The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP’s Eric Keyzer is ‘one of the best’. He advises on film, TV and music rights, and acted for Dutch artist Jereon van der Boom, EMI Music and Volendam Music. The team also advised Talpa on its joint bid to acquire Dutch TV operations from ProSiebenSat.1.

Brinkhof’s focus includes regulatory, privacy law and libel issues. Remy Chavannes leads the team, which advised footballer Johan Cruijff in litigation against a publisher regarding unauthorised use of photos, and successfully defended the Eredivisie against a claim by regional broadcasters regarding football highlights rights. Quinten Kroes, who joined from Allen & Overy LLP, represents Fox and Sky Radio.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek ‘fully understands client service and provides prompt, business-savvy advice’. Tobias Cohen Jehoram acted for Universal Music in litigation against Tuff Gong record label, and advised The Walt Disney Corporation on media law. Koen Limperg ‘always gets to the heart of any issue, drawing on his considerable experience. He provides clear advice and solid judgement’.

Houthoff Buruma advises Telegraaf Media Groep on freedom of expression issues and successfully represented news broadcaster NOS in proceedings against a political party regarding coverage of the national election debate. Other clients include Endemol and IDTV. Bas Le Poole litigates for media and entertainment companies and shows ‘experience, authority, and talent as a debater’.

NautaDutilh’s practice, led by Piet Sippens Groenewegen, recently advised ProSiebenSat.1 on the sale of its Dutch TV operations, and acted for Ziggo in a case against anti-piracy group The BREIN Foundation, regarding access to online content. It also represents public broadcaster NOS in proceedings brought by commercial competitors regarding public funding usage.

Bird & Bird provides ‘good, objective advice’, with its experience including litigation, regulatory, commercial and transactional matters. Olaf Trojan’s clients includes AD NieuwsMedia, Eyeworks and DutchView, while both he and Pauline Kuipers acted for telecoms company Pretium in its long-running dispute against TV broadcaster Tros.

Niche firm Boekx Advocaten’s six partners ‘stay close to their clients and are dedicated and experienced’. Litigation is the core focus but the team also advises on licensing, commercial agreements and regulatory matters. TV Oranje, Lucasfilm, Bruno Press, Eric Smit and Universal Music are key clients. Matthijs Kaaks is ‘informal, straight to the point, down to earth, and a fast thinker’. He acted for De Pers newspaper in a freedom of press case against a Dubai investment company.

DLA Piper’s key areas are sports and advertising, with clients including the Dutch Board of Advertisers, Dutch Advertising Authority and Aegis Media. Niels Mulder co-heads the team alongside newly promoted partner Richard van Schaik. Counsel Jan Kabel is ‘an expert in media and advertisement law at local and European level’.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advises on transactional and regulatory matters for clients in publishing, TV and radio broadcasting and communications. Richard Norbruis heads the practice, which advised RTL Group on the sale and transfer of radio stations to Talpa Media in exchange for a share interest in RTL Nederland. It also represented Ziggo in proceedings against competitor Tele2 regarding an advertising campaign for its analogue service.

Hoyng Monégier LLP assisted BREIN in litigation against website The Pirate Bay, which offers file-sharing downloads, and successfully acted for RTL in a case against actors requesting payment for additional broadcasting. Other clients include Fremantle and Universal Music. Joris van Manen heads the practice.

‘A very accessible firm, which is informal but has very experienced lawyers’, Kennedy Van der Laan is noted for its freedom of press work. Jens van den Brink is ‘an outstanding lawyer in the field of media law and defamation; very experienced and up to date’. Machteld Robichon-Lindenkamp provides ‘know-how in media cases and special knowledge of broadcasting matters’. Robinchon acted for TV Oranje regarding alleged regulatory breaches by broadcaster TROS, and the team successfully represented artist Nadia Plesner in proceedings brought by Louis Vuitton.

Klos Morel Vos & Schaap’s clients include broadcasters, TV production companies, publishers and authors, with Warner Brothers being a notable new client. Jacqueline Schaap handles libel, defamation and freedom of speech issues.

SOLV Advocaten is ‘not a law firm in an ivory tower, but a group of experts who display good understanding of the client’s needs’. It has particular expertise in online and new media matters, but also advises RTL on freedom of press issues and Specsavers on advertising.