Chambers & Partners Europe

Main area of practice:

• Corporate Law / M&A
• Employment
• Intellectual Property: General - Mostly Trade Mark/Copyright
• Planning & Environment
• Private Equity
• Real Estate
• Restructuring/ Insolvency: Administration
• Transportation: Aviation Advisory
• Transportation: Litigation & Regulatory
• Transportation: Shipping Advisory

Corporate Law / M&A
With offices throughout the Netherlands, this firm is able to provide on-the-doorstep support to clients, simultaneously maintaining an international practice with a particular focus on Asia. The department has expanded of late, with several lateral hires at partner level. Recent work has included acting for DONG Energy on the sale of a stake in the Walney Offshore Wind Farm and advising Beins Travel Group on a joint venture in an online travel agency. The team also assisted Japanese telecoms company KDDI with the structuring of its businesses in Russia, Mongolia and Taiwan.

Sources say: "A great co-operative relationship on a complicated transaction."

Key individuals: Francois Koppenol is "creative in finding solutions that work for everybody," say clients. Carlos Pita Cao has a broad corporate practice, which includes expertise in MBOs. Matthijs Ingen-Housz is praised for his "concise, accurate and timely" advice.

Employment
Clients praise this sizeable team for its realistic advice and reasonable fees. It advised E.ON Benelux on work permits for employees from new EU countries in connection with the construction of a coal gas plant. The team has also been assisting BNP Paribas Investment Partners with the drafting of a new social plan, and Center Parcs with employment issues arising from the closure of its Rotterdam office.

Key individuals: François Defaix heads the employment practice.

Intellectual Property
This firm represents a number of Dutch clients as well as some major US companies. Its core expertise is in trade marks, copyrights and designs. Notable clients include SAMSUNG's printer supplies division, and Inditex, which it represented in a Europe-wide brand infringement case. The firm was also instrumental in setting up CAPIP.eu, a pan-European network of law firms combating the counterfeit trade.

Sources say: "They're innovative, practical and strong on operational and strategic advice.

Key individuals: A client says of Huib Berendschot: "He challenges the establishment and comes up with new ideas." He formerly worked as in-house lawyer of Unilever's trade mark division.

Peter Claassen is praised for his courtroom demeanour, and has successfully represented many of the firm's major clients in court.

Planning & Environment
This firm is known for its broad public law department and wins much praise for its long-established environmental law practice. It is a popular choice with public sector clients for infrastructure and PPP projects, and is well equipped to advise on environmental impact assessments. The team assisted ProRail with railway infrastructure issues, including expropriation, liability and environmental permits.

Key individuals: Eveline Sillevis-Smitt's knowledge of environmental matters and spatial planning stand her in good stead to advise on property developments and infrastructure projects.

Private Equity
The team at AKD has a strong following from clients in the technology, healthcare and life sciences sectors. It advised Newion Investments Management on the establishment of a new fund for ICT companies in the Benelux. It also acted for Agmi Group on the takeover by ABN AMRO of a majority stake in the company. Clients find the team easy to work with and say it offers good value for money.

Sources say: "I was charmed by the way the lawyers worked together as a team. The whole process was very efficient." "Excellent mid-market firm."

Key individuals: Nathalie van Woerkom leads the practice and is a hit with clients, who describe her as "bright, solution-oriented and a creative thinker." Matthijs Ingen-Housz specialises in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. He recently led a team that assisted Mentha Capital with the sale of PBG to Mediq.

Real Estate
With a good spread of offices throughout the Netherlands, this firm remains a favourite with local Dutch clients. Recent highlights include advising on the construction of a new football stadium in Venlo, and a high-speed train station in Breda. The team counts various municipalities amongst its clients, as well as the province of Gelderland.

Sources say: "They're thorough and give high-quality advice. Pleasant people to work with."

Key individuals: Jean-Pierre Van Eijck is a specialist in construction law, based in Eindhoven.

Restructuring/ Insolvency: Administration
This firm has a noted insolvency practice and also advises on restructurings. It has many clients in the transportation and construction industries, and major lending institutions have instructed it as creditors, including ABN AMRO and Deutsche Bank. Its spread across the Netherlands enables it to provide on-the-spot advice. It represented Deutsche Bank in the enforcement of security rights over the property of the European China Trade Centre. It is also assisting with the restructuring of GMAC RFC Nederland and advising the Clinquest Group on its negotiations with the trustee in bankruptcy of Clinquest Europe. The practice is a large one, consisting of 20 fee earners in total, and this capacity enables it to act as court appointee and represent creditors and debtors.

Sources say: "I get a response within 20 minutes even outside office hours. I get excellent partner attention, and the firm has everything it needs in-house."

Key individuals: Barend de Roy van Zuidewijn is the head of the department and works across the spectrum, including as a trustee in bankruptcy. He has recently been trustee to Reggehuys Management and CEG Europe, a real estate insolvency involving more than 100 companies across several jurisdictions. An impressed client identifies his work as "the reason we come to this firm."

Transportation: Aviation Advisory

Transportation: Litigation & Regulatory

Transportation: Shipping Advisory

This firm is uniquely placed to handle all areas of transportation work. With a team of 23 fee earners, it has expertise in shipping, aviation and carriage of goods by road, rail and air. It is highly regarded for its strength in litigation, much of which is cross-border, and it is well versed in handling disputes over ship arrests, collisions and shipbuilding contracts. The shipping practice, covering admiralty, cargo and criminal work, has seen an increased caseload of ship auctions and judicial sales of late. While the retirement of Frans Vreede has left the firm without its best-known aviation expert, the team was recently strengthened by the arrival of an associate focusing on this area of law.

Sources say: "It knows the business, has specialist knowledge and its work ethic is second to none. I wouldn't go anywhere else."

Key individuals: Jos van der Meché specialises in the carriage of goods by road, as well as logistics and rail transport. He is highly praised by sources, with one client stating: "I'd endorse him to the hilt. I can't speak highly enough of him."

Of counsel Frans de Vries Lentsch focuses on shipping work, including collisions, salvage and shipbuilding, and remains the go-to lawyer for anything to do with luxury yachts.

Practice head Haco van der Houven van Oordt has an excellent reputation as a shipping specialist. He has extensive experience in marine casualties, as well as offshore work, ship arrests and judicial auctions.

Jan Kromhout focuses on shipping work, including vessel financing, and transport and shipbuilding contracts. One client comments: "He's easy to deal with and a great lawyer."

Carel van Lynden's clients include banks, shipowners and insurers. He divides his time between shipping advisory work and litigation, and specialises in contracts and financing.