Crowell & Moring Taps Sanctions Expert for EU Regulatory Maze

BRUSSELS, Belgium – January 13, 2026 – International law firm Crowell & Moring has announced a significant strategic enhancement to its Brussels office, appointing Liesbeth Truyens, a highly regarded economic sanctions and commercial disputes lawyer, as a partner in its International Trade Group. The move, which also includes the addition of associate Celine De Buck, is a direct response to the European Union’s increasingly complex and assertive regulatory posture on international trade, sanctions, and corporate accountability.

Truyens, who brings over 15 years of experience from both private practice and as in-house counsel for a major financial institution, joins the firm from Schoups BV, where she led the sanctions and compliance practice. Her arrival signals a calculated investment by Crowell & Moring to bolster its capabilities in a legal landscape being reshaped by geopolitical tensions and a paradigm shift in corporate responsibility.

Navigating an Increasingly Complex EU Regulatory Maze

The timing of Truyens' appointment is critical. Global businesses are currently grappling with an EU regulatory environment that is not only growing in complexity but also in its willingness to act independently on the world stage. The bloc has moved aggressively to tighten its economic security, particularly through a series of robust sanctions packages targeting Russia. Recent measures have focused heavily on anti-circumvention, creating a new layer of risk for companies operating through third countries.

This enforcement-heavy climate is exemplified by the EU's 14th and 15th sanctions packages, which expanded the definition of circumvention and imposed proactive compliance duties on exporters, such as mandatory "no Russia" clauses in contracts. Furthermore, the EU is harmonizing penalties for sanctions violations across its member states. Directive (EU) 2024/1126, which requires transposition into national law by mid-2025, will establish minimum penalties, including fines that can reach up to 5% of a company's worldwide turnover, creating a more unified and formidable enforcement regime.

"Liesbeth is the right resource at the right time for our global clients, further strengthening our team's ability to guide them through the increasingly independent EU sanctions and export controls landscape," said Nicole Simonian, co-chair of Crowell & Moring's International Trade Group. "Her arrival reflects our ongoing commitment to growing our European sanctions and export control capabilities and providing our clients with integrated international trade, regulatory, and litigation support across the EU, UK, and US."

Truyens' expertise, which covers industries from financial services and international shipping to defense manufacturing and energy production, positions the firm to advise clients on navigating these treacherous waters, from managing complex enforcement actions to handling criminal investigations.

The Convergence of Trade Law and ESG Compliance

Beyond traditional sanctions and export controls, the hire underscores a profound shift in corporate compliance: the deep integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into trade law. The EU is pioneering this convergence, creating a new reality where supply chain ethics and environmental impact are no longer matters of corporate social responsibility, but of hard legal obligation.

Liesbeth Truyens’ practice explicitly includes advising on a suite of transformative EU directives. Chief among them is the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which mandates that large companies identify, prevent, and mitigate adverse human rights and environmental impacts throughout their entire value chain. With liability extending to the actions of suppliers and penalties potentially reaching 5% of global turnover, the CSDDD imposes a monumental due diligence burden that will require a complete overhaul of supply chain management for many global firms. Companies must prepare for its staggered application, which begins in the coming years following its entry into force in July 2024.

This is complemented by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which requires companies dealing in commodities like coffee, cocoa, and rubber to provide verifiable, geolocated proof that their products are not linked to deforestation. These regulations, along with the forthcoming EU Forced Labor Regulation (FLR), are embedding human rights and environmental accountability directly into the mechanics of international trade, creating a compliance challenge that requires integrated legal expertise.

A Strategic Move in a Competitive Legal Market

Crowell & Moring's acquisition of Truyens and De Buck is a significant maneuver in the highly competitive Brussels legal market, where top-tier talent in niche, high-demand areas is fiercely contested. As global firms race to build out their EU regulatory practices, securing a partner with Truyens' unique blend of experience is a strategic victory.

Her career path includes foundational work at major international firms Stibbe and Linklaters, crucial in-house experience at the banking and insurance group KBC, and most recently, a leadership role building a specialized practice at Schoups BV. This combination of perspectives gives her a deep understanding of the pressures and priorities facing multinational clients from both an internal and external advisory standpoint. The addition of Celine De Buck, who also specializes in sanctions and commercial law, suggests a deliberate team acquisition designed to add immediate depth and capacity.

"We are pleased to welcome Liesbeth and Celine to our Brussels office," said Kristof Roox, co-managing partner of the firm's Brussels office. "Liesbeth's deep knowledge of European sanctions and export controls, along with Celine's complementary experience, significantly enhances our capacity to advise clients on cross-border regulatory matters and compliance risks. At the same time, we are further strengthening our litigation resources and white-collar crime capabilities."

An Integrated Platform for Global Challenges

The strategic importance of the hire ultimately lies in its contribution to Crowell & Moring's international platform, which aims to provide seamless, cross-jurisdictional legal support. In today's global economy, a regulatory issue rarely remains confined to a single legal domain or geographic border. A sanctions violation can trigger a white-collar investigation, a supply chain disruption, a commercial dispute, and a public relations crisis simultaneously.

Truyens herself noted the evolving needs of the market. "Crowell & Moring's dynamic team and international platform offer an exceptional environment to support clients as they face rapidly evolving, sometimes conflicting, regulatory demands," she stated. "In today's interconnected world, businesses increasingly require integrated, real-time guidance across jurisdictions, and I am thrilled to join a firm with such comprehensive capabilities."

By embedding a lawyer with proven expertise in sanctions, ESG compliance, and commercial litigation directly within its Brussels hub, Crowell & Moring is better positioned to offer the holistic counsel its clients require. This strategic expansion equips the firm to provide the multifaceted advice that global businesses now need to navigate the intricate and ever-shifting terrain of international commerce.