Our Associates


List of Associates and Trainees

Joris Cornelis
Russell Murphy
Jennifer Paterson
Caroline Volders
Sofie Van Eetveldt
Karl Croonenborghs



Joris Cornelis

Joris Cornelis is an associate of VVG Advocaten.

Mr. Cornelis’ practice focuses on EU and WTO Trade Law and EU Regulatory Law.

Mr. Cornelis obtained a law degree from the University of Leuven (KUL, 2000), a LLM degree from the University of Kyushu (Japan, 2001) and a doctorate from the University of Hong Kong (SJD, 2005). Mr. Cornelis has been an intern at DG Trade in the European Commission; has been a teaching assistant for the International Trade Law course at the University of Hong Kong; and was the Academic Assistant for the 2005 WTO Regional Trade Policy Course for government officials in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Cornelis is a member of the Brussels Bar. Mr. Cornelis is fluent in English, Dutch and French.

Contact Details
Tel.: 32 2 542 0780
Fax: 32 2 534 5888
E-mail: joris.cornelis@vvg-law.com
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Russell Murphy

Russell Murphy is a special senior advisor to VVG Advocaten.

Mr Murphy´s practice focuses on International Trade Law, Corporate Law, Joint Ventures and Foreign Direct Investments and Ventures Capital Financings.

Mr Murphy obtained a Juris Doctor degree and MBA from the University of Washington (1990), and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of Washington (1982).  He is the author of several publications and teaches International Business Law for the Executive MBA program offered by Beijing Polytechnic University in Beijing. 

Mr Murphy is a member of the California Bar.  His native language is English and he is fluent in spoken and written Chinese (Mandarin).

Contact Details
Tel.: 14258304367 or 8613552947988
E-mail: russell.b.murphy@gmail.com
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Jennifer Paterson

Ms. Paterson’s practice focuses on EU and WTO trade law and EU regulatory law.
 
Jennifer Paterson obtained her LL.M. from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (magna cum laude) and her J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law (cum laude).  She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Central Florida where she was a Florida Academic Scholar attending on a full scholarship.  
 
At her current position, she has participated in WTO and domestic trade law proceedings as well as advised clients on a number of international trade and EU regulatory law issues.
 
Ms. Paterson is a member of the Florida Bar and the Brussels Bar. 

Contact Details
Tel.: 32 2 542 0780
Fax: 32 2 534 5888
E-mail: jennifer.paterson@vvg-law.com
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Caroline Volders

Caroline Volders is a junior associate at Vermulst Verhaeghe & Graafsma.

Ms. Volders practice focuses on M&A and corporate finance. Ms. Volders graduated cum laude at the Law School of the University of Antwerp (UA, 2006). She also studied at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Currently she is enrolled in an LLM program in  corporate law at the Catholic University of Brussels (KUB).

Ms. Volders is a member of the Brussels Bar since 2006. Her native tongue is Dutch and she is fluent in French and English and proficient in German.

Contact Details
Tel.: 32 2 542 0794
Fax: 32 2 534 5888
E-mail: caroline.volders@vvg-law.com


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Sofie Van Eetveldt


Sofie Van Eetveldt is an associate at Vermulst Verhaeghe & Graafsma.
Ms. Van Eetveldt's practice focuses on Corporate Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Social Law.  

Ms. Van Eetveldt graduated cum laude at the Law School of the University of Ghent (RUG, 2002). She also studied Business Economics at the University of Ghent and she is now enrolled in a special Corporate Law program at EHSAL (Brussels).

Ms. Van Eetveldt is a member of the Brussels Bar since 2004. Ms. Van Eetveldt performed her Bar stage focusing on Litigation, Corporate and Tax Law.

Her native tongue is Dutch. She is fluent in English and French and proficient in German.
 
Contact details:
Tel.: +32 2 542 0793
Fax: +32 2 534 8888
E-mail: sofie.vaneetveldt@vvg-law.com

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Karl Croonenborghs


Karl Croonenborghs is a junior associate of Vermulst Verhaeghe & Graafsma.

Mr. Croonenborghs’ practice focuses on EU and WTO Trade Law, EU Regulatory Law and Corporate Law.

  Mr. Croonenborghs obtained a law degree from the University of Leuven (KUL, MJur. Cum Laude 2006). He spent part of his legal studies at the Norwich Law School of the University of East Anglia (United Kingdom). He also studied at the Academy of European Law Trier (Germany). Mr. Croonenborghs has been a legal trainee at the Belgian Constitutional Court in the summer of 2006 (Cabinet President Dutch Language Group Judge A. Arts and Judge M. Bossuyt). Mr. Croonenborghs received a postgraduate MA in European Politics and Policies from the University of Leuven (KUL MEPP Summa Cum Laude 2006-07) after having been granted with an "Excellency Scholarship” conceded by the Fonds Ererector Roger Dillemans.

Before joining Vermulst Verhaeghe & Graafsma, Mr. Croonenborghs has been a trainee in Washington D.C. at the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States of America (DG Relex Trade/Agricultural Section).

Mr. Croonenborghs is a member of the Brussels Bar since 2008. His native tongue is Dutch. He is fluent in English and French.

Contact details:
Tel.: +32 2 542 0789
Fax: +32 2 534 8888
E-mail: karl.croonenborghs@vvg-law.com

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