Stefanie François focuses on constitutional and administrative law, especially in relation to town and country planning, permits, and environmental law.
Stefanie has strong expertise in environmental law, and more particularly in EU environmental regulations, nature conservation, waste, and environmental impact assessment, amongst others. She is well-versed in complex development and redevelopment projects and energy projects in the Flemish and Brussels-Capital Regions for which she also handles matters regarding urban zoning and planning, permits, expropriation, etc. Her vast experience in this scope of matters is also reflected in her ability to litigate before national civil and administrative courts, the Constitutional Court, and the European Court of Justice. In addition, Stefanie is very skilled in drafting legislative texts and regulations for various authorities. She was seconded to the legal department of an electricity transmission system operator (once to twice a week for eight months) where she assisted them in environmental law matters.
Stefanie is the author of various publications on environmental law and town and country planning, including a publication on the concept of "plans and programs” in the framework of the European EIA Directive. In addition, she is a regular guest speaker at seminars on spatial planning and its regulations.
Stefanie graduated in law from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2012 and completed the Erasmus exchange program at the University of Malta in 2011. Stefanie joined the Brussels office of Stibbe in 2012 and completed the Stibbe MBA Highlights Programme at INSEAD in 2018.