Belgium firm Verhaegen Walravens has strengthened its technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) group with the hire of Linklaters associate Emmanuel Szafran as a partner. Szafran, who joined this month after nine years with Linklaters, focuses on intellectual property (IP) and will head the TMT and IP team. The move follows the firm strengthening its restructuring practice earlier this month with the hire of a five-lawyer team from local rival Elegis.