Melissa Verplancke

Melissa is a versatile lawyer within the Brussels real estate practice and has developed a quite unique profile within the firm as well as in the legal market.

She has experience in real estate law, including transactional work, as well as in PPS projects. She also heads the public and environmental law practice where she has demonstrated strong expertise (including in public procurement matters), advising clients from various sectors.

Additionally, she has a focus on ESG regulations and possesses experience in the field of administrative court procedures.

Work highlights

Melissa has advised on a wide range of real estate matters. These include advising:

• INEOS on the Belgian aspects of its project for the development and operation of an ethane cracker and PDH installation in the Port of Antwerp.
• ENGIE Electrabel as sponsor counsel in relation to the project financing of six on-shore wind farms comprising of 13 wind turbines located in Flanders, developed as greenfield projects by ENGIE Electrabel, together with certain public authorities located in Flanders and Brussels.
• WestInvest Gesellschaft für Investmentfonds GmbH on the acquisition of all the shares in Silver Tower SA.
• PSA Automobiles SA on the €180m joint venture with Punch Powertrain, a Belgian supplier of fuel efficient powertrains and subsidiary of the Chinese Jinji group, for the development of future generation mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Moreover, she heads the public and environmental law practice and has advised clients in the framework of:

>refinancing of renewable energy project;

>permitting procedures and administrative court procedures;

>public procurement procedures;

>ESG regulatory framework;

>soil pollution and waste;

>EU packaging rules.

Melissa has been an Associate at Linklaters since 2014 and was promoted to Managing Associate in 2020.

Melissa holds a Master of Laws from the University of Ghent (magna cum laude).

She works in Dutch, English and French.