The Legal 500

Within Arbitration , tier 4

Van Doorne handles commercial and insurance arbitration cases, and Walter Hendriksen and Pieter van Regteren Altena are experienced in ICC and NAI proceedings. Guus Kemperink acts in corporate and M&A disputes.

Within Asset finance and structured finance, Van Doorne is a third tier firm,

Van Doorne focuses on leasing and real estate financings. The team is led by Roel Botter, with Evert Wiggers recently advising Aareal Bank on refinancing commercial properties. Clients include BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, Rabobank and CIT Group.

Within Banking and finance, Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne’s practice head Roel Botter focuses on healthcare sector financing and is ‘responsive, and tuned into the client’s needs’. Botter and Stefan van Rossum are ‘very reliable, smart, always available and have good industry knowledge and technical skills’. Rossum focuses on distressed debts, and recently acted as Dutch counsel to GSO Capital on the Almatis Group restructuring.

Within Capital markets, Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne’s ‘hardworking and service-minded team’ was involved in a number of significant listings and debt notes issues. Harm Uittien is ‘a hands-on team leader’ for equity offerings, and recently acted as lead counsel for Dockwise in its $103m rights issue. Roel Botter and Stefan van Rossum lead on the debt side. The practice was local counsel on listings of Yandex on NASDAQ and Interxion on the NYSE. Senior associate Friso Foppes is ‘a skilled capital markets lawyer’.

Within Commercial litigation , Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne’s ‘no-nonsense team knows when to play hardball and when to be subtle’ in insurance, liability and corporate litigation. It is highly rated for its professional liability expertise, with practice head Walter Hendriksen, Maurits Kalff, Pieter van Regteren Altena and newly promoted partner Annemieke Hendrikse acting for major insurers in D&O cases. Commercial litigator Jasper Leedekerken ‘effectively combines thorough, in-depth legal knowledge with a very hands-on and solutions-driven mentality’.

Within Construction , Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne’s Mark Moolhuizen advised Waterweg Wonen housing corporation on a large-scale residential redevelopment, and is acting for the municipality of Den Helder on DBFMO contract issues regarding a new city hall. Other clients include Meander Medisch Centrum, ROC van Amsterdam and Volker Wessels.

Within Corporate and M&A, Van Doorne is a third tier firm,

Van Doorne ‘provides the personable service of a small organisation but with the professionalism of a large firm’. Recent matters include advising on Dutch law aspects of Arkema’s acquisition of Total’s resins businesses, and acting for the founders of Action Holding on the sale of majority shares to 3i. Practice head Onno Boerstra is ‘a very strong negotiator’. The practice hired Arnout Stroeve from Houthoff Buruma and Jan Willem Schenk from Baker & McKenzie Amsterdam N.V., but Frans-Jozef Crousen and Hans van Ramshorst joined Kennedy Van der Laan.

Within EU and competition , Van Doorne is a third tier firm,

Van Doorne is particularly recommended for public procurement, and ‘draws on specialist knowledge within its team’. Clients include the National Lottery of the Netherlands and Royal Notaries Professional Association. Practice head Sarah Beeston is ‘a specialist in competition law, and very good at seeing the bigger picture’. Gijs Verberne ‘always makes a very good assessment of situations and thinks on a strategic, tactical and personal level together with his clients’.

Within Employment , Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne ‘delivers excellent advice on even the most complex cases’. Els de Wind is well regarded for her EU and cross-border expertise, while Paul Witteveen provides ‘sensitive handling and an intelligent approach’ to matters. Marjolijn Lips is recommended for her respectful and diplomatic approach.

Within Information technology , Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne’s practice head Kees Stuurman leads on outsourcing matters, whereas senior associate Elisabeth Thole focuses on privacy law issues. The practice advised the Dutch state lottery on contract issues regarding a new IT system, and Capgemini on data protection.

Within Insurance , Van Doorne is a first tier firm,

Van Doorne provides ‘a pragmatic approach to complex issues’. Walter Hendriksen leads the team, which also includes Maurits Kalff, who ‘has international experience and commercial acumen’, and newly promoted partner Annemieke Hendrikse, who ‘provides professional, skilful advice’. The practice recently advised insurers in claims against professionals and financial institutions. Clients include Chartis, Hiscox, Zurich and Chubb.

Within Intellectual property , Van Doorne is a third tier firm,

Van Doorne’s ‘extremely capable team’ is led by Remco van Leeuwen, ‘an expert in his field’, who mainly focuses on trade mark and copyright. Clients include Karl Lagerfeld and JD Nederland. Senior associate Karianne Thomas is also recommended.

Within Mediation , Van Doorne is a first tier firm,

Van Doorne’s Saskia Laseur advises government and not-for-profit organisations, while Kees Stuurman focuses on IT and telecoms clients.

Within Private equity , tier 4

Van Doorne’s Onno Boerstra advised shareholders of Action, which was sold to 3i, and acted for the management of retail businesses divested by Maxeda Retail Group. Hans van Ramshorst joined Kennedy Van der Laan.

Within Project finance and PFI, tier 4

Van Doorne’s Mark Moolhuizen is acting for the municipality of Den Helder on its city hall development – the first Dutch project where a local authority, rather than central government, is procuring a DBFM contract. Moolhuizen is also advising consortium bidders for the National Military Museum and the N33 highway project. Stefan van Rossum and Evert Wiggers advise on renewables financing.

Within Real estate , Van Doorne is a third tier firm,

Van Doorne acts for international retailers on acquisitions and developments; not-for-profit organisations on refinancings; and the municipality of Amsterdam on redeveloping the Nieuw West district. Annerie Ploumen and Cees Kniestedt are recommended.

Within Restructuring and insolvency , Van Doorne is a second tier firm,

Van Doorne’s practice is led by Paul Schaink, who focuses on insolvency. Stefan van Rossum handles debt restructurings. The team is court-appointed trustee in the Van der Moolen bankruptcy and acting as Dutch counsel to GSO Capital – the lead investor in the Almatis restructuring.

Within Tax, tier 4

Van Doorne has ‘strong experience in M&A and international transactions’. Practice head Ewout van Asbeck is ‘an excellent lawyer who can make very complicated tax structures look simple. On top of that he is proactive and very service-minded’. Clients include Citibank, Yandex, OAO Lukoil and PPR.