The Legal 500

Clifford Chance represents 3i, KKR and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners. It advised Schuitema on the acquisition of 80 Super de Boer stores in a back-to-back transaction with Jumbo Groep, as well as on setting up a joint purchasing organisation with Jumbo, and advised Stirling Square Capital Partners on its acquisition of Environmental Solution Europe. Thijs Alexander and Gregory Crookes lead the group.

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘very responsive’ team includes ‘strong negotiators’ who acted for Bencis on seven deals, including the sale of Catalpa to Providence, and also continued to represent longstanding clients including 3i and NPM Capital. Karine Kodden is recommended for larger and more complex deals.

Loyens & Loeff has an ‘excellent combination of tax and private equity experts’. The team recently advised Bain Capital Partners on the $1.63bn acquisition of the Styron division of The Dow Chemical Company. Herman Kaemingk uses ‘good common sense regarding risks’; he ‘is able to read people and understand their respective points, so he can move the deal along’. Clients also appreciate Mark van Dam’s ‘in-depth knowledge of fund terms and structures’.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek counts KKR, CVC and JPMorgan Private Equity as clients, and recently advised Gilde and Rabo Private Equity on private equity auctions. The group advised Fortis Bank and BGL Société Anonyme on the divestment of Intertrust Group to Waterland Private Equity Investments. Arne Grimme is recommended for large, complex deals.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Springer and its shareholders, Cinven and Candover, on Springer’s sale to EQT and GIC, and represented three of the six final bidders (including the winning bidder) in the Catalpa auction. Shawn der Kinderen leads the 20-lawyer team.

Houthoff Buruma’s ‘committed, entrepreneurial M&A lawyers offer exceptional service’. Michiel Wesseling advised Barclays Private Equity on its acquisition of a majority stake in MPS, while Casper Banz advised Egeria and Wagram on acquiring Den Braven Group. Eddie Meijer, Michiel Pannekoek and Jan Paul van der Heok are ‘experienced, with excellent interpersonal skills and know-how’.

Stibbe handles transactions for Cinven and Warburg Pincus, and recently advised Cyrte Investments on its acquisition of Spitfire Pictures. Other highlights included advising First Reserve on its €400m purchase of the Bahamas Oil Refining Company. Björn van der Klip heads the practice.

Baker & McKenzie Amsterdam N.V. has a ‘strong team of legal and tax advisers that can provide very clear and practical business solutions’. The group recently advised AVG Technologies on TA Associates’ $200m acquisition of a 30% interest in the client. Marc van Campen and Maurits Tausk are ‘quick to understand commercial objectives, and don’t get distracted by minor legal arguments’. Marcello Distaso is ‘professional, hardworking, and completely devoted’.

Linklaters represents international players such as KKR, Carlyle and CapVest, as well as domestic clients such as Bencis and Waterland Private Equity. Piete Riemer advised the latter on its acquisition of Fortis Intertrust Group. Riemer, Henk Arnold Sijnja and Bart Jan Kuck are the key contacts.

NautaDutilh acted for Silverfleet Capital on the acquisition of German Kalle Nalo Group from Montagu Private Equity, and advised NPM Capital on purchasing half of Cyrte Investment’s stake in Bol.com. Gaike Dalenoord and Joeroen Preller lead the team.

Norton Rose LLP’s Ep Hannema and Marcel van de Vorst are recommended, particularly for deals valued between €10m-€100m. Civolution and Gimv are key clients, and the team advised Prime Technology Ventures on acquiring five technology companies that were spun out of Royal Dutch Philips Electronics.

Leo Verhoeff’s team at Simmons & Simmons LLP advised Fortis Private Equity on acquiring a majority shareholding in TurboNed, and acted for Refresco Group regarding 3i’s minority participation. Other clients include Apax Partners and Lazard.

Van Doorne’s Hans van Ramshorst advised Advent International and Bain Capital on acquiring from RBS an 80% stake in Worldpay, while Guus Kemperink acted for Rabo Participaties on acquiring a majority stake in Inter Access Groep. Onno Boerstra has a ‘lot of experience in M&A, and a strong personality that helps to achieve breakthroughs in negotiations’. Hugo Reumkens heads the team.