The Legal 500

Netherlands

Banking and finance: Borrower side

Banking and finance: Borrower side - ranked: tier 3

AKD

AKD’s department, which is headed by Vincent Bentonville and managing partner Erwin Rademakers, has considerable experience handling cross-border acquisition financing. Jasper Verhoog is another name to note. Cathelijn Frederiks joined the team as counsel in September 2017 from NautaDutilh.

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Banking and finance: asset finance and structured finance

Banking and finance: asset finance and structured finance - ranked: tier 3

AKD

The ‘competent and commercial’ group at AKD is led by Vincent Bettonville, who advises on a range of mainstream bank lending, acquisition finance, structured finance, asset finance and project finance transactions. Cathelijn Frederiks joined as counsel in September 2017 from NautaDutilh.

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Banking and finance: lender or arranger side

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

AKD

AKD advises clients on cross-border acquisition finance matters. The department is headed by Vincent Bentonville and also includes managing partner Erwin Rademakers. Jasper Verhoog and counsel Cathelijn Frederiks, who was a recent arrival from NautaDutilh, are also noted.

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Commercial, corporate and M&a

Commercial, corporate and M&a - ranked: tier 4

AKD

AKD garners praise for being 'hands-on, solution driven, and tough negotiators' who will nonetheless 'close fast and achieve results'. Practice head Carlos Pita Cao 'is a superb advisor and negotiator who can save a deal with an inventive move'. Other key partners include Erwin Rademakers,  Nathalie van Woerkom, who is reported to be 'an outstanding M&A counsel, excellent negotiator and a great team leader' and 'skilled' Lennart Crain. The team undertakes the full range of regional and international corporate and M&A work for clients such as the listed Malaysian IOI, on the divestment of a 70% controlling stake in its IOI Loders Croklaan division.

Leading individuals

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Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 1

AKD

The highly experienced Marc Wintgens heads a substantial team at AKD that is valued for its 'great expertise and for being proactive and very efficient'. Teije van Dijk, Paul Welten, Marlies Pierik, and Jelle Otten are key partners who serve international and domestic clients in sectors such as healthcare, energy, and transport. The team advised Perkpolder Beheer on the construction of a housing, leisure, and marina project that included Belgian parties and had a complicated securities and guarantee structure. The group continues to advise Volker Wessels on the Strijp S redevelopment in Eindhoven.

Leading individuals

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Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation

Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation - ranked: tier 4

AKD

AKD’s ‘hands-on’ and ‘outstanding’ practice ‘is really client focused’. Group head Patrick Haas is acting for various legal entities in attempts to shield the assets of Yukos Oil, which was expropriated by the Russian state, from actions on the part of alleged purchasers who bought the assets at fake auctions. Barend de Roy van Zuidewijn and of counsel Marc Goethals, who are acting in the bankruptcy proceedings of Atlantic Marine Services, are also names to note. Eric Koster has been promoted to junior partner.

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EU and competition

EU and competition - ranked: tier 4

AKD

AKD’s department is praised for its ‘open communication’ and its ‘clear and accurate’ advice and 'ensures that actions are promptly taken'. In one highlight, the group is acting for Dutch conservation organisation Vereniging Natuurmonumenten in proceedings brought before the EGC concerning allegations that various Dutch nature conservation organisations received illegal state aid; practice head Pieter Kuypers, who is based in Brussels, is leading on this matter. Senior associate Joost Houdijk is also noted. Kees Jan Kuilwijk, previously counsel at the firm, left for Pactumius, a legal services provider.

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Employment

Employment - ranked: tier 4

AKD

The 'creative' team at AKD 'aims for mitigation as against litigation'. Pieter Huys heads the team and François Defaix and Hans van Mens are other key partners. Senior associate Henrike van de Laar is highlighted for 'thinking with the client to find the most workable solution and being to-the-point'. It is acting for clients in matters such as an investigation under the Foreign Nationals (Employment) Act and in another case, is representing former employees of an international company who claimed exposure to hazardous materials. The matter also involved investigations by the authorities and the Public Prosecution Service.

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Energy: regulatory

Energy: regulatory - ranked: tier 3

AKD

AKD is recommended for its 'deep regulatory knowledge that the team manages to capture in concise and pragmatic legal advice' and for being 'well aware of recent developments of the sector'. The team is headed by Marjolein Dieperink who joined from Houthoff in May 2018. The group draws on experts in energy, transport, environment, and construction; Jan Kromhout, Jos van der Velden, and Gerrit van der Veen are some of the key advisors. The group advised Uniper Benelux on all aspects of its transition from producing electricity in two older power plants to a new plant; it represented the company in several court cases and assisted in drafting various contracts on burning biomass instead of coal.

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Environment and planning

Environment and planning - ranked: tier 1

AKD

A substantial team at AKD advises numerous municipalities, water boards and corporate clients including Aldi and Wacker Chemie on the full range of planning and environmental issues relating to infrastructure projects including those with cross-border aspects. Senior team members include Jos van der Velden, Gerrit van der Veen, Klaas Meersma and Henk Breeman. Hugo Doornhof is advising KFC on complex planning and public policy issues and Marjolein Dieperink has joined the team from Houthoff.

Leading individuals

Next Generation Partners

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Fraud and white-collar crime

Fraud and white-collar crime - ranked: tier 2

AKD

AKD is praised for its ‘thorough knowledge of criminal law combined with tax and financial law, which enhances its ability to deal with complex matters’. The team specialises in financial and economic criminal law cases, with a particular emphasis on corporate, environmental and medical criminal law and cybercrime. Frits Schneider is the key name; he joined in September 2017 from Borg Advocaten, where he was responsible for regulatory law.

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Industry focus: Food

Industry focus: Food - ranked: tier 1

AKD

AKD 'has multiple experts within a lot of disciplines making it easy to get advice' and the team 'is very good at making legal issues comprehensible for food business operators'. It provides a comprehensive service ranging from all the regulations that impact food content and labelling and product safety to commercial contracts, IP and competition law. Senior associate Erik Dans is valued for his 'sharp analysis' and ability to identify 'all the downsides and when it is better to let it go or fight for your business'. Barbara Mutsaers heads the practice and Huib Berendschot offers considerable experience in the food industry from an IP point of view and counts Nestlé and Unilever among his clients. The team assists long-standing client Herbalife with issues relating to IP protection,  media and data protection.

Next Generation Partners

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Insurance

Insurance - ranked: tier 3

AKD

Senior partners Jos van der Meché, Haco van der Houven van Oordt, and  Pieter Den Haan are the leading advisors at AKD which has a notable track record in the transport sector, including marine/cargo disputes, as well as in energy sector. The team's expertise takes in policy advice and disputes involving P&I clubs, hull underwriters, and terminal owners. Much of its work is multi-jurisdictional.

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Intellectual property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights

Intellectual property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights - ranked: tier 3

AKD

AKD is recommended for its strength 'in the field of trade mark enforcement and litigation' and for its 'great understanding of brand protection'. Martin Hemme heads the practice; Peter Claassen, who is cited for being 'very strong on trade mark and trade secrets litigation', and Huib Berendschot are other noted partners. The team's notable clientele includes Richemont International, Nestlé, and Majestic Products for which it takes on portfolio management, anti-counterfeiting work, and IP disputes.

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Private equity

Private equity - ranked: tier 4

AKD

At AKD, the team is 'effective in analyses and negotiations'. In recent work, it acted for Landgoed Oranjewoud Participaties on the acquisition of an iconic hotel from the Bilderberg Group. Nathalie van Woerkom leads the team, which also includes François Koppenol and Lennart Crain, who is 'highly knowledgeable on both legal and financial matters'.

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Project finance and PFI

Project finance and PFI - ranked: tier 3

AKD

AKD serves government and corporate clients on the full range of PPP expertise including construction contracts, real estate, and finance matters. Marc Wintgens, who heads the practice, has a broad of range of finance and construction experience while Taco De Lange has a focus on finance and refinancing matters; he advised Ontwikkelbedrijf Greenport Venlo on all the real estate, construction, and finance issues with regard to the development of Greenport Venlo. The team also includes Julian Versmissen.

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Real estate

Real estate - ranked: tier 2

AKD

The AKD team 'is highly regarded for its inventive expertise which also covers related corporate, environmental, public, and tax issues'. Lead partner Marc Wintgens continues to advise VolkerWessels and Taco De Lange heads a team advising Ontwikkelbedrijf Greenport Venlo.  Julian Versmissen is noted for being 'outstanding' in explaining transactions and Floris van Westrhenen provides 'excellent legal advice' together with 'deal-making and conflict-management' skills. Notary Aukje van Griensven is also a highlighted team member.

Leading individuals

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Restructuring and insolvency

Restructuring and insolvency - ranked: tier 2

AKD

AKD's team 'has a longstanding history, is highly qualified, and has a no-nonsense and pragmatic approach'. Team leader Barend de Roy van Zuidewijn is recommended for his extensive insolvency experience, while Paul Peters, who is noted as being an 'experienced and balanced liquidator', is the bankruptcy trustee in the high-profile bankruptcy of Royal Imtech. Counsel Marc Goethals is also recommended for his 'broad experience as a bankruptcy trustee, working for clients on insolvency issues, and for being a mediator and litigator in recovery cases'.

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Tax

Tax - ranked: tier 4

AKD

AKD’s ‘adaptable’ team provides ‘to the point’ advice and is led by Huub Laauwen. Ivro Vreman handled the tax aspects of IOI Corporation’s €297m divestment of a controlling stake in one of its business units. Robert Jean Kloprogge, who joined in April 2018 from Stibbe, and Jan-Willem Beijk are also singled out. Hans Galavazi was another new arrival; he joined from his own practice. Derk Prinsen is now an independent practitioner.

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Transport

Transport - ranked: tier 1

AKD

AKD has expertise in international transport and offshore energy, with a focus on ship arrest, judicial sales, charter party disputes and marine insurance representation. The firm bolstered its headcount with the arrival of aviation senior associate Maaike Lustenhouwer in December 2017 from Van Traa Advocaten. Haco van der Houven van Oordt jointly heads the group with Jos van der Meché. Pieter Den Haan, Jan Kromhout, Sebastiaan Moolenaar and Annemieke Spijker are also key names.

Leading individuals

Next Generation Partners

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