Catherine Erkelens

Catherine Erkelens is the lawyer behind Erkelens Law, a Brussels-based boutique that concentrates on aviation together with technology and data protection. Working from offices on Rue des Chevaliers in the Belgian capital, the firm advises clients across the aviation sector on the commercial and regulatory questions that define one of the most complex and closely regulated industries in the world. That focused, sector-led approach is reflected in the firm's recognition as Aviation Law Firm of the Year in Belgium at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026.

A Brussels aviation boutique

Erkelens Law is a specialist practice rather than a general commercial firm, and its identity is built around deep knowledge of the aviation industry. Its position in Brussels is strategically significant: the city is a centre of European regulatory activity, and aviation is a sector where European rules on safety, competition, consumer protection and market access bear directly on how airlines and their partners operate. A boutique rooted in Brussels and led by Catherine Erkelens is well placed to help aviation clients navigate both Belgian law and the wider European framework that shapes their business.

Serving the full aviation value chain

What sets Erkelens Law apart is the breadth of aviation clients it serves along the industry's value chain. The firm advises airlines and airline associations, groundhandling providers, airport operators, aircraft maintenance services, leasing companies, manufacturers and aviation authorities. This wide client base reflects an understanding that aviation is an interconnected ecosystem, in which the interests of carriers, airports, service providers, lessors and regulators constantly intersect. Advising across these different types of stakeholder gives the firm a rounded perspective on the commercial and regulatory pressures each faces.

The services Erkelens Law provides are tailored to the sector's specific needs and include:

• Commercial and regulatory advice shaped to the aviation industry
• Contract negotiation, drafting and review
• Litigation and dispute representation
• Representation before authorities
• Advice on online advertising and sales, including consumer protection matters

This blend of commercial, regulatory and contentious capability means clients can turn to the firm both for day-to-day contractual and compliance support and for representation when disputes arise or when they must engage with regulators and authorities. In aviation, where regulatory approval and authority relationships can be as important as the underlying commercial deal, the ability to combine these strengths is a real asset.

Technology, data protection and consumer matters

Alongside its aviation practice, Erkelens Law works in technology and data protection, advising on data protection compliance, e-commerce and new technologies. This is a natural complement to modern aviation work: airlines, airports and travel businesses handle large volumes of passenger data and increasingly sell and market their services online, which brings data protection and consumer-protection obligations to the fore. The firm's advice on online advertising and sales, including consumer protection, sits at exactly this junction of commercial ambition and regulatory duty, helping clients pursue digital and e-commerce strategies while staying compliant.

By keeping its focus narrow and its expertise deep, Erkelens Law offers aviation and technology clients a genuinely specialist alternative to larger, more generalist firms. Clients dealing with the firm work directly with a practitioner immersed in their sector rather than being passed among unfamiliar teams, and they benefit from advice that is grounded in the practical realities of how the aviation industry operates.

For airlines, airports, lessors, manufacturers, service providers and aviation authorities seeking Belgian and European counsel, Catherine Erkelens and Erkelens Law provide focused, sector-specific support across the commercial, regulatory and contentious issues that shape the industry. The firm's recognition as Aviation Law Firm of the Year in Belgium at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 underlines its standing as a dedicated Brussels aviation boutique with the added strength of a modern technology and data protection practice.