Heeren joins from Amazon where he was corporate counsel in the EU operations team. His practice is focused on helping companies to move goods across borders. He advises clients on all matters relating to customs, trade and excise tax in EU and UK.
More specifically, his work includes compliance assessments on valuation, tariffs, and origin; purchase and supply contract reviews; managing broker relationships; coordinating voluntary disclosures; administrative appeal proceedings; and representing clients before national courts and the European Court of Justice.
Prior to joining Amazon, Heeren was a senior associate in Reed Smith’s Brussels office and prior to that a senior associate at Deloitte Legal, where he started his career. He has contributed to policymaking through studies at the level of the European Union and supported law-making on a national level.
Mike Lowell, chair of Reed Smith's Global Regulatory Enforcement Group, said: “We recognised Philippe’s tremendous talent when he was previously working with us. Now having spent the last few years honing his skills with a key client, we are thrilled to welcome him back.”
Isabelle Rahman, Reed Smith’s Brussels office managing partner, added: “We are delighted to have Philippe back on board. His arrival will prove an asset to our clients as we help them to navigate an increasingly complex trade and compliance landscape.”
“2025 marks five years since we opened our Brussels office and it is particularly pleasing to see a ‘boomerang hire’. It’s a clear signal of the maturity of the office and we look forward to building further in the years ahead.”
Heeren commented: “I am very pleased to be back at Reed Smith. Having spent time in-house working with various law firms, I now fully appreciate the strength of the Reed Smith’s one-stop-shop offering for its clients’ regulatory needs. The firm’s collaborative culture, global platform and client-first mentality were all key reasons for my decision to return.”