Karel De Smet
Expertise
Additionally, Karel has a particular interest and experience in fraud matters and criminal litigation. He acts principally for financial institutions and international companies. He provides comprehensive support throughout all phases of criminal proceedings, from assisting with dawn raids and interrogations to representing clients in criminal litigation and negotiating settlements with authorities. Leveraging his extensive experience, Karel regularly helps clients review and enhance their compliance programs to mitigate risks and ensure adherence to legal standards. Cases he works on often have multi-jurisdictional aspects, and are regularly high-stakes or media sensitive.
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What others say
- The Legal 500, 2025
'Karel De Smet is adept at breaking down complex legal issues and explaining them in clear terms that non-lawyers, like myself, can understand the issues and cases, making him an invaluable resource for any team. If he weren’t bound to his firm, we would want to hire him in-house. He is an asset to any team.'
'Karel De Smet of Nauta Dutilh is not only a highly skilled lawyer but also remarkably mature and professional. His experience and ingenuity are far beyond his years, which consistently shows in the quality of his work and thinking out of the box. The desire to move forward and seek amicable solutions is immense.'
'Karel De Smet is always approachable and easily accessible, whether for major matters or small details. His availability is incredible, and his work ethic unmatched from our point of view. Karel is also an excellent strategic thinker who is able to find solutions quickly, even in complicated situations.'
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Qualifications
He graduated magna cum laude from the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in 2012. Karel was admitted to the Brussels bar in that same year. He joined NautaDutilh in 2015.