Introduction to Belgian Law, Second Edition

Introduction to Belgian Law, now in its second completely revised and upgraded edition, is the ideal overview of Belgian law for foreign lawyers. This book identifies the basic legal sources, institutions and concepts of Belgian law. It offers an up-to-date, state of the art systematic and critical rendition of the principal branches of the law as practised, and it provides the necessary historical background and theoretical framing.

What’s in this book:

The book consists of sixteen chapters, covering all major fields of Belgian law including:

• constitutional and administrative law;
• procedural law;
• criminal law;
• family law and trusts and estates;
• property, contracts and torts;
• commercial transactions and company law;
• labour and social security law;
• tax law; and
• conflicts of laws.

This book also offers in-depth studies of the general features of the Belgian legal system and legal culture.

Every contribution is written by a generally recognised expert in this particular field of law. The authors cover the legislation at the different levels, guiding the reader through the multi-layered governance in the complicated federal structure of Belgium within the European Union, and pay ample attention to the reality of legal practice in court cases. Each chapter concludes with a very useful bibliography of works in both official languages (French and Dutch). Where available, basic works in English are listed.

How this will help you:

Both a valuable handbook for practitioners and a comprehensive survey of Belgian law and legal institutions, this book – written for a diversified, primarily for non-Belgian readership – provides information and guidance to navigate through legal proceedings with a Belgian element. This book helps lawyers, scholars, business persons and government officials in facing and overcoming the challenges inherent in engaging with Belgium’s complex legal realities.

About the Authors:

Marc Kruithof is a law professor at Ghent University. He holds a PhD in Law, as well as Licentiates in Law and in Economics, from Ghent University, and a Master of Laws from Yale Law School.

Walter De Bondt is an emeritus professor at Ghent University and at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). He holds a PhD in Law as well as a Licentiate in Law from Ghent University, and a Master of Laws from UC Berkeley.