Anke Istace

I am an associate in our Employment team in Brussels. I advise clients on a wide range of employment and social security law matters. I assist businesses with all legal aspects of the employment journey, from hiring to firing, in both individual and collective matters, focusing primarily on companies with international activities.

I am passionate about working in HR legal as it combines the best of both worlds: it is my task to tackle legal issues, but the human factor always plays a crucial role. I aim to find balanced, tailormade legal solutions that consider all interests at stake while ultimately assisting employers in setting up and implementing solid HR policies.

While I was admitted to the Brussels Bar in 2020, I discovered my passion for HR legal during my studies. After graduating from the University of Antwerp, I obtained an advanced master's in social law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. I also studied at the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Namur as part of two Erasmus programs. To gain insight into how theory translates to practice, I completed several internships in Brussels and Antwerp-based law firms.

In addition to my passion for social law, I have a specific interest in tax law. I participated in an intensive course on personal income tax at the Fiscale Hogeschool.

To stay up-to-date with employment law trends and exchange ideas with colleagues in the field, I am a member of Vereniging voor Sociaal Recht.

I joined Bird & Bird in 2023. I am fluent in Dutch, English and French, and I have a good understanding of German.