Francis Goffin is a partner in the Commercial practice group. He works at the Brussels office.

Francis’ main areas of practice include general commercial law, agency and distribution contracts, real estate projects, corporate and restructuring in both international and domestic fields, public procurement.

In relation to public procurement contracts, Francis represents and assists clients in their relationships with public authorities and advises them on registration procedures, planning works and other issues, including related litigation.

Francis also advises and represents Belgian and international clients involved in real estate development retail and construction projects. He advises on leases, acquisitions, project finance, PPPs, refurbishment projects and on social, economic and environmental projects.

He equally advises clients on wind-ups and acts as liquidator of several companies across various industrial and financial sectors covering all subjects relating to wind-ups as well as labour projects.

Francis’s international practice focuses on business relations with China and to an even greater extent, Central Africa.

In China, Francis assists different investors in their settlement projects, whether in joint venture or not, in activity sectors such as textile industry, sports & leisure equipments, printing industry and food industry.

In Central African countries, he has handled legal audits, negotiations as well as the drafting of conventions for the recovery of large companies in the banking steel, energy supply, mining, transport sectors and TMC.  He acts as counsel to private and public operators and liquidator to banks and industrial companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He often stays in Kinshasa, working in team with our local permanent corresponding office, Lubala & Associés.

Before joining De Wolf & Partners, Francis was a partner with Coppens, van Ommeslaghe & Faurès (prior to 2000), Coudert Brothers (2000-2005) and DLA Piper (2005-2011).

He is a member of the IBA (International Bar Association), of the European Lawyers’ Union, of the CBL-ACP (Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Belgium-Luxembourg-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific), of the BCECC (Belgian – Chinese Economic and Commercial Council).

From 2006 to date, Francis was recommended by Chambers and Partners a leading directory in the legal field together with  Herman Lemaire, as a top tier overseas' specialist in corporate and commercial law, for the Democratic Republic of Congo.