Legal Status:
Bristows LLP is a firm of solicitors and operates as a limited liability partnership governed by English law (Registered Number OC358808). All references to Bristows on this website are references to Bristows LLP.
In Brussels we practise through Bristows LLP, in the form of an SRA registered branch (SRA branch number: 658820).
Regulator:
Bristows LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number 591711)
Brussels partners are solicitors of England and Wales, regulated by the SRA. They are also either admitted within Belgium to practise as members of either the Brussels Bar List A (Belgian lawyers), List E (EU lawyers) or List B (non-EU lawyers) and are registered with the Flemish Bar, the Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten te Brussel ("NOAB").
Copies of the Order of Flemish Bars (Orde Van Vlaamse Balies) and NOAB’s rules of professional conduct are available on NOAB's website.
VAT Number:
Bristows LLP's VAT Number is GB 243 2048 94
Our Belgian VAT Number is BE 0695 6140 21
Professional Liability Insurance:
Bristows LLP has worldwide professional liability insurance. Our primary insurer is QBE Insurance Europe Limited, Plantation House, 30 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BD, United Kingdom.
All lawyers registered with NOAB are additionally covered by professional indemnity insurance provided by NOAB.
Insurance Distribution Activities:
Bristows LLP is an ancillary insurance intermediary but is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Bristows LLP is included on the register maintained by the Financial Conduct Authority so that Bristows LLP can carry on insurance distribution activity, which is broadly the advising on, selling and administration of insurance contracts. The Solicitors Regulation Authority regulates this part of Bristows LLP’s business, including arrangements for complaints or redress if something goes wrong. The register can be accessed via the Financial Conduct Authority website at www.fca.org.uk/register.
Third Party Accounts:
The Brussels office does not as a matter of course hold money on behalf of clients. In the event that any client were to ask that money be held on their behalf, this would be held in a client account with the firm’s bankers in London. Interest would be paid on that money in accordance with the London Office’s policy, as set out here.
Price Transparency Rules:
In December 2018, the Solicitors Regulation Authority introduced new Transparency Rules. These rules require law firms regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to publish on their websites their fees for carrying out certain categories of work which they advertise or promote. We do not advertise or promote our capacity to carry out any of the categories of work covered by the rules. Accordingly, we do not publish our fees for those categories of work.
Bristows' Slavery and Human Trafficking Statements:
Bristows' Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement for year ending 30 April 2018
Bristows’ Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement for year ending 30 April 2017
Bristows’ Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement for year ending 30 April 2016