HBN Law & Tax’s ‘very cooperative team, with a high level of professionalism and quick response times’ excels across a varied spectrum of practice areas and handles corporate and M&A transactions, banking and finance work, regulatory issues, tax mandates and litigation, among others. Wendell Meriaan sits as head of the firm’s tax practice, while Amsterdam-based Jan Pas is now managing partner of the firm, taking over from telecoms and energy sector expert Eric de Vries. Other key individuals include Jeroen Eichhorn, who handles corporate, banking and asset protection work; Chris de Bres, who acts in commercial litigation and arbitration; Misha Bemer, and constitutional and administrative law specialist Marcha Woudstra.
Leading firms in Dutch Caribbean
HBN Law & Tax
Practice head(s):
Marcha Woudstra; Jan Pas; Wendell Meriaan
Other key lawyers:
Eric de Vries; Jeroen Eichhorn; Chris de Bres; Misha Bemer
Testimonials
‘I have been very impressed with how responsive they have been, and the degree of thought they have put into how to get the clients to where they need to be. The depth of expertise in the firm is enough to cover a range of diverse issues and to manage extremely difficult and wide-ranging subject matter.’
‘The team is active and has great representation, talent and knowledge across all Dutch Caribbean markets and the Netherlands. This makes doing (legal) business in the Dutch Kingdom a one-window shop.’
‘The team members go out of their way to explain the legal matters and deliver solid work.’
Key clients
Bonaire Petroleum Corporation N.V.
W.P. Maal
Vistra Baring group of companies
Bearing Point
United International Bank
MarineMax
First Caribbean International Bank/CIBC
Atlas Fund Services (Curacao) N.V.
Bergson Beheer B.V./Hunter Douglas
3G Capital
Baring Private Equity Asia/Vistra
Aqualectra N.V.
Refineria di Korsou N.V.
UTS/ Flow
Sint Maarten Telecommunications Company (TELEM)
Dutch Caribbean Securities Exchange
HNO Transitie & Exploitatie N.V./CMC
Princess Juliana International Airport
Mastercard
Morgan Stanley
Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP
The State of Curacao
The State of St. Maarten
The Antillean Pension Fund (APC)
Van den Tweel Caribbean B.V.
Work highlights
- Acted as the receiver in the bankruptcy of BOPEC, an oil terminal on Bonaire owned by Venezuelan state oil company (PDVSA).
- Advised W.P. Maal regarding the East Point revision case with a deal value of $43m.
- Acted as local counsel to the Vistra Baring group of companies regarding the regulatory approvals in Curaçao and Aruba in connection with its take-over by EQT AB.
NautaDutilh
NautaDutilh’s Amsterdam office serves as the primary base for the firm’s Dutch Caribbean expertise, leveraging its Netherlands-based banking and finance, dispute resolution, financial regulatory and corporate experience to act for a client roster of global financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies. Barbara Rumora-Scheltema and Frans van der Eerden jointly lead the practice, specialising in dispute resolution and financial regulatory work, respectively; Rumora-Scheltema is also a key name for restructuring and insolvency mandates. Supreme Court litigation practice head Freerk Vermeulen also contributes, as do of counsel Pim Rank and Allart Haasjes, who acts in financial litigation.
Practice head(s):
Barbara Rumora-Scheltema; Frans van der Eerden
Other key lawyers:
Freerk Vermeulen; Pim Rank; Allart Haasjes
Key clients
International Capital Markets Association (ICMA)
International Securities Lending Association (ISLA)
McDermott International, Inc.
Playa Hotels and Resorts N.V.
Damen Shipyards Group
Work highlights
- Providing the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) and the International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) with the Jurisdiction Opinion for Curaçao and Sint Maarten on the Global Master Repurchase Agreement and the Global Master Securities Lending Agreement.
- Acting for several clients in human rights litigation against Aruba and Curaçao. The aim of the proceedings is to open up marriage in Aruba and in Curaçao for same-sex couples.
- Representing the liquidators of TPWS and affiliated entities in litigation against the court appointed trustee of First Curaçao International Bank (FCIB) concerning liability related to fraud committed by certain customers of FCIB.
Spigt Dutch Caribbean
Fielding a ‘young and very dynamic team’, which ‘goes above and beyond to understand the client’s needs, preferences and goals’, Spigt Dutch Caribbean is singled out as ‘nimble yet thorough in its advice and expertise’. The firm is particularly experienced in the banking, hospitality and healthcare sectors, handling a range of transactional and contentious work, and has also seen increasing activity relating to regulatory mandates including investigations and competition work. Maike Bergervoet, who ‘seeks practical solutions to complex matters’, leads the corporate, banking and finance, and regulatory teams; and Martijn Welten heads up the litigation practice. Counsel Sebastiaan Barten attracts effusive praise from clients for his ability to ‘bring unique qualities, skills and experience to the table’, and Oriana Minguel is the key name at associate level.
Practice head(s):
Martijn Welten; Maike Bergervoet
Other key lawyers:
Sebastiaan Barten; Oriana Minguel
Testimonials
‘The team is a young and very dynamic team with high expertise.’
‘A firm with active partner involvement. Nimble yet thorough in their advice and expertise.’
‘What sets them apart is their commitment to client satisfaction. They go above and beyond to understand the clients’ needs, preferences, and goals, building strong and lasting relationships based on trust and transparency.’
Key clients
Curacao Medical Center
Telefonia Bonairiano N.V. (Telbo)
Santa Barbara Hospitality N.V.
Bonaire Holding Maatschappij N.V.
Canon U.S.A.
Marriott Aruba
Vidanova Bank
ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
EY
Maduro & Curiel’s Bank N.V.
CIBC FirstCaribbean
Work highlights
- Advised a consortium of 15 lenders as lenders counsel in connection with the approximately $200m refinancing for the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino.
- Represented a real estate and hospitality company in a dispute related to the sale of its Curaçao resort.
- Represented a St. Maarten company regarding the enforcement of an arbitral award in St. Maarten against the national telecoms company and ancillary proceedings.
VANEPS
As a ‘leading law firm in the Dutch Caribbean consisting of top professionals in all areas of expertise’, VANEPS’ group attracts praise for its ‘top-notch knowledge, experience and professionalism’, which spans the full range of practice areas. Clients of the firm encompass financial institutions, national and international corporates and governmental bodies, with Google, Spotify and JP Morgan Chase as key examples. Focco Lunsingh Scheurleer leads the banking and finance, and shipping and aviation practices alongside counsel Inge van Hees-Wolswijk, while the litigation and dispute resolution department is jointly led by Rogier van den Heuvel and Roderik van Hees. Tjarda Tazelaar sits at the helm of the corporate and M&A practice, Tom Peeters is the go-to name for real estate, government and energy sector advice, and counsel Diek Fabius leads the IP offering. Of counsel Michiel Gorsira is the key name for insolvency, restructuring and insurance work, and employment work falls within the scope of Thies Leijsen and Sophie van Lint’s practices. Frank Kunneman departed the firm in mid-2023.
Practice head(s):
Focco Lunsingh Scheurleer; Inge van Hees-Wolswijk; Rogier van den Heuvel; Roderik van Hees; Tjarda Tazelaar; Tom Peeters; Diek Fabius; Michiel Gorsira; Thies Leijsen; Sophie van Lint
Testimonials
‘VANEPS is a leading law firm in the Dutch Caribbean consisting of top professionals in all areas of expertise. Their professionals are very much practice oriented and provide practical solutions.’
‘My company has been utilising the services of VANEPS for some years now and their knowledge, experience and professionalism are top notch. They have a variety of most capable and knowledgeable attorneys who are very responsive and offer best-in-class counsel.’
‘Tjarda Tazelaar, Diek Fabius, Rogier van den Heuvel and Thies Leijsen are some (but not all) of the attorneys we have worked with at VANEPS over the years and they have, without exception, provided us with an extremely high level of professional services.’
‘The team has excellent knowledge of the local specifics while in the meantime being aware of the larger Dutch and international context. They spend significant and relevant time on the cases and are open for refreshing new approaches.’
‘Roderik van Hees is not only wise and sharp, he is better than anybody I have met before and has a deep understanding of both the technical legal aspects and, importantly, the moral/ethical and emotional reference of the judges and the court. In this way he is even more effective and his arguments are much better received.’
‘Tjarda Tazelaar was our leading M&A lawyer and provides top of the market quality in legal services.’
‘High-end law firm in a small jurisdiction. The M&A team were able to advise us on a complex deal and provided tailor-made, high-end legal advice. They understood the commercial interests but kept our legal interests in sight.’
Key clients
ZEDRA
Google Inc.
Spotify
Venequip Group
AkzoNobel
Barentz
JP Morgan Chase & Co. Bank
Cable & Wireless Communications (FLOW)
Work highlights
- Represented ZEDRA in its acquisition of Atlas Fund Services.
- Advised the MCB group, the largest financial institution in the Dutch Caribbean, on its successful multi-jurisdictional corporate restructuring involving its banking operations in the jurisdictions of Curaçao, St. Maarten, and the BES islands.
- Acted for a US-based high-profile former supervisory director of Ennia Group in appealing the judgment in which they were ordered to pay $550m in damages to Ennia Group by the Court in First Instance of Curaçao.