Mia Wouters

Mia is a partner with GDS advocaten in its Brussels office. She and her team, which is put together according to the needs of the file in order to obtain the maximum result for the client, solve problems and represent the interest of companies in all aspects of their air transport operations. This involves dealing with day to day contracts to managing the more complicated relations with third parties/countries, security and safety issues or setting up airlines.  Her practice includes wet and dry leasing, buying/selling and repossessing of aircraft. She represents loss adjusters and insurance companies in major accidents and incidents, airlines, airports and works with regulators all over the world.

In sum Mia is actively involved in the full range of legal issues arising in the aviation and tourism industry.

In 2009, Mia was appointed Professor of Aviation Law at the University of Gent at the Department of European, Public and International Law.  

She is a director of the European Aviation Club, and serves on the Committee of the UK based Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Brussels Branch. She is a past Chair of the Aviation Law Committee of the IBA- International Bar Association.

Mia is one of the founding members of the International Aviation Women’s Association (IAWA) and a member of various air law associations.  She served as a judge on the European Nuclear Energy Tribunal in Paris under the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency from 2006 till 2014.

As of January 20, 2017 she was nominated to serve as an arbitrator in Romania at the Commercial Arbitration Court of Bucharest for the next 3 years. She is also a member of the International Commercial Disputes Tribunal – ICDT. 

Besides regularly being requested as guest lecturer in aviation law at different universities including the International Institute of Air and Space Law of the Leiden  University where she teaches on the “distribution and sales of airline tickets and travel related products”, Mia has addressed several conferences world-wide on air transportation and has published on aviation matters including drones. She has been involved in several reports drawn up for the European Commission and was awarded numerous mentions as a leading aviation expert in Belgium. Mia is also on the core Editorial Board of the Magazine for International Trade and Transport, published by the Larcier Group and on the Program Committee of the Aviation Law and Insurance Symposium -Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

EDUCATION

Mia graduated in law from the University of Leuven and obtained thereafter a special degree in Maritime and Air Law from the University of Brussels (ULB) and a Certificate of Port Sciences from the University of Gent.

She holds a Master’s degree (LLM) from the Institute of Air and Space Law of McGill University, Montreal and was admitted to the McGill doctoral program.

As graduate from the Institute of Air and Space Law at the McGill University and a lecturer at the International Institute of Air and Space Law of the Leiden University, she enjoys the benefits of their vast network of alumni all over the world.

Mia Wouters

Luchthaven Brussel Nationaal 1K,
1930 Zaventem

Ph: +32 (0) 475 71 83 95
mia.wouters@GDSadvocaten.be