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Isabelle De Smedt appointment to strengthen Dentons’ Belgium practice
Dentons has appointed Isabelle De Smedt as a new partner, adding two decades of compliance and investigations experience to its Brussels offices.
After obtaining her master’s in law degree and becoming a member of the Brussels Bar in 2008, Isabelle De Smedt started her career as a corporate M&A lawyer at DLA Piper. This early experience has continued to inform her approach when advising multinational companies on cross-border internal investigations and risk assessments, anti-corruption frameworks (such as the FCPA and UK Bribery Act), and navigating the evolving EU and international sanctions landscape.
Dentons Belgium co-managing partner Tom Geudens explains that Isabelle’s arrival is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to grow its Brussels office and strengthen capabilities in key practice areas. “Her background in M&A will create natural synergies with our transactional practices.”
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Isabelle joined the Dentons office in Brussels on 13 July 2026, bringing the local litigation and disputes resolution team up to 10 members out of the 1,300 lawyers that make up the whole division. “I look forward to working with colleagues across the globe to help clients navigate increasingly complex cross-border investigations and regulatory challenges,” she says, adding that Denton’s global reach and seamless collaboration across offices worldwide were key factors in her decision to join the firm. “Whether the issues involve corruption, sanctions, export controls or other regulatory risks, clients require coordinated advice across multiple jurisdictions.”
Prior to joining Dentons, Isabelle was a partner at K&L Gates, a position she’s also held previously (in 2017), after serving as an associate at the law firm for six years. She has also been a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP and at Alston & Bird.
“Isabelle’s arrival reinforces our litigation and dispute resolution practice in Belgium, as well as our pan-European white collar, compliance and investigations capabilities,” says Dentons Belgium co-managing partner Edward Borovikov. “Her deep expertise will enhance our ability to support clients in navigating increasingly complex regulatory environments.”
