The Legal 500

Netherlands

Commercial, corporate and M&A

Commercial, corporate and M&A - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

Noted for its multi-jurisdictional capabilities, Loyens & Loeff’s team ‘makes clients feel secure’. Jan-Willem van Rooij, who ‘always remains composed and bridges differences between opposing parties’, advised DIF on the sale of DIF Infrastructure II’s assets to APG Asset Management. The ‘flexible’ Peter Corten advised Toyota Industries on its €1.2bn purchase of Vanderlande Industries from NPM Capital. Harmen Holtrop and notary and Latin America expert Bastiaan Cornelisse head the group; Herman Kaemingk and Bas Vletter are also recommended.

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Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

The ‘good negotiators’ at Loyens & Loeff are ‘quick and to-the-point’, and have ‘a very wide field of knowledge’. Bram Linnartz, who heads the group jointly with counsel Timo Huisman, acted for RED on various developments, including the new headquarters of Asics. Civil law notary Jurriaan van der Stok is also recommended. Remco Bäcker left to join BarentsKrans in January 2018.

Next generation lawyers

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EU and competition

EU and competition - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Rated by clients for its ‘excellent professional work ethic’, Loyens & Loeff’s team is ‘essential for handling the nuances in complicated projects’. Litigation partner Jeroen van den Brande and counsel Marc Custers are acting for Stichting Cartel Compensation in bringing over €200m-worth of damages claims against British Airways, KLM, Air France, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa before the Amsterdam District Court. Gert-Wim van de Meent, along with Marc Wiggers and senior associate Robin Struijlaart, is advising Accuride on the Dutch competition aspects regarding its acquisition of a German competitor. Maurice Essers is another name to note.

Next generation lawyers

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Employment

Employment - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

The ‘no-nonsense’ team at Loyens & Loeff is ‘extremely responsive’. The ‘mentally flexible’, ‘thoroughly knowledgeable’ Klaas Wiersma has ‘a wealth of experience’ and provides ‘simple, direct, on-the-spot advice’; he heads the practice jointly with Hermine Voûte, who assisted O-I Manufacturing Netherlands with closing its Schiedam factory. Hans van Ruiten is the group’s benefits expert.

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Environment and planning

Environment and planning - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

At Loyens & Loeff, Max Oosterhuis acted for the Port Authority of Antwerp in an administrative case regarding a planned power grid that would allegedly affect ship traffic at the Port. Other clients include OVG Real Estate. Remco Bäcker departed for BarentsKrans. Henk Breeman is now with AKD after initially leaving the firm to join HabrakenRutten.

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Fraud and white-collar crime

Fraud and white-collar crime - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s multi-disciplinary team excels in handling investigations and compliance matters for clients across various sectors, including financial services and tax. Sidney Berendsen leads on corporate investigations and compliance issues while senior associate Susanne van Breukelen leads on corporate criminal matters.

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Insurance

Insurance - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Financial insurance expert Kitty Lieverse heads the ‘profoundly knowledgeable’ team at Loyens & Loeff, with support from litigators and risk management experts Merel van Asch and Mijke Sinninghe Damsté. Financial regulatory of counsel Bart Joosen is also recommended.

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Investment funds

Investment funds - ranked: tier 1

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s ‘top-level’ practice is well known for its superlative tax and multi-jurisdictional capabilities. Group head Marco de Lignie acted for Avedon Capital Partners on establishing its third growth capital private equity fund. Mark van Dam advised DIF Management on the formation of DIF Infrastructure V. Senior associate Vilmar Feenstra is also recommended.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

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Private equity

Private equity - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s department is recommended for ‘complicated transactions’; it is led jointly by Harmen Holtrop and Herman Kaemingk, who specialises in leveraged and management buyouts. Bas Vletter assisted TowerBrook Capital Partners with its €300m purchase of a majority stake in Van Dijk Educatie.

Leading individuals

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Real estate

Real estate - ranked: tier 1

Loyens & Loeff

The ‘top-level team’ at Loyens & Loeff has ‘consummate knowledge’, ‘excellent connections’ and ‘a very deep bench’. Group head Wilfred Groen advised Standard Life Investments on €258m-worth of property transactions; Bram Linnartz assisted Blackstone and M7 Real Estate with their €300m purchase of a Dutch light industrial portfolio from Hansteen Netherlands. Lonne Rooseboom is also recommended.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

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Restructuring and insolvency

Restructuring and insolvency - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s team works closely with the firm’s tax department, and acts for debtors and creditors. London-based group head Vincent Vroom acted for Oi on its international restructuring. Creditor clients include Sun Capital and Goldman Sachs. Hendrik van Druten is also recommended.

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Tax

Tax - ranked: tier 1

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s group is rated for its ‘high expertise’ in all areas of tax law, with a strong focus on M&A-related tax matters. Marc Klerks led advice to Toyota on the tax issues arising from its €1.2bn acquisition of Vanderlande Industries from NPM Capital. Vincent van der Lans assisted Griffin Premium RE with the tax aspects of its corporate governance structure regarding its IPO on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Key names include international tax partner Harmen van Dam, corporate tax expert Marcel Buur, investment management partner Marco de Lignie and Fred van der Leije, who advises on family-owned businesses and private wealth matters.

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Transport

Transport - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Lender-side ship finance is the key strength of Loyens & Loeff’s ‘very responsive’ team, which is praised for its ‘strength in depth’. ‘Extremely knowledgeable’ practice head Gianluca Kreuze ‘sorts out complex issues’; he acted for Rabobank on various vessel financings. ‘Calm’ senior associate Ehsan Shirzadi is ‘always on top of things’.

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Netherlands: Banking and finance

Asset finance and structured finance

Banking and finance: Asset finance and structured finance - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s securitisation team covers a broad range of matters, including residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), car lease and trade receivables transactions. The team, which is headed by Mariëtte van ‘t Westeinde, includes Martijn Rongen and associate Evelien Bougie, who specialises in international asset finance transactions. Gianluca Kreuze and associate Myrthe Thomassen are also names to note.

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Borrower side

Banking and finance: Borrower side - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s ‘very well-connected and knowledgeable’ multidisciplinary team acts for a broad range of international clients on cross-border transactions. Practice head Kitty Lieverse and Gianluca Kreuze are advising CarVal Investors on various issues regarding its acquisition of portfolio company RNHB Hypotheekbank from Rabobank. Sietske van ‘t Hooft and corporate partner Nelleke Krol assisted Pharming Group with various transactions, including a new $100m finance agreement regarding the amortisation of convertible bonds and the refinancing of an existing senior debt facility. The team includes senior associates Kim Koops and Sabine Schoute.

Next generation lawyers

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Financial services regulatory

Banking and finance: Financial services regulatory - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

The ‘practical and responsive’ team at Loyens & Loeff has considerable experience in acting for investment funds, pension funds and insurers. Practice head Kitty Lieverse led advice to BlackFin Capital Partners on the regulatory issues regarding its acquisition of all issued and outstanding shares in Buckaroo from Intrum Justitia. The ‘experienced, hands-on’ Martijn Schoonewille was instructed by Stichting Continuïteit Delta Lloyd on the regulatory aspects of its sale of shares to NN Group, as well as obtaining a declaration of no-objection from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and European Central Bank. Of counsel Bart Joosen is also recommended.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

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Lender or arranger side

Banking and finance: Lender or arranger side - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

At Loyens & Loeff, the ‘excellent’, ‘very responsive’ department regularly represents financial institutions and corporations in domestic and international financing matters. Sietske van ‘t Hooft has particular expertise in asset-based lending and financing transactions. The team, which is headed by Kitty Lieverse, includes Gianluca Kreuze.

Next generation lawyers

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Netherlands: Capital markets

Debt

Capital markets: Debt - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Counting tax, structuring and regulatory expertise as key strengths, Loyens & Loeff’s ‘high-level, very client-oriented’ department acts for clients including J.P. Morgan, HSBC and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. ‘Experienced, hands-on and humorous’ practice head Martijn Schoonewille, who made partner in January 2017, acted for Mondelēz International Holdings Netherlands on various note issuances worth over $3.7bn in total.

Next generation lawyers

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Equity

Capital markets: Equity - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s practice is led by Martijn Schoonewille, who advised Veon on selling shareholder Telenor East Holding II’s $259m share offering on Euronext Amsterdam. Nelleke Krol is very active in the space: she advised Avantium on its €103m IPO on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels, and acted for Griffin Premium RE on its PLN508m IPO on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

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Netherlands: Dispute resolution

Arbitration

Dispute resolution: Arbitration - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

According to clients, Loyens & Loeff’s team is ‘responsive, thorough, hardworking and a pleasure to work with’, and has significant experience representing international clients in International Chamber of Commerce proceedings. It is led by the ‘very detailed, thorough’ Tom Claassens, who is ‘an authority on Dutch civil procedure’. Jeroen van den Brande, who is chairman of the Benelux litigation and risk management group, is also recommended.

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Commercial litigation

Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Rated for its ‘profound experience and attentiveness’, Loyens & Loeff’s practice has extensive experience in handling a broad range of commercial matters, including corporate investigations and shareholder disputes. Mijke Sinninghe Damsté represented investment vehicle MLJM Holding in summary proceedings brought by the company’s co-founder regarding the sale of shares in Bugaboo. Sidney Berendsen is representing Oi in litigation brought by Aurelius Capital Management concerning its $14.3bn bond restructuring. Tom Claassens a name to note.

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Mediation

Dispute resolution: Mediation - ranked: tier 1

Loyens & Loeff

At Loyens & Loeff, the mediation and alternative dispute resolution practice advises on a wide range of disputes, with particular strength in commercial, corporate and tax disputes, as well as disputes involving governmental bodies. Jurgen Kuiper is a name to note.

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Netherlands: Energy

Regulatory

Energy: Regulatory - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s ‘creative’ practice is led jointly by Jan-Willem van Rooij, tax specialist Jan Bart Schober and regulatory counsel Roland de Vlam. The ‘iconic’ Max Oosterhuis represented the Port Authority of Antwerp in high-profile litigation regarding TenneT’s construction of a power grid from the Dutch coast to the Borssele wind park.

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Transactional

Energy: Transactional - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

The ‘calm, hands-on’ Jan-Willem van Rooij heads Loyens & Loeff’s ‘top-notch’ department; he advised Alliander and Enexis Group on their sale of Ziut to Spie Nederland. Other clients include PZEM, Unica and Meridian Mining. Waldo Kapoen is also recommended.

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Netherlands: Industry focus

Food and beverages

Industry focus: Food and beverages - ranked: tier 2

Loyens & Loeff

Loyens & Loeff’s department is active in corporate and competition work as well as in food regulatory matters. Bas Vletter acted for Collins Foods (Australia) on its purchase of 16 Netherlands-based KFCs and its roll-out of 20 more restaurants in the Netherlands. Senior associates Natasja Brusik and Victor van Ahee are food regulatory specialists.

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Healthcare and life sciences

Industry focus: Healthcare and life sciences - ranked: tier 1

Loyens & Loeff

As well as handling M&A and care-sector real estate, Loyens & Loeff’s ‘top-performing’ team advises healthcare providers on regulatory issues, and assists life sciences companies with incorporations and data privacy. Tom van Helmond and the ‘impressive’ Kim Lucassen head the healthcare and life sciences teams respectively.

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IT

Industry focus: IT - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

The team of ‘responsive experts’ at Loyens & Loeff is strong in data protection, outsourcing and litigation. Group head Serge Zwanen and Kim Lucassen acted for Jaguar Land Rover on data protection matters relating to ‘smart’ cars.

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Retail

Industry focus: Retail - ranked: tier 1

Loyens & Loeff

Though particularly active in real estate investments, counting Klépierre, Blackstone and CBRE Global Investors among its clients, Loyens & Loeff’s team also acts for retail companies such as Coolblue, Converse, Ikea and Bol.com. Group head Bram Linnartz acted for Goldman Sachs on its €151m acquisition of a portfolio of 16 shopping centres from NSI. The practice’s tax capabilities are widely recommended.

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Telecoms

Industry focus: Telecoms - ranked: tier 3

Loyens & Loeff

‘Well-positioned at the cutting edge of legal issues’, Loyens & Loeff delivers ‘on-point, comprehensive advice regardless of the matter’s breadth or complexity’. Litigators Serge Zwanen and Kim Lucassen head the department; senior associate Joanne Zaaijer is ‘very widely knowledgeable’. Interxion Holding is a client.

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