The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP advises on commercial and transactional matters such as outsourcing, licensing and data protection. It advised BHOLD on its acquisition by Microsoft and continues to assist Vopak with the global re-automation of its terminals. Other clients include KPN, ASR, Wolters Kluwer and Amazon. Herald Jongen leads the team.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek advises on outsourcing, compliance and litigation, and its lawyers ‘know what they are doing and do not hesitate to think further than originally asked’. Clients include IBM, KAS BANK and Ahold. Bart van Reeken is ‘an excellent negotiator and knows what he is talking about’, Lokke Moerel is ‘expert and a strong negotiator’, and ‘young star’ Joost van Ooijen ‘truly understands the technology side of contract negotiations’.

Patrick Wit heads Kennedy Van der Laan’s practice, which handles a broad range of matters including commercial work, projects, licensing, data protection, and litigation. Contentious instructions have increased, and Joost Linnemann has been representing NS Groep in an investigation by the Dutch data protection authority.

Bird & Bird is particularly recommended for its ‘experience in dealing with various regulators to help assess the best approaches to take’. Clients include NetApp, TomTom, PharmaPartners and Kluwer. Practice head Jereon van der Lee and Roelien van Neck advise clients on commercial matters, including e-commerce, outsourcing and contracts. The ‘well-connected’ Gerrit-Jan Zwenne specialises in privacy law and data protection issues.

Brinkhof’s recent highlights include acting for Google on internet and privacy law issues, including advising it on the Street View inquiry, and assisting Accenture with global contract matters. Eliane de Vilder heads the practice. Quinten Kroes advises on data protection.

Houthoff Buruma has been advising on a combination of M&A, outsourcing and compliance issues. Representative clients include Ohpen, CA Technologies and Comscore. Wolter Wefers Bettink is noted for his experience in contentious matters. Newly promoted partner Thomas de Weerd handles commercial and transactional work, and is ‘dedicated, available and knowledgeable’.

Van Doorne’s team ‘understands a client’s business, sees the bigger picture and is always professional yet personable’. The group is particularly known for its data protection expertise and also advises on commercial matters. Clients include Karl Lagerfeld, Dutch State Lottery, Capgemini, and Ferring. The highly regarded Kees Stuurman leads the practice, which includes associates Elisabeth Thole, who is very experienced in privacy law matters, and Louis Jonker, who is ‘very trustworthy’ for contentious work.

Vondst Advocaten N.V recently advised Omron on systems implementation and acted for new client RDC on contract negotiations with Capgemini. ‘A specialist in IT matters’, Polo van der Putt advises on outsourcing, projects and data protection matters.

Baker & McKenzie Amsterdam N.V. has recently advised on litigation, cross-border outsourcing transactions and data protection compliance, with clients including ING, TNT and Oracle. Robert Boekhorst heads the practice.

Clifford Chance handles commercial and transactional IT matters, and recently advised Accenture on outsourcing transactions and Rotterdam World Gateway on contractual matters. Alvin Khodabaks leads the team.

DLA Piper’s IT practice is co-led by experienced litigator Arend Lagemaat and Joris Willems, who acts for KPN on outsourcing arrangements and is advising HBO on negotiating an online joint venture with Ziggo.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s recent mandates include advising Sara Lee on IT aspects of its global restructuring and assisting the Antwerp Diamond Centre with setting up an online diamond exchange. Counsel Wieke van Angeren heads the team.

Hogan Lovells International LLP has a particular focus on data protection advisory work but also handles disputes, with representative clients including Biogen Idec, Disney and OrbusNeich. Klaas Bisschop is the key contact.

Loyens & Loeff advises on issues such as software implementation and privacy laws, as well as transactions, litigation and commercial matters. Serge Zwanen and Jeroen van den Brande are the key contacts.

NautaDutilh’s ‘very strong TMT and tech practice’ advises clients such as Achmea, Cognizant and Vodafone on commercial, regulatory and transactional matters. Tycho de Graaf is ‘an outstanding lawyer’ for IT contract negotiations, and Piet Sippens Groenewegen heads the practice.

SOLV Advocaten acts for public and private sector clients on various advisory and contentious matters, and has particular expertise in data protection and e-commerce. Wanda Van Kerkvoorden and Menno Weij are the key contacts.