The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP acts for a range of leading domestic and international names across the film, TV, music, radio and publishing industries, including Sony, EMI, Warner Bros, Eyeworks and De Persgroep. Recent instructions include advising on media and privacy issues as well as acting for SBS Broadcasting in successful proceedings against De Telegraaf newspaper regarding the publication of TV programming data. Of counsel Eric Keyzer leads the team.

Brinkhof’s Remy Chavannes and Quinten Kroes are ‘renowned and passionate lawyers well skilled with legal insight, industry knowledge and the ability to identify clients’ interests and demands’. On the contentious side, the team is acting for football icon Johan Cruijff in litigation regarding unauthorised publication of a book of photographs and also represented Nurten Albayrak before a press complaints commission regarding broadcaster NOS’ news programme. Non-contentious work included assisting Fox Channels International with media, regulatory and contractual matters, and advising C1000 on a media campaign during a football tournament.

Houthoff Buruma advises publishers, advertising agencies, broadcasters and production companies on regulatory, advertising and litigation matters. It has been defending Trion Publishers in an image rights case brought by former footballer Johan Cruijff, which was heard at the Supreme Court, and successfully represented TV broadcaster NOS in a defamation case. The team also advises Adidas on sponsorship issues and Telegraaf Media Groep on freedom of expression and other publicity matters. Litigator Bas Le Poole is highly experienced in dealing with publicly sensitive matters.

Kennedy Van der Laan’s media and entertainment team has ‘ excellent knowledge and a proactive attitude’, and is well known for its experience in defamation and privacy law. Jens Van den Brink acted for Telegraaf Media Groep in the high-profile copyright case against various TV broadcasters and also represented the production company IDTV in proceedings brought by the real-life kidnappers regarding The Heineken Kidnapping movie. Christien Wildeman is also recommended.

NautaDutilh was co-counsel to public broadcasting company NPO in regulatory litigation against De Telegraaf newspaper regarding unlawful use of programme listings. Other clients include Ziggo and National State Lottery. Piet Sippens Groenewegen heads the department.

Bird & Bird’s experience spans areas including regulatory, privacy, internet, image rights, and defamation issues. Practice head Olaf Trojan is an expert litigator, and he recently acted for the heirs of literary writer Gerard Reve in litigation to prevent the publication of an unauthorised biography of the author. His clients also include AD NieuwsMedia and Discovery Channels. The team was also co-counsel to NPO in obtaining a favourable ruling in a dispute with De Telegraaf newspaper regarding copyright pertaining to programming schedules.

Boekx Advocaten focuses on contentious work but also advises on commercial issues. The firm has a strong libel practice, with Matthijs Kaaks advising on matters in the print, TV broadcasting and online sectors, while Marc de Boer advises TV broadcasters and production companies on regulatory matters. The team successfully defended Marc Rosman in a case brought against the publication of his book on Holland Casino’s company policies, and also won a Press Council complaint on behalf of MP Mariko Peters regarding a magazine article that made allegations of nepotism and kidnapping.

Richard van Schaik leads DLA Piper’s team, which has commercial expertise in the advertising, publishing, gaming and broadcasting sectors. Joris Willems advised The Entertainment Experience on a film project created from user-generated content, including sponsorship, broadcasting and contractual issues. Other clients include HBO, KPN and RTL.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek draws on its transactional and litigation expertise to advise major companies, organisations and individuals in the media and entertainment sectors. The team advised HBO on a joint venture with Ziggo to launch entertainment TV channels in the Netherlands and won a case for Universal Music Group against Bob Marley’s record label, Tuff Gong. The firm also advises the Royal Dutch Football Association on sports laws. Tobias Cohen Jehoram is the key contact.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Richard Norbruis and Onno Brouwer are the key contacts for corporate and regulatory matters respectively. Recent work includes advising Ziggo on a Dutch joint venture with HBO to launch pay-TV and movie channels. It also advised RTL on the sale of radio stations to Talpa Media, and acted for the same client as one of the plaintiffs in a dispute with De Telegraaf newspaper regarding the unauthorised use of programme schedule information.

Hoyng Monegier LLP’s Joris van Manen, who is highly recommended as a litigator, recently achieved a favourable ruling before the Supreme Court for De Lotto in a case against online betting service providers Ladbrokes and Betfair. He also acted for Dutch music collecting society Buma in a case against cable operators regarding remuneration for broadcasted content. Other clients include BREIN, RTL, FremantleMedia, and Sony.

Klos Morel Vos & Schaap’s Jacqueline Schaap is ‘a very practical lawyer, has a clear vision but also keeps in mind the commercial interests’, and is particularly knowledgeable on image rights, copyright and the representation of broadcasters and production companies. The team recently advised De Telegraaf newspaper in litigation regarding the publication of TV programme listings, and other representative clients include BBC, SBS, Talpa, Endemol, and Sanoma.

SOLV Advocaten is noted for its online and new media expertise. The ‘knowledgeable’ Machteld Robichon acts for media companies, and Christiaan Alberdingk Thijm leads on privacy and freedom of speech issues.