Zala Skandary
Corporate Legal Counsel & Certified DPO
Certified Mediator
Dispute Resolution & Stakeholder Facilitation
Legal & privacy specialist with 16 years' experience in corporate advisory, GDPR and dispute resolution. Pragmatic, client-focused solutions in complex regulatory settings.
About
Background & Expertise
Former Brussels Bar attorney with 15 years of practice, Zala Skandary now works as an independent consultant. She advises on commercial and business law, contract drafting and negotiation, as well as data protection and regulatory compliance.
Renowned for pragmatic, client-focused solutions, she advises multinationals, EU institutions and SMEs navigating complex regulatory environments.
Languages
- French – Native (C2)
- English – Fluent (C1)
- Dutch – Intermediate (B1)
- Dari – Intermediate (B1)
Education
- Certified Data Protection Officer – Data Protection Institute (2020)
- Certified Mediator – Bmediation (2011)
- Master's in Economics & Corporate Law – ULB (2012)
- Master's in Public Law – ULB (2005-2010)
Types of Engagements
- Compliance audit & diagnostic
- Contract drafting & negotiation
- Litigation & dispute resolution
- Training & awareness
- Outsourced DPO
- Regulatory advisory
Services
Areas of Expertise
Contracts & EU Compliance
Drafting and negotiating international contracts (SaaS, M&A, DPA). EU legislation compliance & frameworks: RoPA, DPIA, policy drafting, OneTrust. Administrative law and public procurement.
Privacy & Data Protection
Full GDPR expertise: SCC, BCR, TIA, NIS2. GDPR audits, compliance programs, RoPA, DPIA, policy drafting and OneTrust implementation.
Corporate Governance, M&A Counsel & Risk Mapping
Corporate governance advisory, shareholder disputes, risk mapping and M&A counsel including cross-border carve-outs.
Mediation & ADR
Certified mediator in civil and commercial matters. Stakeholder facilitation and alternative dispute resolution.
In-house Training
Bilingual (EN/FR) workshops on emerging EU regulation, contract management, privacy and GDPR alignment.
DPO-as-a-Service
Outsourced Data Protection Officer service. End-to-end GDPR compliance program for your organisation.
Real Estate Law
Guidance on real-estate transactions: purchase, sale, lease and construction disputes. Contract drafting and review.
Civil & Commercial Litigation
Representation in real estate, commercial and corporate disputes. Litigation strategy, negotiation and shareholder conflict resolution.
Administrative Law & Public Procurement
EU and administrative law advisory: public procurement, state-aid, institutional matters. Litigation before Belgian and EU courts.
Experience
Notable Clients & Projects
Independent Legal & Privacy Consultant
SRL Zala Skandary
Advising large and mid-sized enterprises on shareholder disputes, complex commercial litigation and compliance with national and EU legislation. Drafting and negotiating international contracts. External DPO-as-a-Service. Bilingual workshops on EU regulation.
External Legal Adviser (on-site)
Commission Européenne (DG HR)
Advise EU staff on Belgian real-estate transactions, civil liability, consumer law, tenancy and insurance. Help resolve private disputes and cross-border questions under Belgian law and EU private-international rules.
External Legal & Privacy Consultant
Cronos Group
Re-engineered the group legal library: NDA, MSA, DPA, SCC mapping, and commercial/privacy templates. Delivered a modular contract playbook. Continuing GDPR alignment advice across business lines.
External Privacy Consultant (on-site)
Volvo Group Belgium
Ran GDPR audits across HR, Procurement and IT with focused remediation plans. Led the OneTrust-based RoPA roll-out. Authored and refreshed GDPR-compliant policies and external notices.
External Privacy Consultant & DPO-as-a-Service
Tomorrowland
End-to-end GDPR compliance program for festival and e-learning operations. Drafted bilingual privacy policy, academy terms & conditions. Ongoing review of supplier and sponsorship contracts.
External Privacy Consultant
Galapagos NV
Brought clinical research activities in line with GDPR and sector guidance. Drafted and negotiated corporate and privacy contracts, including DPA and vendor questionnaires.
Attorney-at-Law, Brussels Bar
Athena Law & Strategy
Real estate, corporate and commercial litigation. GDPR & EU-compliance rollouts: policies, controls, staff training. Shareholder disputes. Cross-border commercial & M&A contracts.
Attorney-at-Law, Brussels Bar
Alterys Law & Mediation
Real estate, corporate and commercial litigation. Cross-border contracts, pleadings & legal opinions. EU & administrative law: procurement, state-aid. Regulatory-compliance programs and in-house training.
Contact
Get in Touch
Need legal or privacy guidance? Feel free to reach out or book a slot directly.
Send
zala@skandary.com
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