The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP’s clients receive ‘excellent service from senior partners’. The group recently advised Eneco/Evelop on the development and project financing of four potential offshore wind farms, and acted for consortiums bidding on the A15 and A12 PFI road projects. Practice head Werner Runge is a ‘highly experienced and pragmatic lawyer for project finance documentation and negotiations’, while of counsel Bart Meesters displays ‘knowledge of design, build, finance, maintain and operate contracts in a Dutch setting; strong negotiating power; and good output’.

Clifford Chance offers a ‘very high quality of service, and good value for money’. It is advising the lenders on the A12 and A15 road projects, and serving as project counsel on the Enecogen partnership, which will build and operate an 870MW gas-fired power plant. Jaap Koster has an ‘excellent, in-depth knowledge of infrastructure deals’, while Nanette Rutgers is a ‘very good negotiator with excellent understanding of infrastructure financing’.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek advises on infrastructure and power projects including wind farms and PPP projects. The firm has advised Royal BAM Group, the Netherlands’ largest construction company, on Dutch PPP project tenders, and as the successful bidder on the A12 project. Other clients include Arcadis and Nuclear Research & Consultancy Group. Menno Stoffer heads the practice.

Highlights for Peter Habraken’s team at Houthoff Buruma included advising Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten on restructuring project finance facilities worth €1bn and acting for the International Criminal Court on the PPP for its new premises in The Hague. The group also assisted Royal Bam Groep on bidding for the DBFMO contract for Zorgacadamie Parkstad. Habraken, André de Neve and Jessica Terpstra regularly act for clients such as Rabobank and Dutch Railways.

NautaDutilh’s team largely focuses on energy, utilities and PPP projects. The practice, led by Erik Geerling, advised lenders on the €700m second Coentunnel PPP. On the energy and utilities front, Arjan Pors advised the lenders on the €745m Gate Terminal financing.

As a top-choice firm for the Dutch government, Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV is regularly involved in some of the largest PPP projects, and has a notable presence in the transport sector. The team’s experience includes acting on the Southern High-Speed Line, the Coen Tunnel, and the A4 motorway projects. René van de Klashorst and Elisabeth Schippers are the key contacts.

Norton Rose LLP’s three-partner team acts for energy giants such as BP and Gazprom, and recently advised RWE Offshore Wind Nederland on its bid to construct up to 2,000MW of wind power on the Dutch continental shelf. Other highlights included being project counsel on the second Coentunnel project and acting for the lenders to a consortium bidding for the A15 project. Wouter Hertzberger is recommended.

Stibbe is acting for the OptimA15 and OptimA12 consortia on bids for the A15 and A12 projects, respectively. David Orobio de Castro acted for Heijmans on its bid for the Eelde Airport DBFM contract, while Martin In de Braekt advised Eneco on its acquisition of rights to develop a 51MW wind farm. Joop Janssen heads the group.

Marc Wintqens’ four-partner team at AKD acted for Stichting Admiraal de Reyter Ziekenhuis on the funding of hospitals in Zeeland, and advised on the DBFMO contract for the construction of a large academic building.

CMS Derks Star Busmann’s Hein van der Meer has been acting on the redevelopment of town districts, while Petra Heemskerk handles transport infrastructure projects, and Arno Moret acted on a number of wind farm developments. Eduard Scheenstra leads the practice.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Thijs Flokstra advised BV Grondbezit AVI Moerdijk on restructuring the NV Afvalverbranding Zuid Nederland Group, which involves changes to project financing for the four production lines of a waste incinerator built and operated by the company.

Kennedy Van der Laan largely acts for developers and government bodies. The team, led by Casper Schouten and Richard-Jan Roks, advised several authorities and municipalities on European procurement procedures regarding project development, and acted on numerous real estate developments.

Loyens & Loeff has a strong presence in the renewable energy sector, and served as Belgian and Dutch counsel to Belwind on a €600m offshore wind farm. The group has an impressive client roster that includes names such as Rabobank, EDF, ING Bank, and Maersk Oil and Gas. Gianluca Kreuze leads the three-partner team.

Van Doorne’s Mark Moolhuizen advised on all the contracts and documentation for Schiphol Area Development Company, a PPP project entity, while Evert Wiggers acted for Rabobank and other lenders on the project financing of a biomass production plant. Other clients include the Ministry of Defence and Fortis Lease. Moolhuizen co-leads the team with Stefan van Rossum.