Athos Lawyers, legal advice for public authorities in Brussels

Stijn Butenaerts

Managing Partner

• Public and administrative law
• Public procurement
• Energy and nuclear law
• Civil law

Stijn Butenaerts (°1971) graduated with distinction in 1994 with a Master's degree in Law from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, as well as an advanced Master's degree in Tax Law. He has been registered on the roll of the Brussels Bar since 1995 and in 1998 founded the law firm ATHOS ADVOCATEN.

Stijn is responsible for the management of the firm. He also assists clients in complex and strategic matters. He coordinates and directs the team and is the first point of contact for clients. He also oversees the quality of the service and the commitment and dedication shown to clients.

He works and communicates fluently in Dutch, French and English.

Laure Vander Donckt

• Public and administrative law
• Public procurement and public law contracts
• Environmental law
• Civil law

Laure Vander Donckt obtained her Master's degree in Law, specialising in Public Law, from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2024. She also pursued studies in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy at the same university. She has been a member of the Brussels Bar since 2024.

Laure began her legal career at Portico Advocaten, where she gained experience as a student and trainee lawyer. She also completed internships at GD&A Advocaten and gained experience at FedNot. In May 2026, she joined Athos Advocaten as an associate lawyer.

Her practice focuses primarily on public and administrative law, public procurement and public law contracts, environmental law, and civil law. Laure approaches legal matters with a structured and practical mindset, aiming to provide clear and effective legal guidance tailored to each client's specific needs.

Laure works professionally in Dutch, French and English.

Andy Hoedenaeken

• Public and administrative law
• Public procurement
• Company and commercial law
• Civil law

Andy Hoedenaeken (°1986) graduated with distinction in 2009 with a Master's degree in Law from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He has been registered on the roll of the Bar since 2011. After an initial experience at an international law firm in Brussels, he joined ATHOS in 2012. Within ATHOS, Andy specialises in public and administrative law, with particular expertise in public procurement, PPP structures, concessions, disciplinary law and environmental law.

He regularly appears before administrative courts, including the Council of State, as well as before the ordinary courts. Thanks to his sharp analytical skills and thorough knowledge of his files, he translates complex legal questions into clear and practical solutions.

Andy also regularly acts as in-house counsel for various national institutions and organisations and is an accredited collaborative lawyer. He is also active as an author and speaker, regularly sharing his expertise through lectures.

He works and communicates fluently in Dutch, French and English.

Simon Lefebvre

• Public and administrative law
• Public procurement and public law contracts
• Energy and nuclear law
• GDPR (privacy law)

Simon Lefebvre obtained his Master's degree in Law from UCL in 2019, followed by a Master's degree in Philosophy from the Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier in 2021.

In 2020 he joined the Brussels Bar and became part of ATHOS.

Within ATHOS, Simon is responsible for the handling of French-language files. He mainly deals with matters of administrative law, public procurement and civil law.

Simon works and communicates fluently in French, Dutch and English.

Sarah Fiaccaprile

• Public and administrative law
• Public procurement law
• Civil and contract law

Sarah Fiaccaprile obtained a Master's degree in Law from the Université libre de Bruxelles, specialising in public law and international law. As part of her studies she took part in an Erasmus programme at the Università Roma Tre, where she further deepened her knowledge of European and comparative law.

Sarah has been a member of the Brussels Bar since April 2022. She advises and assists both public and private actors on matters of public and administrative law. Previously she gained experience through internships at the European Parliament and the Belgian Embassy in Rome.

In 2025, Sarah joined ATHOS, where she continues to build her expertise in public and administrative law. Thanks to her thorough education and analytical mindset, she handles files with precision and attention to detail, always aiming for legally sound and workable solutions.

Sarah works and communicates fluently in French, English and Italian.

Oona Fransen

• Public and administrative law
• Civil and contract law
• Company and commercial law
• Debt collection

Oona Fransen (°1996) obtained her Master's degree in Law, specialising in public law, from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2022. She joined ATHOS in February 2023, where she also completed her traineeship at the Bar.

Within the firm, Oona specialises in public and administrative law, education law, tenancy law and contract law. She also has experience in criminal law, company law and debt collection.

Oona stands out for her strong communication skills and her careful, structured approach to files. She guides clients in a professional and clear manner, with particular attention to detail and quality.

Oona works and communicates fluently in Dutch, French and English.

Anissa Batik

• Public and administrative law
• Spatial planning, environment and area development
• Public procurement

Anissa Batik (°1998) obtained her Bachelor's degree in Law from the Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles and her Master's degree in Law, specialising in public and international law, from the Université libre de Bruxelles. She then completed an advanced Master's degree in European Law at the Institut d'Études Européennes in Brussels. She is a member of the Brussels Bar and joined ATHOS in 2025.

Within the firm, Anissa specialises in public law, with particular expertise in administrative law, public procurement, constitutional law, immigration law, and civil and commercial law. She regularly appears before the Council of State and the ordinary courts. Her approach is characterised by legal rigour and a pragmatic mindset, which allows her to handle complex files in an accessible and effective manner.

Anissa is also a guest lecturer at EPHEC Haute École, where she teaches administrative law in the public sector programme. Since 2026 she has also worked as a legal expert for BX1. She is also a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Commission of the Brussels Bar.

Anissa works and communicates fluently in French and Dutch and has a good knowledge of English.

Marie De Meuter

• Public and administrative law
• Public procurement
• Civil law
• Debt collection

Marie De Meuter (°2000) obtained her Master's degree in Law, specialising in International and European Law, in 2024.

At the same university she then obtained, with distinction in 2025, an advanced Master's degree in International and European Law as well as a Master's degree in Public Law. She has been registered with the Dutch-language Brussels Bar since October 2025, after which she began her traineeship at Athos.

Within the firm, Marie is mainly active in public and administrative law and also assists clients with the recovery of unpaid invoices.

She works and communicates fluently in Dutch, French and English.

Farah Batik

• Civil and contract law
• Real estate law
• Company and commercial law
• Social law

Farah Batik obtained her Master's degree in Law from the Université libre de Bruxelles in 2024, with distinction. In 2025 she completed an advanced Master's degree in Notarial Law at the same university, also with distinction.

She joined ATHOS in October 2025 and has been a member of the Bar since November 2025.

Within the firm, Farah is mainly active in civil law. Her work includes contract law, non-contractual liability, insurance law, family law, commercial law and tenancy law. She assists her clients with care and dedication and strives for clear, structured and tailor-made legal solutions.

Farah works in French and communicates fluently in English.