Our team

The team here at VERCRAEYE Solicitors shall do their utmost in order to provide you with the best possible service. You can click any name to read their individual profile.

Joris Vercraeye

Joris A. VERCRAEYE was born on 3/12/1959 and studied Law at the UFSIA in Antwerp and at the K.U. in Leuven.

He was sworn in as solicitor at Antwerp in September 1983 and was added to the register of the Belgian Orde der Advocaten at Antwerp on 7/9/1987.

During his internship, Mr. VERCRAEYE taught the ‘Beginselen van Burgerlijk Recht’ (Principles of Civil Code) and ‘Beginselen van Handelsrecht’ (Principles of Commercial Law).

Nowadays the offices of VERCRAEYE Solicitors are a modern and multi-didsciplinary organisation that deals with nearly all current legal matters.

Joris VERCRAEYE himself is the senior partner, who is in charge of the day to day running of the company. He mainly works in the fields of civil, criminal and commercial law.

Elly Rousseau

Elly ROUSSEAU completed her Law studies  at the Antwerp Universities UFSIA and UIA in 1993.

During her licentiate years she opted to thoroughly study criminal and contract law. Subsequently she also studied forensic medicine.

She was sworn in as solicitor in September 1993 and began her internship straightaway at the offices of Mr. Joris A. VERCRAEYE Solicitors. After three years’ internship she was added to the Register of the Belgian Orde der Advocaten Antwerp Desk in September 1996.

Mr. ROUSSEAU is senior partner at VERCRAEYE ADVOCATEN where she mainly works in the fields of liability, insurance, traffic and medical law, more specifically focusing on the assessment of human cost.

Zeynep Berktas

Zeynep BERKTAS graduated cum laude from her Law studies at the University of Antwerp.

During the last years of her university studies she focused on procedural and evidence law and also on commercial and corporate law.

In September 2006 she was sworn as solicitor at the Antwerp Desk of the Belgian Orde der Advocaten and she began her internship at VERCRAEYE Solicitors.

Zeynep BERKTAS is senior partner at VERCRAEYE’s and mainly works in the fields of commercial, contract and leasing law.

Bilitis Hardy

Bilitis HARDY (°1987) graduated cum laude in 2010 from her Master’s Degree in Law at the University of Antwerp (maior civil law, minor criminal law). During her Master’s studies she focused on, among others, personal and family law, family fortune law, extra-contractual liability law, medical law and youth protection law.
On 1 September, 2010 she started her internship at the Antwerp Desk with VERCRAEYE Solicitors. She did her internship under the guidance of Mr. Joris A. VERCRAEYE.

After her internship she joined VERCRAEYE Solicitors and she mainly deals with personal and family law, family fortune law, juvenile  and medical law.

She also followed the specific course Juvenile Law (2013-2014) and is a now a certified juvenile solicitor.

Inge Leemans

Inge LEEMANS was born on 7 February, 1992 at Turnhout. She did her secondary education at the ASO Spijker in Hoogstraten, after which she started her Law studies at the University of Antwerp in 2010.

During her Master’s she opted for a major in law enforcement and a minor in civil law. The major law enforcement dealt mainly with criminal law, criminal procedural law, international criminal and criminal procedural law, criminal sanction law, public procedural law, procedural law and the youth protection law. The minor civil law dealt mainly with contract and agreement law, family fortune law and insurance law.

In June, 2015 she obtained her Master’s Degree in Law at the University of Antwerp and in September, 2015 she was sworn in at the Antwerp Desk. Subsequently she began her internship with a lot of enthusiasm under the guidance of Mr. Joris A. VERCRAEYE.

Sandra Meersman

Sandra MEERSMAN is the capable head of our office. She obtained the degree ‘office management – languages’ at the Karel de Grote Hogeschool in  Antwerp in 1995 and nearly immediately afterwards joined VERCRAEYE.

It is Sandra MEERSMAN who will be your point of contact. She is always friendly and discrete and will converse with you in any which language. She will also connect you with the solicitor who is handling your case or take the message you wish to convey.