The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP advises energy sector clients such as Delta, Eneco, NUON/Vattenfall and Alliander on regulations, transactions and financing. Werner Runge is ‘able to bring theoretical knowledge to a transaction in order to help close a deal’. He led advice to TAQA on the financing of its Bergermeer gas storage facility. ‘Deal-driven’ counsel Coen Thomas focuses on contractual matters. Paul Glazener advises on competition and regulatory issues.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek gives ‘sound, practical advice’ on transactions, regulations and disputes. The practice advised Spyker Energy on the sale of Smart Energy Solutions to Tulip Oil, and Nicolien van den Biggelaar advised Gasunie on extending its gas transport network. The practice is now led by newly promoted partner Anja Mutsaers, following Elisabetta Aarts’ departure to Loyens & Loeff. Jaap De Keijzer also made partner. Marnix Leijten is ‘highly experienced in international arbitration and provides business-oriented advice on European gas market disputes’.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advises energy sector clients on transactions, financing, litigation and regulations. The team continues to advise RWE and Essent on post-merger integration issues and assisted BG Group with the sale, via a Dutch joint venture, of a 60% share in Comgas. Practice head Winfred Knibbeler is advising Shell on appealing against EC cartel fines imposed on the Dutch bitumen market. Onno Brouwer and Jan Willem van der Staay are also key figures.

NautaDutilh has a strong focus on transactional and commercial advice to energy sector clients such as Delta and Tulip Oil. It also provides regulatory advice. Harm Kerstholt is ‘technically brilliant and really knows the energy market and regulations’. He has been advising Total on acquiring a downstream gas business. Jaap Jan Trommel is ‘first rate: he is well connected and has a very strategic eye for business transactions’. Trommel is advising E.ON and GDF Suez on a carbon capture and storage project, and also advised Shtandart on the contract covering its $1bn investment in a Rotterdam oil terminal project. Toon van Mierlo is recommended for litigation.

Bird & Bird is a leading choice for energy sector regulatory work, and practice head Michelle de Rijke advised E.ON on a local geothermal infrastructure project and has been acting for BAM in project-related litigation. The practice also assisted Energie-Nederland on drafting industry standards for smart metering. Other clients include Tata Steel and GDF Suez-Electrabel.

Clifford Chance’s David Griston and Jaap Koster advise on transactional and financing matters. The practice recently advised Sword Infrastructure III on financing the acquisition and expansion of Argos Terminals, and Typhoon Offshore on developing a €2.5bn wind farm.

Loyens & Loeff is ‘very skilled’ on energy sector matters and ‘superb’ on tax regulatory issues. The practice recently advised Typhoon Capital on tax aspects of its wind farm project. Max Oosterhuis leads on complex litigation, and has been advising Eneco and Stedin on regulatory disputes. Senior associate Roland de Vlam is also recommended. Practice co-head Elisabetta Aarts is a regulatory expert who joined from De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.

Norton Rose LLP has been advising on wind farm projects and various transactional matters. Its clients include RWE/Essent, BP, Alliander, and Denham Capital. Practice head Weero Koster focuses on corporate finance and projects.

Stek is well recognised for its energy regulatory expertise, and is recommended for handling complex disputes. It also advises on commercial and transactional matters. The team recently represented Netbeheer Nederland in tariff litigation and has been acting for distribution company Stedin in a case against Greenchoice. Jan Erik Janssen is ‘creative’.

Stibbe’s Martin In de Braekt is recommended for energy projects and transactional matters, and ‘very expert, competent, prompt and extremely commercially minded’. Recent highlights include advising Eneco on its joint venture with DONG Energy and assisting Air Liquide with its Green Hydrogen carbon capture and storage development.