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Nelissen Grade, integrated firm with character and history
With almost 40 years of experience as a lawyer, Pascal Nelissen Grade—empowered by his partners—runs the integrated law firm passionately. Is the end of his career in sight? Quite the opposite. In two years, he will follow in his father's footsteps and take on the role of dean. “I want to modernise the Leuven Bar Association while further developing the values of the profession.” Read more.
Hello Pascal. Nelissen Grade is a law firm with a deep-rooted family character. Where does the firm stem from?
Pascal: “My father started the firm in Diest in 1945, just after World War II. He soon decided to move to Leuven, the big university town, where he ran the firm with my mother as the secretary. The firm went through a nice growth curve in the years that followed: my brother joined the business as a lawyer, and the team was reinforced with interns and employees. The office also expanded rapidly; we went from Maria Theresiastraat, to Justus Lipsiusstraat, to a spacious office on the Philipssite, where we remain today. We are currently the oldest firm in Belgium.”
When did you come into the picture?
Pascal: “The legal profession was in my blood, of course. I earned my degree and started at the Leuven Bar Association in the ‘80s.”
Today, the firm consists of more than 50 lawyers. How did you experience that growth?
Pascal: “We started as an integrated law firm in 1994. Customers, profits, debts; as partners, we share everything, work together intrinsically and learn to pass things on and innovate. For example, Joke Decabooter became the first female partner in 2018, followed by Karen Niesten in 2019—both talented lawyers who are now at the helm of the firm. Growing as a firm also means growing in diversity. We now have a very diverse team of lawyers—from outside Leuven, trained at the VUB or KU Leuven—each with their own background, education and professional strengths. That's what makes it interesting.”
Ten partners in one law firm: how do you manage the firm?
Pascal: “Almost all of the partners completed internships within the firm after graduation and progressed to become partners. We want to build on those people—they are part of our family. The best way to manage a law firm is not always obvious: we don't have a classic hierarchical structure, and each lawyer has their own vision, but we run the office like an SME as much as possible. We do a lot internally, from IT and accounting to our own software platform.”
Managing people and training interns is also an important part of your management role.
Pascal: “Indeed. As they say in the marines: no one left behind. The larger the team, the more challenging that becomes! We do our best to support our people fully, both substantively and practically. That could mean a flexible schedule tailored to someone's personal life. This is also a place where trainee lawyers can learn at a rapid pace—I currently have five under my wing. We want to motivate and enable them as much as possible. Working cases, arguing in court—we are there to back them up, of course, but they are given responsibility in a case very quickly.”
“There is a lot of room for modernisation within the Bar Association, while respecting the tradition and values of the legal profession. I want to live up to that trend as dean in 2024.”
Nelissen Grade assists clients in many fields. In which subject matter are you active?
Pascal: “We don't have specialities; we have preferred materials. I specialised in a variety of disciplines throughout my career, from criminal law as a core business to family law and sports and travel law. I am guided by my personal interests and combine useful aspects with pleasant ones. For example, I've been passionate about motorsport since I was a kid. I no longer drive on the track, but I help write the rules. My professional network also extends into my circles of friends. Friends have become clients and vice versa.”
Being a lawyer is more than a profession for you. It is your identity.
Pascal: “Exactly. This job is not like any other. You could compare it to an emergency physician: you are your profession 24/7. I am nearing retirement age, but this is not the end of my career—quite the opposite. I will become the dean of the Leuven Bar Association within two years.”
You are brimming with interests and talents, both athletic and professional. What is the common thread?
Pascal: “When I play tennis, I don't do it to hit a ball but to make my opponent run. The same applied when I raced on the Zolder circuit; I had one goal: to drive the fastest lap. I always want to be the best at what I do, including as a lawyer. It is not enough to be a lawyer; the essence lies in that we provide decisive assistance to clients and serve as their confidants to provide the best possible service. My appointment to the position of dean within two years is in line with that drive and our firm's ambition. I don’t do that to take credit, but to set an example and improve the quality of our work every day.”
What does becoming dean mean to you?
Pascal: “It means a lot. As dean, I will follow in my father's footsteps. For me, the deanship is about taking responsibility and effecting change. The Bar Association is often perceived as an old and cumbersome system, even more so during COVID. It’s easy to criticise, but it is better to take a stand. I want to modernise the Leuven Bar Association while further developing the profession's values. I find the combination between tradition and modernisation extremely valuable.”
Finally, how do you see the future for Nelissen Grade?
Pascal: “Qualitative growth has always been our driving force. I want to do everything in my power to make the firm great and keep it that way, and I support my partners in their plans to achieve that ambition. Flawless service to our clients is key to that. Our talented people must be nurtured and given quality training to help them transcend themselves as top lawyers. To put it in car terms, I'd rather sell one Bentley than ten VW Golfs. But always at a fair price.”
That’s a great outlook, Pascal. Thanks for the interview!