The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP represented Nestlé in an abuse of dominance case against Mars, and advised Talpa Media on merger control issues regarding its acquisition of TV assets from SBS. The practice also advised UPS on state aid matters, including pension subsidies, and represented the Dutch Ministry of Finance in an appeal against the EC regarding ING’s restructuring. The team includes Paul Glazener and Kees Schillemans.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek’s managing partner Martijn Snoep is highly regarded for his business acumen and client service, and Erik Pijnacker Hordijk is excellent for official investigations, displaying ‘good strategic insight and thorough execution’. The team successfully defended Unilever in a cartel investigation by the Dutch Competition Authority (NMa). The ‘smart, hands-on and pragmatic’ antitrust expert Jolling de Pree recently defended BA in class actions over the air cargo cartel.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s ‘strong team displays industry knowledge and offers appropriate advice’. It advises ABN AMRO and ING on state aid matters, acted for Van Drie Holding on clearance for its Alpuro Group acquisition, and represented Shell and ThyssenKrupp in cartel fine appeals. The practice is led by managing partner Winfred Knibbeler and Onno Brouwer, who splits his time between Amsterdam and Brussels. Paul Kreijger joined Linklaters.

Stibbe’s competition and regulatory practice provides ‘very creative and sound advice’. It has acted for clients such as Alstom, the Dutch Association of Banks and Cordenka. Christof Swaak has ‘the ability to analyse complex matters in order to build a strategy’ in antitrust matters. The highly regarded Rein Wesseling ‘can think ahead in a pragmatic way’. Wesseling defended Mars in abuse of dominance proceedings brought by Nestlé. Both he and Jeroen Kortmann have been defending KLM in the air cargo litigation.

Clifford Chance is recommended for its financial sector expertise, and ‘proactive, creative and very client-focused’ approach. It represented the Dutch Central Bank in an appeal against the EC regarding state aid provided to ING. The practice also advised Sanoma and Royal DSM on merger clearances regarding major cross-border transactions. Antitrust team head Steven Verschuur joined from KienhuisHoving. He and associate Pier Posthuma de Boer ‘go the extra mile, seemingly without effort’. Frances Dethmers is well regarded for merger control matters. Barbara Nijs left the firm.

‘Partner-led, willing to take a position and defend an opinion’, Houthoff Buruma is representing Total in third-party proceedings brought by Shell regarding the Dutch bitumen cartel litigation. It is also defending Singapore Airlines and Cargolux in air cargo cartel proceedings and advising North Sea Group on clearance for its joint venture with Argos Oil. Weyer VerLoren van Themaat is recommended.

Loyens & Loeff’s ‘capable and skilled’ team includes Maurice Essers, who is ‘one of the best Dutch lawyers in merger control and procurement law’. Essers led on Veolia Transdev merger clearance and acted for Orbis and Atrium on the largest hospital merger to be brought before the NMa. Gert-Wim van de Meent represented Henkel in the personal care product cartel.

NautaDutilh’s recent work includes merger clearances in the TMT sector, including Vodafone’s acquisition of BelCompany and advising ProSieben and SBS on the sale of Dutch media businesses. Practice head Charles van Sasse van Ysselt ‘gives knowledgeable, thoughtful and experienced advice in a perfectly clear manner’, while Herman Speyart ‘listens to the wishes of clients and gives high-quality advice’. Jaap Feenstra represented NOS (Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation) in a state aid matter regarding alleged overcompensation.

Banning NV ‘gives practical answers to complicated situations’. The team represented VK Mühlen and Brabomills in flour cartel proceedings, and acted for two of the three executives in one of the first cases where the NMa imposed personal fines relating to cartel infringements regarding construction contracts. Minos van Joolingen leads the team, which includes newly promoted partner Silvia Vinken.

Bird & Bird provides ‘knowledgeable, accessible and practical advice that accounts for commercial interests’, and is very active in regulated sectors. It recently acted for fixed telecom operators in private enforcement proceedings against KPN. Other clients include Mastercard, Post NL, Tele2 and Nobel Biocare. Co-managing partner Pauline Kuipers’ ‘advice is always to the point, yet legally sound and thought-provoking’.

Boekel De Nerée’s ‘business-oriented and creative’ practice head Frederieke Leeflang is highly regarded in the healthcare sector, and recently acted for certain Amsterdam hospitals in an investigation into anti-competitive behaviour. Newly promoted partner Martijn van de Hel represented insurers Hiscox and Generali in cartel investigations. The practice also acted for MNO Vervat in a damages claim against Shell arising from the road bitumen cartel.

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV mainly represents the government, the NMa and public bodies, advising on regulatory issues and acting in litigation. Recent instructions include representing defendants in cartel damages claims and defending the Minister of Justice against a claim made by Betfair regarding the compatibility of Dutch gambling policy with EU law. Practice head Berend Jan Drijber’s ‘years of experience with the EC serves clients well’.

Van Doorne is particularly recommended for public procurement, and ‘draws on specialist knowledge within its team’. Clients include the National Lottery of the Netherlands and Royal Notaries Professional Association. Practice head Sarah Beeston is ‘a specialist in competition law, and very good at seeing the bigger picture’. Gijs Verberne ‘always makes a very good assessment of situations and thinks on a strategic, tactical and personal level together with his clients’.

AKD is well known for its state aid and public procurement work but is increasingly handling cartel and merger review cases. Newly promoted partner Marije Osse advised Brocacef on obtaining approval for its takeover of Lloyds to form the Netherlands’ second largest pharmacy chain. Other clients include government agency ProRail and postal service provider Sandd. Pieter Kuypers heads the practice. Associate Niels van Nuland is also recommended.

BarentsKrans N.V.’s Pierre Bos has a particular focus on healthcare, public transport, agriculture and civil damages. The practice’s greatest strength lies in class actions, and it recently acted for the plaintiffs in the air cargo and sodium chlorate cartel cases. It also advised home care trade association ActiZ on alleged infringements relating to market-sharing agreements.

Brinkhof fields ‘a close-knit team that is open, frank and pleasant to work with’. Its key strengths lie in regulated industries, with clients including Reggefiber and VCR (Commercial Radio Association of the Netherlands). It also represented the Dutch Dairy Board in proceedings to gain EU protected status for its Gouda Holland cheese product. Pepijn van Ginneken’s ‘background representing the government gives him the depth of understanding and the meticulous attention to detail that the discipline requires’.

CMS Derks Star Busmann recently handled cartel and abuse of dominance cases. These included acting for Ballast Nedam in the appeal regarding the bitumen cartel litigation, and advising Delta on the joint venture with Eneco. Brussels-based Robert Bosman specialises in Dutch competition law.

DLA Piper ‘distinguishes itself with its down-to-earth approach, and combines strong litigation skills with advisory work in highly specialised areas’. Highlights included representing Cathay Pacific against a third-party action in the air cargo cartel litigation, and advising Alticom in challenging tariff obligation decisions by OPTA, the Dutch post and telecoms authority. Practice head Léon Korsten has ‘in-depth knowledge of competition law, and is also a good litigator, with a strategic approach’.

Greenberg Traurig LLP’s Hans Urlus focuses on antitrust and regulated industries. The team is representing a client in abuse of dominance proceedings against a major airport operator regarding real estate developments at various sites.

Kennedy Van der Laan’s practice head Annemieke van der Beek is ‘an absolute expert in antitrust’. She has particular experience in the financial sector, and recently advised the Dutch Central Bank on establishing a new association for payment institutions. Other work includes merger clearances in the healthcare sector. Martine de Koning’s clients include ASML and Vacansoleil.

Simmons & Simmons LLP has been representing companies in cartel investigations before the NMa and EC, as well as acting in multijurisidictional merger clearance proceedings. Practice head Marco Slotboom is ‘a highly skilled litigator and very effective in the EU courts’.

Stek is recommended for energy-related matters, and Jan Erik Janssen provides ‘in-depth knowledge on competition law matters’. Clients include DELTA and Evides, as well as a number of companies in the flour industry cartel proceedings.