The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Netherlands > Construction

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.

Bommel van der Bend heads the team at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek,  which is valued for its 'commercial knowledge of the industry, excellent services, and very high partner engagement'. Together with Edward van Geuns, van der Bend is leading a team acting for a well-known oil company in a high-stakes arbitration against a subsidiary of PETRONAS at the Asian International Arbitration Centre regarding the construction of a semi-floating production platform. The team also advises a transport client on its procurement and contracting strategies and on a number of disputes. Senior associate Stefan Derksen, who has 'outstanding analytical skills', represents clients in arbitrations and Court of Appeal proceedings.

Houthoff's team and practice head Michel Klijn are highlighted for 'a combination of in-depth knowledge about construction and building projects and legal expertise' and a 'client and results-oriented' approach. The practice, which includes Johan Rijlaarsdam and senior associate Sander van den Boogaart, is backed up by expertise from the real estate, planning, environment, and litigation departments, so offering clients a full service which includes PPPs and financing. The group represents Daimler and Mercedes Benz on the development, construction, and lease of new Dutch headquarters which was complicated due to this being part of a larger project and it is also acting for clients on projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV is judged to be 'unique in its knowledge of the special position of the Dutch public sector and its realistic approach to legal issues' and is well known for its track record representing central and regional government agencies. Mark Birnage heads the practice and led the team advising the Municipality of the Hague on the €14m Spuikwartier concert hall construction project which generated a number of disputes. Some of the standout lawyers include Pieter Stuijt, who combines 'a great sense of humour with extensive knowledge of European procurement law' and 'diplomatic' senior associate Diederik Wolters Rückert 'whose reasoning is impeccable'. Senior associate  Lonneke de Graaf 'fiercely argues pleadings'; Elisa Palm combines 'charm with keen insights into the market'; Christina Muntinghe is also a core member of the team.

The team at Stibbe provides a comprehensive service in respect of major construction projects from the bidding process and financing through to disputes and includes areas such as zoning and environmental issues. The group advises on major transport, industrial, and commercial projects including advising a consortium on the procurement law and contractual issues prior to its winning bid in relation to a major transport infrastructure project; it is also advising a well-known technology company on all aspects of a new data center project. David Orobio de Castro heads the practice; partner Ingmar De Groot led the advice to Holland Casino on the development of a new casino in Amsterdam; senior associates Erik Verweij and Iris Hendriksen are key members of the team.

The practice at Dentons is led by Bas van Schouwenburg, who brings extensive international construction and real estate expertise to his clients, while associate partner Bram Braat is skilled in the area of procurement. This growing team also includes project finance expert Marcel Janssen, Jan Jakob Peelen, who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in January 2018, and recently made up partner Dirk-Jan Gondrie. The team is acting on a number of high-value or high-profile disputes in the energy sectors and is also assisting a number of university clients on building or disputes issues. It is advising Klépierre, the European specialist shopping center on a range of matters including the construction and reconstruction of a retail and five storey underground parking facility as part of the Hoog Catharijne project in Utrecht.

The Loyens & Loeff team is noted for its 'effective communications' and always 'get the job done'. Jurriaan vd Stok 'takes the time for critical thinking', while lead partner Bram Linnartz 'is dedicated, critical, and provides solutions'. Timo Huisman is another noted practitioner. The group brings together real estate and tax expertise on substantial development projects in the residential, commercial, and energy sectors – it advised Astronegy on the development of a large-scale solar park including contractual and permitting issues. The group also assisted a joint venture client on a development comprising office, residential, and commercial buildings.

Daphne Broerse heads the construction team at Norton Rose Fulbright which is acknowledged for its PPP expertise. The group's work includes advising lenders on substantial construction projects and it also advises consortia on matters including tendering procedures, EPC, and project documentation in areas such as transport, infrastructure, and energy. Wouter Hertzberger  heads the project finance department.

The lawyers at Six Advocaten are 'strongly recommended' for their 'vast expertise and knowledge of market developments'. Benno Den Teuling is noted for providing 'spot on services; he is an excellent litigator and trusted advisor'. The practice specialises in construction and real estate law and counts Royal BAM Group and the City of Amsterdam among its clients. In recent work, the team advised on tender and contracting matters in respect of a variety of commercial building projects as well as a range of disputes.

Rotterdam-based Straatman Koster Advocaten is a substantial niche construction and real estate firm that has 'in-depth knowledge of the building industry regulations and law' and also has 'a sharp sense of urgency and the essentials of a case'. Oliver  Vermeulen offers a blend of construction, real estate, and litigation expertise, while Frederik van Nouhuys is recommended for his public procurement and broad construction law experience. Thijs Straatman is advising a group of clients on the development of a project to produce residential, retail, schools, and commercial buildings together with an ecological zone and a new access road. Wilfried Koster and Marinda de Smidt are advising the Municipality of Rotterdam on the Hart van Zuid urban regeneration project.

The team at Van Doorne 'has an eye for risks and opportunities' and is also noted for being able to provide 'answers in other areas of law via one point of contact'. Its client base includes developers, government bodies, hospitals, international investors, and private equity houses. Group head Mark Moolhuizen 'is a skilled lawyer with an eye for justice and efficiency and thinks about the best solution for the parties involved'. Moolhuizen's work includes advising Radboud University Medical Centre on the procurement and construction of a new hospital building. The team is also handling a range of mandates on the development of student housing and high-value arbitrations.

Clifford Chance is well known for its project financing capabilities, which it combines with corporate and construction expertise. Hein Tonnaer and Liesbeth Buiter led a team that was sponsor and project counsel advising Blauwwind on an offshore wind farm project. The team also advised Encavis on the purchase of two solar parks which included the construction, off-take, and operation of the parks.

The CMS team is led by Jeroen Berlage and Arno Moret, the latter is known for his arbitration and litigation skills and his work includes advising BAM on the construction, insurance, and health and safety issues in relation to the collapse of the newly built parking facility at Eindhoven Airport.

The 'hands-on' team at DLA Piper is led by Hans-Mark Giezen and Janet Meesters, who joined the practice from Houthoff in June 2018. Meesters, who can 'bring parties together in negotiations and of course gives great practical advice' provides procurement and construction expertise to clients in the infrastructure, waste management, energy, and education sectors. The team is advising RED on the development of what is called the thinnest residential tower in Europe located in Rotterdam. The group is advising on the civil law and public aspects of the acquisition of the land and the construction agreement.

Kennedy Van der Laan has a track record in the construction sector, including expertise with architecture, real estate, and procurement law and increasingly large commercial projects. Richard Jan Roks and Nico Jacobs co-head the team; Roks has a strong healthcare client roster and Jacobs has a focus on the leisure industry; he advised Wenzhou Tongyong Locks on the purchase agreement and construction matters in respect of the proposed Olympic Hotel in Amsterdam. The team also advised the Port of Amsterdam on solar matters including the procurement procedure and construction contracts in respect of the installation of rooftop solar panels.

At Lexence, construction, real estate, and leasing experts provide assistance to clients ranging from investment funds and banks to developers, housing corporations, and public bodies. The practice's client roster includes Rabo Real Estate Group, Volker Wessels, Dura Vermeer, and CBRE Global Investors. In recent work, the team advised a client on aspects of the construction of a complex, mixed-use project involving residential, retail, and underground parking facilities. Ferry van Schoonhoven and Bob Bekker are the senior partners supported by leasing expert Jan-Willem Raadgever.

At NautaDutilh, David van Ee specialises in PPPs, infrastructure, and real estate, and advised the lenders to the winning consortium, LEVVEL, on the €869m Afsluitdijk project which involves major reinforcement of the dyke and development of the surrounding area. The team, which includes senior partners David Van Dijk and Anne-Marie Klijn handles large-scale PPPs in the infrastructure and industrial spaces in addition to commercial and mixed use developments.

Simmons & Simmons provides expertise across project development, tenders, and construction litigation and arbitration, together with project finance. The team advised the Connect Rotterdam consortium on its bid in respect of the A16 road projects. The advice included procurement, permitting, and corporate structuring matters, in addition to the finance element. The practice is also advising the German solar company PfalzSolar on the development of all of its various rooftop and greenfield solar projects in the Netherlands. Luc Cohen heads the real estate and construction department and managing associate Andrea Chao is a noted team member.