Linda A. Thompson

Linda A. Thompson is the Brussels-based correspondent for Law.com International. She writes about legal and regulatory issues related to the EU and the European Commission, as well as about lawyers and legal issues in Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. Her coverage includes the business of law at global and domestic law firms and in-house legal departments. and the impact of regulatory decisions on law firms and global companies. She can be reached at [email protected].

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June 13, 2023 | International Edition

Wilson Sonsini Hires Baker McKenzie Partner and Former Regulator in Brussels

The Silicon Valley-headquartered firm already has one of the largest data and cybersecurity practices in Brussels.

By Linda A. Thompson

4 minute read

May 22, 2023 | International Edition

Meta Slapped With Record €1.2B GDPR Fine, Ordered to Stop Data Transfers to US From EU

The ruling contains the largest data privacy fine to be issued in the European Union since the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, came into force in 2018 and follows more than a decade of court standoffs.

By Linda A. Thompson

4 minute read

May 08, 2023 | International Edition

Criminalizing Ecocide: Violators of Environmental Laws in the EU Could Face Steep Fines and Prison Time

The executive body that sets rules for EU member countries is seeking to stiffen laws to deter environmental offenses. A separate movement calls for the addition of ecocide to the core crimes of international law heard at the International Criminal Court in the Hague—crimes that include genocide, war crimes, the crime of aggression and crimes against humanity.

By Linda A. Thompson

6 minute read

March 06, 2023 | International Edition

Crossing the Line? How Law Firms 'Lobby' EU Institutions in the Shadows

Investigation: Law.com International spoke to a wide range of professionals to shed light on the disputed definitions of what constitutes lobbying and how many experts believe law firms are influencing things in secret.

By Linda A. Thompson

13 minute read

March 06, 2023 | International Edition

Baker McKenzie Belgium Head Leaves Firm Following Racism Probe

The firm said a new management team will lead the firm's two Belgian offices.

By Linda A. Thompson

2 minute read

March 05, 2023 | International Edition

Government and Public Affairs Practices Are Booming in Brussels. Here's Why.

The need to offer legal services and government affairs under one roof has increased significantly as the European Commission ramps up its regulation of tech companies, foreign direct investment, and ESG, lawyers say.

By Linda A. Thompson

7 minute read

March 01, 2023 | International Edition

'Revolvers': The Growing Controversy Around Top EU Officials Switching to Big Law

Nearly 20% of competition lawyers at Brussels law firms have at one point served in EU institutions.

By Linda A. Thompson

8 minute read

February 22, 2023 | International Edition

'Where They Spend Their Weekends Is Irrelevant': The Rise of the Dual-Based Lawyer in Brussels

Many of the offices that U.S. firms recently established in the European capital are staffed and sometimes led by lawyers who are based in another city in addition to Brussels.

By Linda A. Thompson

6 minute read