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  • French
  • Dutch
  • English
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Bruno advises both domestic and foreign clients on all aspects of property transactions, including deal structuring, due diligence, drafting and negotiating sale and purchase of properties and real estate companies, joint venture development and credit facility documentation. 

He also has extensive experience with cross-border deals and is able to coordinate and monitor transactions involving several jurisdictions. 

Bruno joined the Belgian Bar in 1989. He started his career at a major Belgian law firm in the Corporate & Finance practice group where he participated in various transactions. He then joined the Belgian law firm that ultimately became the Belgian member of CMS where he gradually specialized in Corporate Real Estate.  

He holds a law degree from the University of Louvain and an LL.M. in Comparative Law Studies from Georgetown University Law Center. 

He is fluent in French, Dutch and English. 

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Bruno's ability to turn the most sophisticated transactions into smooth cases is quite impressive."
    Feedback from a client – Chambers Europe, 2025
  • Quote
    "Bruno is a nice guy, a good lawyer and always remains very, very calm."
    Feedback from a client – Chambers Europe, 2025
  • Quote
    "Bruno Duquesne provides excellent advice."
    Real Estate client, Chambers Europe, 2024
  • Quote
    "We are big fans of Bruno Duquesne."
    Real Estate client, Chambers Europe, 2024
  • Quote
    "Bruno Duquesne is always a pleasure to work with."
    Chambers Europe, 2023
  • Quote
    "The two partners involved in the deal, Benoit Vandervelde and Bruno Duquesne, did well in summarizing main issues without getting lost in details that are not that important for banks. Despite us being new in the deal, they gave the same attention and weight to our concerns as the remaining incumbent lender, which is not evident, and put time pressure on client and his counsel at the correct moments. I had the feeling they did everything they could to represent us well and maximized their attention on the file"
    Feedback from a client - Legal 500, 2023
  • Quote
    "helpful and reliable"
    Feedback from a client - Chambers Europe, 2022
  • Quote
    "Bruno Duquesne is impressive and consistently delivers high-quality commercial advice."
    Feedback from a client - Chambers Europe, 2022

Relevant experience

  • Acting on behalf of a US investment fund on the acquisition of several office buildings in Brussels
  • Acting on behalf of German and French hotel investment funds on the acquisition of three hotels in and outside Brussels
  • Regularly acting for various domestic and foreign financial institutions in their lending operations in Belgium relating to acquisition of real estate
  • Acting for several French real estate groups in their plans for developing shopping centres in Belgium

Publications

  • B. DUQUESNE, « Le crédit syndiqué » in RPDB, Droit bancaire et financier, 2022
    B. DUQUESNE & L. DE CRANE, « La scission de société et les conventions d’occupation » , in JurimPratique, 2021/1-2, 273-288.  
  • B. DUQUESNE, « Le bail commercial de courte durée arrive enfin à Bruxelles », in L’Echo, 15/05/2019.  
  • B. DUQUESNE, « Quel bilan 5 ans après la régionalisation des baux ? », in L’Echo, 18/04/2019.  
  • B. DUQUESNE, « Property finance: what the coming year? », in Belgian Real Estate Showcase, 2011 
  • B. DUQUESNE, « Belgian Real Estate Certificates: rediscovering an ancestor », in Belgian Real Estate Showcase, 2010 
  • B. DUQUESNE, « Le club deal, comme soupape à la crise ? », in L’Echo, 20/05/2010. 

Education

  • 1989 - Bar admission (Brussels, Belgium)  
  • 1987 - Georgetown University Law Centre - USA (LL.M.) 
  • 1986 - University of Louvain, UCLouvain - Belgium (Law Degree) 

Insights by Bruno

CMS at Expo Real, Munich

06 Oct 2025

CMS at MIPIM Cannes

11 Mar 2025

Belgian supreme court rules in favour of tenant over hotel in COVID-19 case

17 Oct 2024 4 min read

CMS advised Sohoma International on its acquisition of hotel Navarra in Bruges

24 Jul 2024 1 min read
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