Schoenaerts & Partners are experienced receivers and trustees in bankruptcy. We have a broad advisory practice in the field of restructuring and reorganizing companies in financial distress. With our team, we assist companies, directors, creditors, financiers, and other stakeholders in financially challenging times. As we are actively involved in the settlement of bankruptcies on a daily basis, we are fully aware of the issues that may arise in a (pre)bankruptcy situation.
Bruno Schoenaerts obtained his Master’s degree in Law from the University of Antwerp in 1977. His diploma mentions a specialization in commercial, economic and financial law.
In 1980, he started his own law firm and built a strong reputation as a lawyer-receiver, both nationally and internationally.
In 2001, he obtained a Master’s degree in Business Law with great distinction as primus inter pares at the University of Antwerp. He attended courses organized by the Commercial Court on accounticy and balance sheet analysis over a period of two years. He is one of the few lawyers who fully masters all aspects of accounting.
In addition, he followed a special training in company law and all its aspects, over a period of one year. Upon the introduction of the new company code, he followed this training again at the Tax High School in 2020.
Bruno Schoenaerts is regularly appointed by the commercial court as administrator of companies in difficulty, as legal representative in judicial reorganization procedures. He has already handled five hundred bankruptcies as a receiver.
He undergoes annual training in the field of insolvency law.
He is a regularly requested speaker and author in the field of insolvency law.
The law firm of Schoenaerts & Partners has the unique and special expertise in insolvency law, specifically the problems of companies in difficulty, judicial reorganization and bankruptcies. He acts both as a receiver and as a lawyer assisting his clients in all matters of insolvency law.
The interest and willingness to continuously learn and stay up-to-date is one of Bruno Schoenaerts’ many strengths. This allows him to assist his clients in a clear and correct manner, despite the constant evolution of the law.
With his specific knowledge of bankruptcy procedures, he has proven to be not only an efficient advisor, but also a skilled strategist.
In 1995, Bruno Schoenaerts published his book “The Belgian justice system: a Kafkaesque nightmare“. He provided a razor-sharp and unvarnished analysis of the judicial situation in Belgium, even before the Dutroux affair. Meanwhile, the book is decades old, but the predictions that Mr. Schoenaerts presented in it are still seen today as building blocks of the transformation of the Belgian justice system into a well-functioning and democratic institution.
Contact Mr. Bruno Schoenaerts for an appointment.
Alain Van den Cloot is an experienced lawyer/receiver skilled in business and economic law, with expertise in corporate and social legal aspects. He specializes in guiding businesses from their constitution, negotiating and drafting contracts, resolving disputes between partners, conducting legal proceedings, guiding troubled companies through liquidation and dissolution. He is a legally strong professional with a postgraduate degree in International Business Law from Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London.
With over 25 years of legal experience, Alain Van den Cloot is a critical and decisive lawyer and receiver (since 1996) specializing in commercial and economic law with corporate and social legal aspects and extensive experience in bankruptcies and liquidations. Alain Van den Cloot provides companies with full service in this regard. He is customer-oriented, strong in negotiation, and focused on achieving results. He attaches great importance to discretion and efficiency.
As receiver of more than 400 bankruptcies and liquidator of numerous companies, he has gained extensive “in-house” experience in the continuation and transfer of activities. He is perfectly trilingual (NL, FR, EN), which is an absolute asset in an increasingly international economy.
Annual update courses and seminars
Bar Association
Antwerp Management School
University of Antwerp
Queen Mary & Westfield-College, London University, UK
University of Antwerp (NL)
FUNDP Namur (FR)
Secretary of VZW Pro Mandato (association of receivers)
Member of VZW ARGO (collaborative organization between actors in the maritime world)
Contact Mr. Alain Van den Cloot to make an appointment.