. His clients include national and international companies and top executives.

Chris is a reguar speaker or moderator at national and international seminars and conferences. His recent publications include: "International Labour and Employment Compliance Handbook" (Wolters Kluwer 2024);  the Belgian Chapter in "Employment Law Review” (Law Business Research 2023);  “The On Demand Economy”, Report of the IBA Global Employment Institute, 2019;  "Le lien de subordination à l’épreuve de l’ubérisation de l’économie ?", Wolters Kluwer / Chr. D.S. – Soc. Kron., 2016, 07.

Chris is listed as a leading individual in The Legal 500 (2024), in Chambers Europe (2024) and named as "Employment Lawyer of the Year, Belgium" in Best Lawyers (2023). The Legal 500 includes Chris in its “Hall of Fame” (2024). Lexology Index mentions Chris as one of the only two "Global Elite Thought Leaders" of Belgium for Labour & Employment (2024).

Since 1999 he has been lecturing on social law in the traineeship programme organised by the Brussels Bar. He also served as a member of the Brussels Bar Council and is Board Member of the “Association for Social Law”.

Chris Van Olmen is past Chair of the Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee and past Chair of the Global Employment Institute of the IBA (International Bar Association). He currently is a member of the Advisory Board of the IBA GEI. 

Chris is also a member of EELA (European Employment Lawyers Association) and of the American Bar Association (Labour and Employment Law Section).

Recent publications:

• VAN OLMEN, C., “Labour and Employment Compliance in Belgium” in DEL REY, S. en MIGNIN, R. (eds.), International Labour and Employment Compliance Handbook, Wolters Kluwer, 2024.

• VAN OLMEN, C., "Employment & labour law in Belgium”, Lexology Panoramic, www.lexology.com, 2024.

• VAN OLMEN, C., “Belgisch hoofdstuk” in COLLINS, C. (ed.), The Employment Law Review, Law Business Research, 2023, 101-117.

• VAN OLMEN, C. en WAGGOTT, G. (eds.), The On-demand Economy, International Bar Association Global Employment Institute, 2019, 84 p.

• VAN OLMEN, C. en SIMON, N., « Le lien de subordination à l’épreuve de l’ubérisation de l’économie ? », Chr. D.S. 2016/7, p. 273 et s. 

• VAN OLMEN, C. en DEVLOO, K., “De Uberisatie van het Belgisch arbeidsrecht” in Jaarboek Dag van de Bedrijfsjurist 2016, Brussel, Bruylant, 2016, p. 119 - 152.