About Pol Cools
Pol Cools is a Counsel at AKD in Brussels with 19 years of experience in transactional, advisory and contentious matters. His legal practice focuses on Belgian real estate, retail and distribution law.
In addition to sale and purchase transactions, Pol’s daily work involves assisting clients with starting up, expanding and restructuring their retail network (retail leases, franchising, etc.). Clients include Belgian and international companies (active in clothing, cosmetics, etc.) and public authorities that are looking for hands-on legal advice.
Pol's broad expertise around the negotiation table and before the courts allows him to provide solid, solution-led advice to his clients.
In the real estate area, Pol focuses on negotiating and drafting a diverse range of agreements e.g. transfers in full ownership, VAT leases, usufruct agreements, etc. Pol assists both sellers and buyers.
Pol's retail clients appreciate his experience as a negotiator and litigator for commercial, office and warehouse leases (including assignments, renewals and terminations) and distribution matters such as franchising and agency. Pol regularly represents companies before the Belgian Courts in the framework of the Belgian Retail Lease Act and in complex commercial matters.
The Legal 500 has, for years, recommended Pol for real estate and retail and refers to him as a ‘next generation lawyer’ (ed. 2019) and 'rising star' (ed. 2023).
Pol practices in English, French and Dutch (mother tongue).