Hakim focuses on civil and corporate litigation (class actions, shareholders’ disputes, post-acquisition claims, ...), international arbitration (including proceedings related to arbitration: enforcement of arbitral awards, setting aside, interim measures, ...) and asset recovery. Hakim is one of the most renowned specialists of collective redress. He also frequently acts as counsel or arbitrator in international arbitration matters.

Hakim’s recent activities include:

• Defending Meta Platforms, Ryanair and Porsche in class action proceedings;
• Defending a major European Retail Alliance based in Brussels against the French Ministry of Economy;
• Defending AstraZeneca against the claim of the Commission and the Member States in relation with COVID-19 vaccine supply;
• Chairing ICC panel in a dispute between partners in a consortium for a construction project in Africa.

Sectors & Markets
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Memberships

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Brussels Bar (Ordre Français des Avocats), 1996
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Board of CEPANI (Belgian institute for arbitration)
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ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR
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International Arbitration Institute (IAI)
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IBA – Officer Class Action Committee
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Qualifications

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Doctor of Laws, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), 2007
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Master of Laws, Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), 1996
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Publications

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Boularbah, H., Mallien, A. (2022), “The Impact of Default on Post-Arbitration Proceedings” in De Meulemeester, D., Default in international arbitration - Striking the balance, CEPANI, Wolters Kluwer Belgium, Mechelen, 2022, 127-153.
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Boularbah, H., Van der Haegen, O., Mallien, A. (2022). Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards 2022, Global Arbitration Review, GAR Insight.
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Boularbah, H., Berger I. (2022), Belgium chapter: Litigation funding, Getting the deal through, Lexology.
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Boularbah, H., Van den Bossche, M.-C. (2021). Recent developments in case law and legislation in Belgium, Mass Claim Journal, Den Hollander.
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Boularbah, H., Van den Bossche, M.-C. (2021). The Class Action Law Review, The Law Reviews, Law Business Research Ltd, Camilla Sanger (5th ed.).
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Boularbah, H., Biemar, B., de Level, G., et. al. (2021). Droit judiciaire. Tome 2. Procédure civile. Volume 1. Principes directeurs du procès civil, Collection de la Faculté de Droit de L’Université de Liège, Larcier (2nd ed.).

What others say

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"He is a very direct person who goes to the point of the matter."
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2024)
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"Hakim Boularbah is a very good lawyer with a strong vision of his files and his clients' needs."
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2024)
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Hakim Boularbah is renowned for his expertise representing clients in a range of standout international litigation cases relating to shareholder disputes and risk management. He has additional expertise assisting clients with M&A-related arbitration and set-aside proceedings relating to arbitral awards.
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2024)
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Hakim Boularbah is ranked Band 1 for Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2024)
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Hakim Boularbah is ranked as Band 3 in Dispute Resolution: Arbitration
Chambers & Partners - Global (2024)
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Hakim Boularbah is ranked as Chambers & Partners is ranked as Dispute Resolution: Litigation in Individual in Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Chambers & Partners - Global (2024)
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Hakim Boularbah is recognised as Recommended in Asset Recovery
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah is recognised as Recommended in Abritration
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah is recognised as Thought Leader in GIR - Asset Recovery
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah is recognised as Thought Leader in Commercial Litigation
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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“Mr Boularbah is an excellent and tough opponent”
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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“He possesses very sound judgement in complex matters”
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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“Hakim has a brilliant mind”
Who's Who Legal - (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah named "Leading individual" in Dispute resolution
Legal 500 - EMEA (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah named "Key lawyer" in Industry focus: Healthcare and Life Sciences
Legal 500 - EMEA (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah is Band 1 ranked for Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Chambers & Partners - Global (2023)
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‘Hakim has also built a very strong team of associates that speak up and contribute.’
Legal 500 - EMEA (2023)
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‘Hakim Boularbah: A strategic thinker that sees the whole field. He appreciates the business goals and develops legal strategies to match those goals. Hakim was always available for our last minute questions and provided us with real feedback on the strengths and weakness of our positions. He put together strong legal briefs and delivered winning oral arguments. Our team trusted Hakim in record time and felt comfortable litigating in the Belgium system.’
Legal 500 - EMEA (2023)
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"Hakim Boularbah is very sharp, focuses on the important issues and is efficient."
Chambers & Partners - Global (2023)
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Hakim Boularbah is recognised as Recommended in Commercial Litigation
Who's Who Legal - (2022)
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Ranked Band 1. Clients say that "not only is he clever and efficient, but he has the ability to make complex things simple, which is a great gift."
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2022)
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Hakim Boularbah named "Leading individual" in Dispute resolution
Legal 500 - EMEA (2022)
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Hakim Boularbah is looked upon with enormous favour by peers who single him out as “a specialist in cross-border litigation”.
Who's Who Legal (2021)
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Ranked as Thought leader
Who's Who Legal (2021)
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Peers and clients say: "He is a court procedures specialist", "He has superb advocacy skills and great knowledge", "One of the best practitioners in Brussels", "He is brilliant"
Who's Who Legal (2021)
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Ranked as Global Leader
Who's Who Legal (2021)
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Hakim Boularbah is an absolute outstanding contention specialist, whose precision and quality of legal analysis and approaches of recommendation makes him immensely valuable as leader of our contention defense team. His proximity to the client, ability to understand business reality while still figuring out the decisive legal matters to defend client rights are second-to-none. His ability to work as team player and team leader among several high-profile legal counsels are also greatly valuable in a complex legal set-up
Legal 500 - EMEA (2021)
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Hakim Boularbah named "Leading individual" in Dispute resolution
Legal 500 - EMEA (2021)
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One client enthuses that Boularbah is "the best lawyer I've ever met," adding: "He is fully reliable - when he gives you an opinion, you can be sure this is a bulletproof opinion." Another source notes that Boularbah is "absolutely excellent at dispute resolution."
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2021)
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Hakim Boularbah is Band 1 ranked for Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Chambers & Partners - Europe (2021)
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Hakim Boularbah

Partner - Attorney at Law

hakim.boularbah@loyensloeff.com

Brussels

French, English, Dutch

Person image

<p>Hakim Boularbah, attorney at law, is Partner and heads the Litigation & Risk Management practice group in our Brussels office. He focuses on cross-border litigation and international arbitration. He is also a member of the France Region Team and of the US Region Team.</p>

Hakim focuses on civil and corporate litigation (class actions, shareholders’ disputes, post-acquisition claims, ...), international arbitration (including proceedings related to arbitration: enforcement of arbitral awards, setting aside, interim measures, ...) and asset recovery. Hakim is one of the most renowned specialists of collective redress. He also frequently acts as counsel or arbitrator in international arbitration matters.

Hakim’s recent activities include:

• Defending Meta Platforms, Ryanair and Porsche in class action proceedings;
• Defending a major European Retail Alliance based in Brussels against the French Ministry of Economy;
• Defending AstraZeneca against the claim of the Commission and the Member States in relation with COVID-19 vaccine supply;
• Chairing ICC panel in a dispute between partners in a consortium for a construction project in Africa.