The Legal 500

Houthoff Buruma has been handling construction matters for local municipalities, and for healthcare and infrastructure sector clients. Highlights included advising Erasmus Medical Centre on a €449m development and the Rotterdam government on redeveloping its central district. Procurement specialist Jan Michiel Hebly is ‘a strategic thinker’.

NautaDutilh ‘understands a client’s business, and its advice is not just legal’. Bernard ter Haar leads the team, which includes newly promoted partner David van Ee, who is ‘a very fast, straightforward thinker and no frills in his advice’. He is advising Mahler 4 on The Rock skyscraper, and acting for Neste Oil in contract disputes. Other clients include Rabobank, BAM and Movares.

Construction boutique Rozemond Advocaten remains a key player in the field, acting for contractors, architects, engineers, developers and insurers in disputes and contracts. Rob Bleeker is well regarded.

Stibbe’s team, led by Joop Janssen, is noted for its practical, in-depth knowledge of construction law. David Orobio de Castro acted for Rabobank on its new headquarters in Utrecht and for Heijmans on procurement and contracts issues regarding the new Supreme Court buildings. The practice has a strong focus on infrastructure developments, and PPP and PFI projects.

AKD’s key clients include government agency ProRail, engineering company Grontmij, and construction companies Heijmans and Janssen De Jong. Recent work includes advising on urban redevelopment projects and acting for E.ON Benelux on the Maasvlakte Power Plant 3 construction. Marc Wintgens heads the practice.

Allen & Overy LLP’s team, led by Arent van Wassenaer, is heavily involved in PPP and PFI developments and is advising APM Terminals on construction aspects of the Maasvlakte 2 port project and the Aqaba terminal in Jordan. The practice is also acting on bids for major transport infrastructure developments – representing the Ministry of Public Works on the A4 highway tender and advising the municipality of Groningen on the RegioTram project. Counsel Coen Thomas focuses on procurement and construction law.

Boekel De Nerée’s construction law specialist Jelle Otten has been advising municipalities on large-scale housing and regeneration developments as well as contentious matters. Hans Nicaise is acting on major urban commercial and residential projects, and has been advising contractor G&S Bouw on building work for Mahler 4 and on the Babylon Den Haag on the New Babylon redevelopment.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek advises on contentious and non-contentious matters, notably in energy, infrastructure, PPP and PFI developments. Bommel van der Bend handles national and international construction arbitrations. He also advises the City of Amsterdam on public procurement and contract negotiations regarding transport infrastructure projects.

Kennedy Van der Laan’s Richard-Jan Roks is a construction law specialist and advises developers, architects and construction companies on procurement, contracts, PPPs and disputes, including advising Port of Amsterdam on project procurement and Airport of Amsterdam on liability issues. It represented an international hotel chain in arbitration against a construction company, and advised a developer in a design-and-build dispute with the City of Zaanstad.

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV gives government and public authorities ‘tailor-made solutions and extensive background knowledge’. The team represents the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure in procurement and contractor disputes and is advising the contracting authority for the Schiphol-Amsterdam-Almere highway project. Practice head Pieter Stuijt is ‘very diplomatic’, and newly promoted partner Georg Huith provides ‘sharp advice during complex negotiations’.

Van Doorne’s Mark Moolhuizen advised Waterweg Wonen housing corporation on a large-scale residential redevelopment, and is acting for the municipality of Den Helder on DBFMO contract issues regarding a new city hall. Other clients include Meander Medisch Centrum, ROC van Amsterdam and Volker Wessels.

CMS Derks Star Busmann’s Petra Heemskerk handles procurement matters, while Arno Moret focuses on real estate and energy sector mandates including recently advising RWE Innogy on North Sea meteorological mast construction contracts. Other clients include Ballast Nedam and Royal BAM Group.

Clifford Chance is noted for its advice on construction law aspects of major real estate, infrastructure and energy projects. It advised construction companies Strabag and Colas on the A11 PPP project, and contractor Permasteelisa on building contracts. Jaap Koster heads the practice.

DLA Piper advises domestic and international clients on commercial real estate and project developments in the Netherlands. This included advising Equinix on contracts regarding the construction of hi-tech data centres. Practice head Rutger Oranje and Hans-Mark Giezen are construction law specialists.

Kneppelhout & Korthals NV fields a three-partner team: Jan Willem Langeler handles litigation and arbitration for contractors, architects and engineering companies; Pieter de Boorder focuses on infrastructure and projects; and Ingomar Souren’s clients include government authorities, real estate investors and social housing groups.

Loyens & Loeff’s clients include contractors, developers, municipalities, public authorities and investors. Highlights included advising Schiphol Real Estate on a major hotel construction at Schiphol Airport. Practice head Jan Maarten Gerretsen focuses on residential and industrial developments. Senior associate Leen van der Marel is ‘an excellent tactician, who always has the right advice at hand’.

Norton Rose LLP acts for construction companies and other clients on energy, infrastructure and commercial real estate developments. It is advising the Rotterdam World Gateway consortium on contract issues regarding its concession to operate a terminal at Maasvlakte 2. It also advises Coentunnel Construction partnership on DBFM contract issues and negotiations with the state regarding the second Coentunnel. Daphne Broerse leads the team.

Simmons & Simmons LLP’s team is led by Sjoerd Rutten, who represents contractors, architects and engineers in construction disputes. Clients include local authorities as well as Unica engineering group.

Straatman Koster Advocaten handles disputes and contract matters for public sector clients, including the municipality of Rotterdam and Randstad Rail. Thijs Straatman heads the practice.