Europe

White Collar Crime Law Firm of the Year Belgium

Firm Profile

AFSCHRIFT Law Firm is specialized in domestic and international tax law and law relating to white collar crime. AFSCHRIFT law firm has been established in Brussels since 1994 and over the years, has expanded its presence and activity in Antwerp, Geneva, Luxembourg, Madrid and Tel Aviv.

The firm advises all taxpayer, natural or legal persons, in order to organize at the best their personal, real property or professional patrimony. As a specialist, it helps its clients in performing transactions including by setting up international financial packages that minimize tax costs while remaining legally compliant. The firm gives preventive and rigorous advice in relation to the decisions and behavior clients plan to adopt, so as to

avoid the application of fiscal and criminal laws.

Furthermore, AFSCHRIFT Law Firm defends all taxpayers in all disputes concerning all taxes matters. The firm defends taxpayers undergoing criminal prosecution in tax and all other financial cases, both during the preliminary investigation stage and before the courts. When clients are involved in criminal proceedings, the firm assists them assertively and effectively, notably to assure respect for their fundamental rights.

The firm chose deliberately the “boutique” status as it dedicates its entire activity to the sphere of Tax Law and Financial Criminal Law. This situation allows the firm to gather real specialist lawyers. This grants also the firm a large independence.

Notable legal work

In 2011, AFSCHRIFT participated in major litigation disputes on tax or white collar crime matters.

The firm defended, with success, before civil and criminal courts, individuals and companies concerned by the Cash companies cases, principally by invoking the principle of legal reality and the concept of financial assistance. The courts considered that buying or selling a cash company is not considered as a tax fraud. The firm won an important case on this matter for a well-known foreign bank, notably on the ground of the statute of limitations.

The Firm has defended, with success, before civil and criminal courts clients of important

Areas of Expertise • National and international tax law • White collar crime law

foreign banks. Those cases led the Firm to lodge an appeal in front of the State Council: The tax authorities denied any right to access and consult the files because of the criminal elements in them. Due to the firm assertive position, tax authorities finally gave up their position and acceded to the request of our clients.

AFSCHRIFT advised -and continues to advise - the great majority of taxpayers who hold assets abroad, following the investigations of the tax administration on the basis of listings provided by foreign banks legally, or otherwise.

AFSCHRIFT often appears as a “pioneer” in respect to the developed argumentation.

Contact:

AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM Avenue Louise, 208 B-1050 Brussels Tel : +32 (0)2.646.46.36 Fax: +32 (0)2.644.38.00 Email : avocats@afschrift.com Website : www.afschrift.com

Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards 2012 Thierry Afschrift

Thierry Afschrift is the founder and the managing partner of Afschrift Law Firm. He is admitted to the Brussels Bar, the Geneva Bar, to the Bar of Luxembourg and to the Bar of Antwerp.

Thierry believes that being a tax lawyer is not a job like others: tax lawyers defend the rights of individuals and companies against the state, against power. fighting against the state pre-supposes some strength, determination and independence,

With more than 30 years experience in domestic and international tax law and white-collar crime law, Thierry leads the firm’s practice and advises a significant number of major companies and banks, in reorganizations, tax planning and tax litigation. He advises and helps companies and individuals achieve the very best of their own tax situations, while remaining legally compliant and always in the most ethical possible ways. He also defends taxpayers undergoing criminal prosecution in tax and all other financial cases.

He is the founder and the chairman of the Tax Management School at the Solvay Business School of the Univserité Libre de Bruxelles. Thierry is also deputy judge at the Court of Appeal in Brussels.

Thierry regularly contributes to various seminars and conferences, making use of the five different languages he speaks. He has also authored some 75 publications on domestic and international tax matters.

He is listed in the World Finance 100. 21