The Legal 500

Allen & Overy LLP draws on its corporate, finance and litigation expertise to advise companies, shareholders and lenders on restructuring processes. Rob Abendroth represented a group of banks in negotiating an agreement over the unwinding of Vestia’s €23bn portfolio. Newly promoted partner Sigrid Jansen advised ABN AMRO on the restructuring of Partner Logistics Group.

Houthoff Buruma is ‘highly sought’ for its ‘no-nonsense, result-oriented approach’ and strong experience in major bankruptcies. Frédéric Verhoeven focuses on cross-border insolvency work and continues to act as a joint trustee of Lehman Brothers Treasury, and Rutger Schimmelpenninck continued in a similar role for DSB Bank. The practice also acted for Dutch National Railways on the high-speed rail network restructuring.

NautaDutilh remains involved in the Yukos Oil and Lehman Brothers bankruptcies. It also advised SNS Property Finance as a creditor in the insolvency and restructuring of Eurocommerce, and was Dutch counsel to hedge funds involved in the restructuring of Endemol. Robert van Galen leads the team.

Simmons & Simmons LLP advises creditor clients such as RBS, ING and Citibank on insolvency proceedings and financial restructurings. Gerhard Gispen heads the practice.

Stibbe’s insolvency specialist Karen Harmsen is advising local authorities as creditors in the Landsbanki bankruptcy proceedings. Toni van Hees advised Zalco on the sale of assets. The practice has also been involved in the Lehman Brothers and DSB Bank matters. Senior associate Job van Hooff is also recommended for insolvency work.

Wijn & Stael acts for companies, financial institutions and individuals in major bankruptcy proceedings. William Jan van Andel is ‘a high-quality practitioner on insolvency work’.

AKD’s practice head Barend de Roy van Zuidewijn remains busy acting as bankruptcy trustee in a number of proceedings, including that of Netherlands-based companies in CEG Group. The team is also Dutch counsel to Lehman Brothers Holdings in relation to the Lehman Brothers Treasury insolvency.

CMS advises on corporate and financial restructurings and is regularly appointed as a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings. The team remains involved in the DSB Bank insolvency. Jan Willem Bouman and Marcel Groenewegen are the key contacts.

Clifford Chance focuses on restructuring matters, and mainly acts for financial institutions as well as some corporate and shareholder clients. Recent highlights include advising on the restructuring of Grontmij and The Smead Manufacturing Company. Angela McEwan and practice head Jelle Hofland are recommended.

DLA Piper’s practice head Marc Molhuysen has experience acting as a court-appointed administrator and in handling contentious restructurings. He recently advised the creditors in the Agrenco restructuring. The practice regularly handles cross-office matters and was appointed to act on the INEAS insolvency.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek’s seasoned insolvency lawyer Ruud Hermans is ‘an expert in the field of duty of care and combining this with his insolvency knowledge makes him an absolute expert for a limited number of complex bankruptcy cases’. He advised various Dutch banks on minimising exposure to the DSB Bank bankruptcy. Reinout Vriesendorp is ‘an expert in bankruptcy law’, and Berto Winters is also recommended.

Loyens & Loeff advises on restructurings and acts for trustees in bankruptcies. Hendrik van Druten and senior associate Vincent Vroom jointly lead the team and are ‘good, practical, problem-solving lawyers’. Recent work includes advising the Marco Polo Group on its Chapter 11 filing and acting for ING on the restructuring of PHP Group.

Ploum Lodder Princen has been advising a number of financial institutions on bankruptcy matters and is regularly appointed as a trustee in proceedings. Clients include Rabobank, Eneco, Atradius, and Gulf Oil. Practice head Jeroen Princen leads the team.

RESOR NV has continued to develop its restructuring and insolvency expertise. Key contacts include Nicolaes Tollenaar and Lucas Kortmann.

Stefan van Rossum now leads Van Doorne’s team following Paul Schaink’s retirement. Rossum focuses on debt restructurings, while Maurits Kalff handles insolvency litigation. Recent clients include Credit Suisse and Barclays Bank.