Allen & Overy LLP’s highly regarded employment team provides advice around a broad range of employment, pensions and benefits matters. Handling both contentious and non-contentious issues, the practice is no stranger to litigation and also handles compliance, cross-border reorganisations, and collective bargaining and works council matters. Clients range from Dutch-listed companies to international corporations and financial institutions. Suzanne Sikkink heads the team and has a strong track record in executive remuneration and incentive schemes, whilst Arnold Keizer focuses on contentious processes. Chelsea Gunning joined as associate from Bird & Bird in January 2021.
Employment in Netherlands
Allen & Overy LLP
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Arnold Keizer; Chelsea Gunning Frank Doornik; Sander Schouten
Testimonials
‘The advice given is not only of the highest professional quality and timely, it is also geared to help clients achieve their business objectives’.
‘One of the strength of the team is their efficiency in dealing with clients’ matters, their understanding of the business needs, and the criticality of finding pragmatic solutions to complex employment and works council issues’.
‘Suzanne Sikkink is extremely efficient and reliable, she is very approachable and extremely responsive to clients’ demands’.
‘Suzanne Sikkink sees every issue arising as a solution in the making and is great to work with’.
‘Sander Schouten has deep knowledge of European remuneration legislation and is able to translate that in practical consequences’.
‘Arnold Keizer is exceptional in terms of the prompt, business relevant and professional advice he gives’.
‘The employment law team are 24-7 on the ball’.
‘Driving smooth implementation of our worldwide equity plans, and providing great assistance with our executive employment contracts and services agreement’.
Key clients
Aegon
Alliander
Apollo Vredestein
ArcelorMittal
Athora
Bencis
Capital Group
CBA
DSM
Euronext
FedEx/TNT
Fokker
HERE
ING
JP Morgan
KLM
KPN
Liberty Global
LeasePlan
SHV Holdings
Van Lanschot Kempen
Wolters Kluwer
Work highlights
- Advised Apollo Vredestein on its much publicised restructuring and collective dismissal.
- Represented Royal IHC on its state led bailout and related HR aspects.
- Advised Jumbo on employment, works council, governance and insurance aspects of the much publicised acquisition and financing of HEMA.
BarentsKrans
BarentsKrans fields ‘a very competent team, which is easy to reach and swift in its replies’. The team focuses on high profile contentious matters and handles litigation in the Appeals Court and Supreme Court. Max Keulaerds and Laurens De Graaf head the practice, with Keulaerds recommended for high stakes litigation and transfer of undertakings (protection of employment) (TUPE) matters. De Graaf handles a wide range of employment issues, including reorganisations and collective dismissals, works council negotiations and equal pay disputes, and acts for clients in the transport, banking, oil and gas, construction and software development sectors. Senior associate Frank Dekker is also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The practice distinguishes itself by thinking in solutions and not in problems’.
‘They are flexible and customer-oriented’.
‘In-depth knowledge of the sector, the issues affecting us, and how the legal issues they deal with could impact our business’.
‘Laurens de Graaf is a superb litigator, ever-prepared, razor sharp and fights to defend our company like its his own’.
‘Major experience in international schools’.
‘Up-to-date knowledge on the Covid-19 pandemic, related implications, plus newsletters with Covid regulations updates’.
‘The contact is very personal, open and strictly confidential’.
‘They have a true personal touch through their communication’.
Key clients
Deliveroo
ABN AMRO Bank
Ryanair
Selecta Netherlands B.V.
Canon Production Printing
SBM Offshore
Saudi Aramco
BASF Vegetable Seeds (Nunhems)
Technip Energies
McDermott
Remondis
VDL Nedcar
AEGON
Achmea
ARLANXEO
Work highlights
- Representing Deliveroo in litigation at the Appeals Court and Supreme Court level, in relation to (i) employment status of riders, (ii) applicability of the CLA for Road Transport and (iii) mandatory participation in the Pension Fund for the Road Transport Industry.
- Representing 116 Martinair pilots in a TUPE case against KLM, essentially challenging the basic premise of the ECJ Oy Liikenne case (C-172/99). After dismissal of the claims by the Lower Court and Appeals Court of Amsterdam, the Supreme Court reversed and ordered a retrial, which was recently ruled upon in favour of the pilots by the The Hague Appeals Court.
- Representing FNV in the ECJ proceedings regarding the status of the Heiploeg group pre-pack takeover under the Acquired Rights Directive.
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
‘A top-notch practice with the necessary expertise to advise on all types of employment-related issues’, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek is well known in the market for high-profile litigation in the Supreme Court. On the non-contentious side, the practice handles the HR and co-determination aspects of domestic and global M&A transactions; and on the contentious side, it is active in industrial actions, mass claims and #metoo matters, among others. Stefan Sagel co-heads the team acts for companies, individual employees and trade unions in the Supreme Court. Barbara Kloppert, who jointly heads the team, handles works redundancies, remuneration and pensions matters.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘De Brauw have a strong practice with Stefan Sagel focusing on employment litigation and advisory matters and Barbara Kloppert doing a great job on primarily M&A transaction support’.
‘Stefan Sagel is an authority in his field of Supreme Court employment litigation’.
‘Barbara Kloppert is collaborative and a team player in working together on the complex employment aspects of M&A’.
‘Excellent legal advice’.
‘Willingness to consider alternative fee arrangements’.
‘The team is able to balance really well between legal boundaries, pragmatism and the company viewpoint’.
‘Always available, quick turnaround and very reasonable on the billing of small issues’.
‘We speak the same language and that makes our relationship special and brings the outcome of our discussion to the next level’.
Key clients
Priceline.com Incorporated
Optiver Holding B.V.
Tata Steel Nederland B.V.
Uber
eBay Inc.
Royal Dutch Shell
SBM Offshore
BAM
Leaseplan
Hema B.V.
JustEat Takeaway.com
Friesland Campina
TPG Pace
Fugro
Unilever
Philips
NXP
Achmea
Volksbank
Rabobank
Nissan
Work highlights
- Advising Nissan in high profile proceedings before the Amsterdam District Court between Nissan-Mitsubishi B.V. and international fugitive Carlos Ghosn.
- Advising Hema on all aspects of consultation and employment-related matters with regard to its sale to a 50/50 consortium of Parcom and Mississippi Ventures.
- Advising on a large-scale reorganisation (1000 employees) of Booking.com’s operation in the Netherlands as a consequence of the Covid-crisis, including assistance in drafting and negotiating a social plan with the trade unions and assistance in the co-determination aspects of the reorganisation.
Houthoff
Houthoff is well regarded for its specialist experience in strategic issues, boardroom counselling and litigation. Advising both domestic and international companies, the firm has recently been involved in a number of large international reorganisations and acts for both employers and employees. The practice stands out for its pensions expertise and it also handles high profile dismissals and remuneration issues. Edward de Bock heads the team and has considerable experience in advising on the pension aspects of M&A and joint ventures. Rixt de Vries left for Tshukudu Advocatuur.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Edward de Bock was a perfect advisor for a delicate employment matter’.
‘Edward de Bock was at the same time strong, cool headed and sensitive to the client’s emotions’.
‘I found Edward de Bock to be a perfect negotiator on my behalf, always taking care of my best interests as a client, in full respect of the mandate and values that we had discussed’.
‘Edward de Bock was supported by a strong technical team, which was very reassuring’.
‘I found that the firm had impeccable reactivity’.
‘Edward de Bock has huge experience, maturity and keeps a cool head and a sense of humour, while being a tough negotiator on the client’s behalf’.
‘Naomi Dempsey is a strong technical expert’.
‘Different specialties that work well altogether to deliver the most suitable and practical answers’.
Key clients
Hearst Netherlands
Danone/Nutricia
Landal GreenParks
Tata Steel Nederland
Renewi
Royal IHC
Various large automotive import companies
Royal VolkerWessels
Unibail Rodamco Westfield
HEMA
Samsung Electronics Airconditioning
BNG
DAS Rechtsbijstand
Pensionfund ABN Amro
Work highlights
- Advising TATA Steel in relation to a reorganisation.
- Advising Danone in relation to all employment law aspects of a global reorganisation in the Netherlands.
- Advising InsingerGilissen on the Dutch employment and codetermination aspects of a cross-border merger.
Stibbe
‘Service-oriented, very accessible, pleasant to work with and always available’, Stibbe’s employment, pensions and incentives team acts for large international brands on a broad range of employment matters. With a strong track record in strategic boardroom issues, the practice also handles disputes and litigation, and employment-related transactional matters. The team is headed by Jaap van Slooten , Paul Vestering and Astrid Helstone . Van Slooten specialises in collective disputes and pensions; Helstone handles executive terminations, works council issues and restructurings; whilst vestering is recommended for pensions and corporate governance.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Stibbe’s employment law team consists of absolute experts in their field’.
‘Top-notch employment advice, leading in the field of compensation and benefits’.
‘Astrid Helstone is the go-to person for any advice on complex regulatory compensation and benefits matters’.
‘They are able to tackle complex issues in a wide range of employment law areas’.
‘They know our company well and have an eye for our needs’.
‘Jaap van Slooten is one of the top lawyers in the Netherlands in the field of employment law’.
‘Jaap van Slooten has an eye for details, but does not lose sight of the bigger picture’.
‘Paul Vestering is always available and we can consult him any time’.
Key clients
ABN AMRO
KLM (part of Air France KLM)
NS (Dutch Railway)
Albert Heijn
Basic Fit
IBM
Uber
Helpling
G-Star
LeasePlan
Bureau Clara Wichmann
Work highlights
- Advising Uber on strategic issues and representing it in proceedings issued by the trade union FNV.
- Successfully filed an objection with the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs against the mandatory application of the fashion collective labour agreement for G-Star.
- Advising LeasePlan on several strategic COVID-19 employment law related matters.
Baker McKenzie
Baker McKenzie has a broad employment practice, which covers everything from senior executive dismissals to large global reorganisations, and acts for both employers and employees. It often advises large multinational businesses on collective dismissals, restructurings, fraud, compliance, and works councils and trade union negotiations. The firm has recently seen an uptick in instructions relating to #metoo and workplace bullying. The practice is jointly led by Mirjam de Blécourt , Daniëlle Pinedo and Remke Scheepstra , who all have considerable experience in complex litigation.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Astellas
Abbott
Agilent Technologies
Bergman Clinics
Ecolab
Eli Lilly
ENGIE
Novo Nordisk
Loyens & Loeff
Loyens & Loeff fields a team of ‘highly skilled and experienced lawyers’, and advises on a broad spectrum of employment matters. It is particularly experienced in advising on the employment aspects of international M&A deals, and also handles high-profile dismissals, restructurings, pensions, taxes and immigration matters. The practice is led by Hermine Voûte and Klaas Wiersma , who is recommended for sensitive matters, such as litigation relating to the dismissal of executive-level management. Senior associate Laurie Kuijpers is recommended for pensions work, including contentious matters.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Klaas Wiersma and his team are extremely knowledgeable about the law and even better at understanding how to apply it for the particular matter at hand’.
‘I am specifically impressed with Klaas Wiersma’s ability to make our issues his own’.
‘Super-pragmatic, with hands-on experience’.
‘The Loyens & Loeff team made my case a priority and went above and beyond to ensure I had the support, advice and counsel needed with the right level of expertise in the areas required’.
‘They were fully committed, transparent and gave me full confidence that the actions we were taking were the right ones’.
‘Klaas Wiersma is extremely responsive and combines in-depth legal knowledge with a pragmatic hands-on approach’.
‘I worked directly with Klaas Wiersma, who was and is, incredibly knowledgeable, responsive, solution oriented, innovative, caring, compassionate and no doubt, has unquestionable integrity’.
‘Klaas Wiersma was always there when needed, able to build relationships quickly, and able to get to the root issues and challenges in a respectful and transparent way’.
Key clients
AEGON
Aon
Banijay
Bloomberg
BMW
BNP Paribas
Chanel
Euronext
EY
FrieslandCampina
Kerry Ingredients
Nouryon
Athora
Work highlights
- Advised Vivendi on several important restructuring steps within the Universal Music Group (deal value EUR 3bn), including the employment law aspects.
- Advised a majority group of senior secured bondholders of HEMA B.V. on the conditional agreement between HEMA B.V. and these bondholders for the acquisition of HEMA B.V. by a 50/50 consortium of Parcom and Mississippi Ventures, including all remuneration aspects concerning the management of HEMA B.V.
- Advised Banijay Group following its acquisition in July 2020 of Endemol Shine Group (ESG), including all employment aspects of the integration.
Bird & Bird
Sitting within the firm’s wider international employment, benefits, pension and business immigration group, Bird & Bird’s broad practice acts for domestic and international clients on cross-border projects. It has particular experience in outsourcings, corporate transactions, restructurings and litigation. Key client sectors include pharmaceutical, IT, media, retail, tobacco, and aviation and defence. Philip Hartman heads the team and is recommended for strategic HR-legal consulting, investigations and boardroom terminations.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Swift and correct advice’.
‘Very approachable firm’.
‘Philip Hartman has a very pragmatic approach to the subject matter’.
‘Philip Hartman is very knowledgeable’.
‘You feel that you are in good hands when Philip Hartman gives support’.
Key clients
Philip Morris
Royal Conservatoire and Academy of Art
Asics
Work highlights
- Advising Philip Morris on the wrap-up of a German plant restructuring and also domestic employment matters.
Clifford Chance
The Clifford Chance employment and pensions team is ‘very knowledgeable, provides practical and to the point advice and is always available’. The team is well versed in M&A-related employment work and cross-border reorganisations and restructurings. It also handles boardroom advice, remuneration policies, investigations, disputes with works councils and litigation. Floris Van De Bult heads the practice in Amsterdam and co-heads the firm’s global employment practice.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘High level of knowledge and problem-solving skills’.
‘They have outstanding knowledge in the field of remuneration restrictions’.
‘Fantastic support on long-term incentive plans’.
‘The employment practice has a strong team of lawyers that complement each other’.
‘The employment team always provides fast responses and supports me on various topics’.
‘Floris van de Bult is an outstanding lawyer; very hands-on and on the ball’.
‘Floris van de Bult is really pragmatic and always adds value to strategic decisions at C-level’.
‘The team knows our business and internal stakeholders very well, which makes them a good sparring partner on complicated issues’.
Key clients
Naspers / Prosus
Aegon
Adyen
HES International
MarketAxess
HSBC
Pon
Dedalus
Mizuho Bank
Stichting Pensioenfonds Vliegend Personeel KLM
OBA
NSI
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Building Materials Europe
City of Rotterdam
Triple B.V.
The Blackstone Group
Parcom
Work highlights
- Advised OBA, a portfolio company of Macquarie and Goldman Sachs operating in the Port of Amsterdam, on downsizing and restructuring its business and a mass lay off of almost 40% of its employees, negotiations with the works council and trade unions and successfully defended OBA in subsequent litigation against its works council at the specialist Amsterdam High Court.
- Successfully represented Blackstone portfolio companies BME/BMN in appeal proceedings against the mandatory industry-wide pension fund for the trade in building materials (HiBiN), which resulted in BME//BMN being able to continue to benefit from certain exemptions in relation to the mandatory industry-wide pension fund.
- Advised Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LLP on the employment and pensions aspects of its acquisition of Roompot Group from PAI Partners and, within the same year, on the (envisaged) acquisition of Landal GreenParks from Platinum Equity.
DLA Piper
The DLA Piper team is ’highly competent, very responsive and provides excellent service’. A part of the international firm's huge global network, it handles cross-border restructuring and the employment aspects of M&A deals, as well as contentious matters. Hélène Bogaard heads the practice and has considerable experience in advising US clients with a presence in Europe. Johan Zwemmer was promoted to partner in May 2021 and is recommended for flexible workforce employment matters.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Their availability is great and they are very responsive’.
‘During the pandemic they were amazing at sending updates that were generally very useful’.
‘Hélène Bogaard is a particularly strong legal professional.’
‘Hélène Bogaard is very aware and on top of all that is employment law, while she also remains very approachable and human’.
‘Erik Lutjens is an excellent lawyer, very reliable, and it’s a pleasure to work with him’.
‘Johan Zwemmer has great employment law knowledge, knows our business and way of working and has a pragmatic approach’.
‘Always quick and sharp responses that are exact and to-the-point’.
‘Johan Zwemmer is a very easy going and empathetic lawyer’.
Key clients
Crawford
Deloitte
EI AI
Fox-IT
G4S
NetApp
Onyx Power Group
PVH
Software One
TalpaNetwork
Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP
Work highlights
- Advising the Onyx Power Group on the employment law aspects of the closing of the coal-fired power plant in Rotterdam (Power Plant Rotterdam) in exchange for a subsidy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
- Advising the industry-wide pension fund for the Dutch road haulage sector on the court ruling – and appeal proceedings – that Deliveroo is active in the road haulage sector and therefore must pay pension contributions
- Advised Fortissimo Capital on the acquisition of a majority stake of Sanquin Plasma Products B.V. (the sole Dutch manufacturer of abroad range of medicines derived from blood plasma) from the Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, a Dutch non-profit organization responsible for the blood supply in the Netherlands.
Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V.
Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V.‘s employment, labour and pensions group is split between Amsterdam and Rotterdam and handles a range of cross-border work for high-profile international clients. It has notable experience in employment matters relating to M&A, reorganisations and works council matters. Ingrid Van Berkel retired in May 2021, while Anique Bitterlich was promoted to partner and now heads the team alongside Eric Bergamin, Wijnand Blom and Marieke Koster.
Practice head(s):
Anique Bitterlich; Eric Bergamin; Wijnand Blom ; Marieke Koster
Testimonials
‘They take time to understand the business and provide easy to understand advice’.
‘We value their client care skills, their ability to converse in English as an international client, their responsiveness and attention to detail’.
‘Despite the fact that they are outside counsel to us, it feels they have become part of our company’.
‘For an an external law firm, they know well and understand our business, are easy to reach and give us fast and practical advice’.
‘We trust and rely on their advice and appreciate their fast response, availability and flexibility’.
‘They have a very good understanding of our business and processes and are able to communicate and deal with the various levels, functions and complexity that is inherent to our (international) corporation’.
‘Their team is excellent and they are always available’.
‘They explain things in a way that is easy to understand, giving the pros and cons of each option so that you can make an informed decision’.
Key clients
Expedia Group
Netjets Management Ltd.
Juniper Networks
AMEX GBT
G4S
IDEXX Laboratories
Duravant, LLC
ScanSource
Brady
Pension Fund AVH
ib vogt
Rockwell Automation
Owens & Minor
Baird Capital
Bystronic Laser AG
Kennedy Van der Laan
Kennedy Van der Laan’s employment offering is ‘very professional and down to earth’ and handles a range of contentious and non-contentious matters. Soo-Ja Schijf has a track record of work for international clients concerning collective redundancies and outsourcing; Chris Nekeman is experienced in negotiations with trade unions and is no stranger to litigation; and Ester Damen is recommended for data protection-related employment work.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is well attuned to each other and knows the client well’.
‘In terms of substantive knowledge, the team keeps each other sharp’.
‘Chris Nekeman is able to provide clear and practically applicable advice’.
‘Chris Nekeman is not only an ideal sparring partner, but also a reliable co-architect of a well thought-out, legally sound and practically applicable action plan’.
‘Soo-ja Schijf is a great person, very professional and knowledgeable and at the same time pleasant to work with’.
‘Working with KVDL is pleasant because there is a lot of different expertise in-house’.
‘This is a well-oiled machine that prioritises communication and cooperation, both internally and with clients’.
‘I enjoy working with Ester Damen because she always thinks with me, always brings the latest developments to my attention and keeps me sharp with a good sense of humour’.
Key clients
European Works Council IBM
GKN Aerospace
Central Works Council IBM
Microsoft
Nike
Syngenta
Unisys
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Rabobank
VodafoneZiggo
Work highlights
- Representing Rabobank in litigation against multiple employees arising from a disagreement over changes to the company’s car leasing arrangements.
- Advised GKN Aerospace and its shareholder Melrose Industries PLC on the Dutch law aspects of the share transaction of all shares in several Fokker legal entities and have advised in the consultation process with the works council and trade unions.
- Advised Tata Communications in an international collective redundancy project due to a relocation of part of its business from the Netherlands to India.
NautaDutilh
NautaDutilh‘s ‘highly skilled and experienced team’ has a strong focus on works council matters and also senior executive contracts and dismissals. The practice is also active on the employment aspects of M&A deals, and also handles a range of contentious matters. Homme Ten Have leads the employment group and is well versed in reorganisations, employee consultation rights and corporate governance matters. Gijs Van Nes left for an in-house role at LeasePlan in March 2021.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Highly skilled and experienced team’.
‘Their business acumen is much appreciated’.
‘They focus on results, with the right amount of pressure’.
‘Solid social and business skills’.
‘The team we work with feels like a business partner’.
‘They really are willing to get together and work on a solution’.
‘The response on e-mails is always very quick and professional’.
‘The people we work with are very knowledgeable, easy to work with and hands-on’.
Key clients
Municipality of Amsterdam
Achmea
Triodos Bank
MUFG Bank
Boston Consulting Group
Deloitte
Pathé Theatres
UTC
Upfield
Allseas
Petrobras
Shell
McDermott
Nouryon
Total
Erasmus University
Central works council of LeasePlan
Works council of PARK NOW
Works council of EasyJet
Works council of Visma | Raet
OC&C
Europe Combined Terminals
Gunvor
PZEM
Work highlights
- Advising a range of companies and foreign law firms on works council matters.
- Advising professional services firms on day-to-day labour law matters and partner exits.
- Advising Uniport Multipurpose Terminals on a collective redundancy.
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV has ‘a unique understanding of labour law within the public sector’ and is recommended for both contentious and non-contentious matters. Its broad practice offers expertise in pensions, reorganisations, disputes with works councils, fraud and whistleblower cases. Ruben van Arkel heads the team and is well regarded in the market for his experience in the field of equal treatment.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The Pels Rijcken team has shown that they can deploy employees flexibly and that they can respond to the needs of the client, without compromising the quality of their service’.
‘The lawyers act with integrity in their communication.’
‘Erika Wies provides patience and enthusiasm, and is able to get all relevant information about a case from the client’.
‘Excellent legal skills, speedy response, always accessible, and a great sense of the context in which they give legal advice’.
‘They have always delivered excellent legal advice and stand out performances in court’.
‘They are highly recommended whether legal advice is needed or litigation has to take place’.
‘Ruben van Arkel is a great communicator, strategic thinker and a brilliant legal mind’.
‘Ruben van Arkel has the ability to break down complex legal issues and to give clear and understandable advice about those issues’.
Key clients
Jacobs
KPN
McDonalds
State of the Netherlands (including the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Security and Justice)
Municipality of Arnhem
Survitec
Several Dutch universities, including TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam
Municipality of Amsterdam and Rotterdam
Mambu
OneFit
Work highlights
- Assisted the State of Netherlands in a claim started by a number of military personnel, with the support of the union VBM.
- Assisted KPN during the negotiation process on pension related topics with strategic advice and assisted with formalizing the agreements reached in the pension scheme and the administration agreement between KPN and its pension fund.
- Serving as the trusted advisor of the McDonalds franchise owners regarding employment law issues, such as participation rights, sexual harassment, matters concerning ill employees and their rehabilitation.
Van Doorne
Van Doorne’s multi-disciplinary employment and pensions team is well regarded for cross-border reorganisations, restructuring and M&A matters. The practice also has strength in pensions work, as well as contentious matters. Els de Wind and Marjolijn Lips head the group, with de Wind bringing 35 years of experience in litigation, works council and governance matters. Steven Sterk, who was promoted to partner in January 2021, has considerable experience in the healthcare and life sciences sector. Senior associate Cara Pronk advises on European and international employment law.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Their extensive knowledge of the Dutch legal framework and hands-on experience with relevant legal proceedings ensures that they not only look at the legal facts but also at the people involved on both sides’.
‘Steven Sterk quickly understands not only the legal framework that covers the specific issue but also the emotions involved on all sides’.
‘They deliver quickly, without compromising the quality of the service’.
‘Steven Sterk is very involved, accessible, knowledgeable and always comes up with creative practical solutions’.
‘Marjolijn Lips provides brilliant advice that can be applied readily in the real world’.
‘Els de Wind has a reputation that she gained on the field and is for sure a leading practitioner of labour law not only in Europe but globally’.
‘I have been always satisfied with their responsiveness, pragmatism and capabilities’.
‘Marjolijn Lips is technically outstanding, she perfectly understands the problem and rapidly finds a solution’.
Key clients
Deen Holding Hoorn B.V.
DAMCO Aluminium Delfzijl Coöperatie U.A.
Yolt (an ING Bank N.V. venture)
Arcadis N.V.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group A.S.
Easy Park AB
Hypotheek Visie
Mediq
Yandex.Taxi
KPMG N.V.
Infor
JCDecaux
Stella Fietsen Holding B.V.
Getir
Balenciaga
Intel
Kering
Tradition (Compagnie Financière Tradition S.A.)
Stichting Gelre Ziekenhuizen
Hawthorne Gardening Company
SABIC Pension Fund (Stichting Pensioenfonds SABIC)
Pension fund for the Dutch Postal Service (Stichting Pensioenfonds PostNL)
TNT Express Pension Fund (Stichting Pensioenfonds TNT Express)
Pension Fund for the Notarial Sector (Stichting Pensioenfonds Notariaat)
Hewlett-Packard Pension Fund (Stichting Pensioenfonds Hewlett-Packard Nederland)
Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank N.V.)
PME pension fund for the metal and engineering sector (Stichting Pensioenfonds van de Metalektro)
ING Pension Fund (Stichting Pensioenfonds ING)
Pension fund for the notarial sector (Stichting Pensioenfonds Notariaat)
SNS REAAL Pensioenfonds (Stichting Pensioenfonds SNS REAAL)
Work highlights
- Advising DEEN on an agreement with Albert Heijn, Vomar Voordeelmarkt and DekaMarkt, relating to the proposed sale of all 80 store branches of DEEN Supermarkten to these three parties.
- Advising on the reshaping and restructuring of different sets of Mediq employment terms and conditions for various categories of employees.
- Acting as one of the few preferred litigators of the Dutch Central Bank in pensions matters.
AKD
‘Highly reliable, with deep knowledge and a practical attitude’, AKD handles a range of employment work for large international and smaller domestic companies. Pieter Huys heads the practice and is recommended for dismissals, reorganisations, TUPE, fraud, and non-competition and confidentiality clauses. Conny Staudt joined from Maes Staudt Lawyers.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The AKD employment practice stands out for its pragmatism and approachability’.
‘Pascal van Schaik stands out in speed when it comes to his analysis and services’.
‘Highly business oriented, their advice is promptly submitted and allows solutions of great value’.
‘The overall service is very good, the response time is short, and they have good knowledge of the business and provide good value for money’.
‘Pieter Huys is a good listener and asks the right questions; he is my go to person with complicated legal matters’.
‘Pieter Huys is always easy to reach and available to talk to within a day’.
‘AKD’s performance is outstanding as it always provides instant and reliable feedback in a very client focused manner’.
‘Marielle van Winden-Spaans has been my main point of contact and she’s been wonderful; very proactive, and has made herself available as needed, even outside of working hours’.
Key clients
General Electric
JCDecaux
Boskalis
LG Electronics
Mitsubishi
Korean Airlines
Nielsen Company
Dupont de Nemours
Deloitte
China Southern Airlines
Port of Rotterdam Authority
Pantos
Work highlights
- Advised Quadient on the employment aspects of the sale of its Automated Packaging Solutions (APS) business to Standard Investment.
- Advising Buck Design on employment and immigration matters.
- Advising Unifeeder A/S, Samskip B.V, Eucon Shipping & Transport Ltd and X-pressContainer Line UK Ltd ) in several court cases started by several unions.
Bronsgeest Deur Advocaten
Bronsgeest Deur Advocaten handles a broad range of employment matters, including a range of contentious matters, individual and collective redundancies, negotiations with trade unions and collective labour law. Cathelijn Derks joined as partner from Sterc arbeidsrecht advocaten in March 2021 and now heads the team alongside Philip Nabben, Benjamin Vaandrager and Hylda Wiarda.
Practice head(s):
Cathelijn Derks; Philip Nabben; Benjamin Vaandrager; Hylda Wiarda
Testimonials
‘The firm in general has always been ready to support us, providing a fast and good service when needed on short notice’.
‘Helpful, friendly and approachable’.
‘Close to the business with a strong communication and forward thinking’.
‘Bronsgeest Deur is very strong in client interaction and able to be a true business partner when it comes to tackling very sensitive employment legislation situation, such as dealing with works councils and unions’.
‘The team is very customer oriented and available’.
‘They provided efficient and professional employment law advice to our company’.
‘Their advice has always a solid legal foundation, but is very pragmatic at the same time’.
‘Philip Nabben is an excellent employment lawyer who has helped our organisation in solving extremely difficult and sensitive situations’.
Key clients
Johnson&Johnson
McDonald’s Netherlands
AB-Inbev
Michael Page
Lenovo
Lufthansa Cargo
Canon Europe
WeTransfer
Air Liquide Medical
I-SEC
DS Smith
Ariston Thermo Group
Coca Cola
Viacom
Lego
CHC Helicopters
Meyn Food Processing
CMS
CMS is particularly active in the sports, energy, life sciences and consumer products sectors; the team has recently handled a number of major international restructurings and reorganisations. Katja Van Kranenburg-Hanspians and Michiel Van Dijk head the practice, which has been fielding a series of COVID-19-related instructions in recent months, while it also has the capacity to handle contentious matters for high-profile international clients.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Direct contact with lawyers who handle the case’.
‘Hands-on and practical’.
Key clients
Coty
Terex
Stichting Open Nederland
BMC Software
Accor Hotels Services
TJX
Royal Ahrend
Work highlights
- Advised Coty on the sale of its professional beauty and retail hair businesses, including all employment and pensions law matters.
- Supported Accor Hotels Services with a restructuring impacting a number of roles in the Netherlands as part of a large global restructuring.
- Advised Spanish shipping and tug boat group Boluda Towage in the acquisition of Iskes Towage & Salvage, including employment matters.
Dentons
Under the leadership of Eugenie Nunes, the employment team at Dentons continues to handle a broad range of pensions and employment work, with a focus on matters relating to M&A and restructuring work. With the substantial resources provided by its vast international network, the firm is well placed to handle cross-border mandates for large international businesses.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Client-focused, knowledgeable, fast in delivery, approachable’.
‘Eugenie Nunes is business-oriented, practical and efficient’.
‘The team of lawyers respond quick whenever I am in need of advice’.
‘They make me feel secure in every matter I have, and they have shown to always get the best result for me as a client’.
‘Johanne Boelhouwer is an exceptional lawyer due to her her approachable demeanour and expertise’.
‘They all have their own expertise, but are always well informed in the team’.
‘The cooperation with Eugenie Nunes brings in value to the business in terms of reliable advice for both day-to-day and complex matters’.
‘The collaboration was very good and smooth’.
Key clients
AXA
ATAI Life Sciences
Regus
CBRE
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Spectrum Brands
Citco
McArthurglen
The Student Hotel
Spencer Stuart
Champion Petfoods
Hertz
Apple
European Space Agency
Cushman & Wakefield
Work highlights
- Advised Spectrum Brands to coordinate in the Netherlands the full range of employment matters with respect to the Dutch business of Spectrum Brands following the reorganization and divestment of its European pet food business and factory to United Petfood Producers NV.
- Advised ATAI Life Sciences on the Dutch employment aspects in relation to the preparation of its IPO on the NASDAQ.
- Assisted Nasdaq listed clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company MyoKardia with starting up their business in the Netherlands.
Hogan Lovells International LLP
Hogan Lovells International LLP’s employment practice is ‘doing great local work and is at the same time well embedded into its international offering’. The team is noted for handling cross-border restructuring projects for large multinational clients. Anita de Jong heads the team and is recommended for M&A and outsourcing transactions.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Anita de Jong and her team members are available 24/7’.
‘Anita de Jong is a very experienced and energetic professional who is results oriented’.
‘The team is aligned on all matters and can jump in when partners are not available’.
‘The partners are always providing out of the box ideas which is required in our business and they can adapt where needed’.
‘Anita de Jong understands our business, connects overall cases and is a great personality to work with’.
‘Anita de Jong is very flexible in order to secure all interests’.
‘They provided instant feedback on questions and anticipate upcoming issues’.
‘International clients can be assured that, next to local advice relevant to the Netherlands, they will be kept in the loop on overarching, multi-national or regional developments’.
Key clients
Choice Hotels International, Inc.
Dell B.V.
Brown-Forman Netherlands B.V.
Diligent Corp
Howmet Europe Sarl
PVH Corp.
Work highlights
- Advising Choice Hotels on all sorts of measures to mitigate the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 crisis (changes of management, restructurings and other measures).
- Advising Dell on all employment aspects of the sale of the RSA-business of Dell to a consortiumled private-equity firm Symphony Technology Group (STG).
- Advising Howmet on the establishment of a European Works Council and the Euroforumagreement to be concluded with the EWC and assisting the client during European WorksCouncils information and consultation procedures on layoffs in a number of jurisdictions.
Lexence
Lexence fields a ‘service minded, accessible and practical’ team which handles a range of employment matters under the collective leadership of Mark Keuss, Judith Schulp, Floor Damen and Frank ter Huurne . Damen has considerable experience in advising companies on collective and individual dismissals, TUPE and employee co-determination matters, while Schulp leads on disputes. Lucas Stuurop was promoted to partner at the beginning of 2021.
Other key lawyers:
Annejet Balm; Esther Van Der Meulen; Jordi Rosendahl; Lucas Stuurop
Testimonials
‘Floor Damen is very accessible, service minded and clear.’
‘Floor Damen offers responsiveness, availability, a sense of urgency and strong counsel.’
‘Very driven and highly professional, in comparison to others Lexence is always at hand to aid and support us with highly practical and solid advice.’
‘Great knowledge of the latest trends and precedents compared with high integrity, a fair price and a very flexible attitude towards solving problems and finding opportunities.’
‘Annejet Balm is very practical and easygoing – a real business partner.’
Key clients
Apollo Tyres
IMC
N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie
Ballast Nedam
Bilthoven Biologicals
I-SEC NoShin-Etsu
YER
CXC Global
ECP Factoring
DAS Nederlandse Rechtsbijstand Verzekeringsmaatschappij N.V.
DSV Solutions
Dorel
Future Group
CleanLease
BE Semiconductor Industries N.V.
Pon/A-Point
Royal A-ware Food Group
Sensata Technologies Holland B.V.
Sentia
Schiphol
SUEZ
Fluor/Stork
VION
Henkel-group
Saxobank
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright stands out for its GDPR and tax expertise, which supplements its employment and pensions work. It acts for large financial institutions, insurance companies and corporates on restructurings, collective dismissals, works council negotiations and litigation. Maartje Govaert was promoted to global head of employment and labour in May 2021.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘They are responsive, solution oriented, pragmatic where needed, and capable of looking at matters from different angles’.
The team is very accessible and always available. They are knowledgeable, and advise and litigate on the full spectrum of employment issues.’
‘What makes them stand out from others is that they do not look at issues in siloed or one-dimensional way. They take into account other areas of law but also understand the potential reputational risks for the company and the value thereof.’
‘Maartje Govaert is very experienced and knowledgeable. Combined with her tenacity and commitment, this makes her a very good lawyer and strong litigator.’
Key clients
Aerovías de México, S.A. de C.V., operating as Aeroméxico
AIG Europe S.A.
Allianz
ATRICURE, INC.
AMSTEL HOTEL
Bioventus
BLOOMBERG
BOMBARDIER
BUGABOO
BP
CAE
CNA Hardy
CORBION
EMERALD KALAMA CHEMICAL
HOLLAND CASINO
IMI Plc
Innocent Drinks
Jane Street Netherlands B.V.
Central Works Council and works councils of subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson
Lyondell Basell Industries NV
McKinsey & Company, Inc.
MONEX EUROPE LTD
OPEN TEXT
PICNIC
Rabobank
RECKITT BENCKISER (ENA) B.V.
REGAL BELOIT
ROYAL VOPAK N.V.
SANDVIK
Stichting Nationale Opera & Ballet
Tower Research Capital Europe Limited B.V.
Troy Corporation
VEON
WCSG
WPP
Osborne Clarke
Osborne Clarke works with a range of multinational clients, handling cross-border contentious and non-contentious employment mandates. Jim Margry joined from Loyens & Loeff in March 2021 and now heads the team alongside Jorgo Tsiris. The practice has recently been active in a number of corporate restructuring matters and also pensions and incentives-related issues.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Jim Margry is always available and works very fast while giving custom-made advice’.
‘Jim Margry’s advice is pragmatic and he also checks in after a while to chat about how everything went’.
‘They have offices in several places in Europe – this is handy as my company operates internationally’.
‘I know Jim Margry and I am very satisfied with his services’.
‘Jim Margry is knowledgeable and knows how and when to apply pressure to get cases resolved in an optimal way’.
‘Very client-centric’.
‘Very much focused on what is possible instead of what is not possible according the law’.
‘Business-savvy and practical, very down-to-earth and accessible’.
Key clients
Subway
United Airlines
Viroclinics Biosciences
Diageo
Tech Mahindra
Sonos
Hotel Booker
O-I Netherlands (Owens-Illinois)
Wasserman
MessageBird
Vesper
Avandis
Work highlights
- Advising MessageBird, which has more than 1,000 employees, on the implementation of its ‘work from anywhere policy’ enabling employees to work from any country in the world.
- Acting for Wasserman on the employment law issues arising from Ronald Koeman’s appointment as head coach to FC Barcelona, which involved advising on employment, tax and regulatory issues in relation to the termination of the employment agreement with the Dutch National Football Association, the entering into an employment agreement with FC Barcelona and related transfer agreements.
- Advising Tech Mahindra on terminations and litigation avoidance arising from the integration of the LCC Inc. business.
Palthe Oberman
Employment specialist boutique Palthe Oberman acts for large multinational corporate clients in the sports, finance, healthcare and life sciences sectors in relation to day to day employment needs. The firm is an active member of L&E Global, an alliance of employers’ counsel worldwide, and the team is headed by Christiaan Oberman and Marcus Draaisma.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘High quality specialism in complex employment cases’.
‘A combination of a personal approach to the client’s problem with high level specialist expertise’.
‘Very approachable and communicative’.
‘Christiaan Oberman’s team is small but dynamic’.
‘I was truly lucky and blessed to be represented by this team, their knowledge and interpretation of the law and the legal system was exceptional’.
‘I never felt that I was a number and they made the time to listen to me’.
‘All individuals involved in our client relationship know our business very well and are aware of the dynamics in our company’.
‘Christiaan Oberman’s way of communicating gives the client the feeling that he is an authority in his field’.
Key clients
Deutsche Bank
Takeaway.com
GrandVision
ITA (Internationaal Theater Amsterdam)
Paradiso
Uniper
Stichting BKR
Comscore
War Child
Unifaun / Consignor
Simmons & Simmons
Simmons & Simmons acts for large international clients on cross-border restructurings, senior executive dismissals and a range of contentious matters. The practice has a strong track record in the financial services sector and also advises healthcare and life sciences and technology, media and telecommunications companies. Joris Oster heads the team.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent, high calibre team that understands the market, is highly responsive to our needs and always delivers a high level of service’.
‘Joris Oster is top’.
‘Annemarie Elenbaas is terrific’.
‘High levels of expertise; very responsive; always provide honest and candid feedback’.
‘Global reach through partner network; reliable partner for complicated employment law cases’.
‘Joris Oster is a pleasant and friendly individual; with highly valued expertise in Dutch employment matters’.
‘Joris Oster is honest and candid’.
‘Joris Oster is a valuable sparring partner and works well with the most senior level staff (C-Suite) but also deeper down in the organisation’.
Key clients
Shiloh Industries
Warner Bros.
Marex Spectron
VEON
GarantiBank
OranginaSchweppes
Swisscom
Alcon
Progress Software
Vanderlande Industries
ActivisionBlizzard
Gilde Equity Management
Biscuit International
FESCO
Work highlights
- Assisted ActivisionBlizzard in connection with the creation of it new European organisational structure, which has resulted in a substantial downsizing of its Dutch activities.
- Regularly assisting Warner Bros. on employment matters, including individual separations, changing employment terms, transfer of undertaking and template updates.
- Acting as Vanderlande’s counsel on employment matters.
Taylor Wessing
The Eindhoven-based employment team at Taylor Wessing LLP acts for a range of tech, automotive and production companies on contentious and non-contentious matters. Recent work has including advice on hiring and firing, corporate-related employment issues and litigation. Marc Van Gelder and Bart Hunnekens head the practice.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Good communication in the team, accurate follow-up in letters and contracts, and pleasant to work with’.
‘Bart Hunnekens is available for direct contact but also able to delegate the operational work properly in the team’.
‘Excellent team speed and cost efficiency’.
‘Bart Hunnekens understands tech and international work’.
‘Experienced professionals but always with a friendly and human touch.’
Key clients
Stichting PAMM Laboratoria voor Pathologie en Medische Microbiologie
sennder
Holiday Group AG
PQ Netherlands
StockX
Strukton Worksphere
Adobe
ESS Safeforce
Lidl
Innocent
Databricks
Premier Tech
Instana
Destil
Fresha
De Rooy
Byldis
PSV Eindhoven
Intertek
Work highlights
- Assisted Databricks in an important ‘acquihire’ of exceptional talented engineers of Dutch tech company Cubonacci.
- Successfully assisted German scale-up sennder in the acquisition of Uber’s freight business in the Netherlands.
- Successfully represented IT-estate management tech company Puppet in a large litigation in the Netherlands.
Wijn & Stael Advocaten N.V.
Advising on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, Wijn & Stael Advocaten N.V. stands out from many of its peers with its capacity for Supreme Court litigation. Else Loes Pasma is recommended for individual and collective dismissals, corporate governance and disputes, while Leendert Kruidenier is experienced in restructuring and TUPE matters. Senior associate Joyce Snijder is also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The employment team thinks along with us to solve our problem as an employer’.
‘The team performs very well in terms of adequate advice, proactiveness and availability’.
‘Leendert Kruidenier knows and understands our business very well’.
‘Leendert Kruidenier gives adequate advice and has a good sense of business’
‘Very flexible and quick responses to urgent issues’.
‘Wijn & Stael is approachable, nice to work with, and most importantly, always correct with professional judgements’.
‘Joyce Snijder stands out as the person to go to for everything about contingent workforce, diversity and inclusion and negotiating with both suppliers and clients’.
‘Good at identifying risks but at the same time proposing solutions to overcome them’.
Key clients
Brainnet B.V.
Evidensia
Oceaneering AGV Systems B.V.
VNC
Sweco
Board Members/Cornelis Haga Lyceum
5C Alliance
Work highlights
- Advised the former CFO of state-owned bank De Volksbank regarding his dismissal as a statutory director and his EUR 3m claim for compensation.
- Represented VNC on the collective dismissal of cabin staff following the restructuring of national airline KLM.
- Advised the board members of Cornelius Haga Lyceum regarding their dismissal in a case provoked by a report from the government’s Education Inspectorate.
Buren
Buren’s internationally focused practice has offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, The Hague, Luxembourg and Shanghai, ensuring it is well placed to advise clients across Europe and Asia. With in-house civil-law notaries and tax advisors, the practice handles corporate employment work with ease. The team is jointly led by Suzan van de Kam and Epke Spijkerman.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Epke Spijkerman has the ability to see legal issues from a practical side’.
‘Buren are represented in different disciplines, such as labour law, privacy law and commercial contracts and are, as such, a one stop shop for all our legal requirements’.
‘The collaboration with Suzan van de Kam is excellent’.
‘Answers to legal questions are presented with the legal standpoints, the consequences and subsequently the most suitable position to take’.
‘Easy to approach; open communication; and direct contact with the lawyers’.
‘Very good in-depth knowledge of employment law and in-depth knowledge of our business’.
‘Generally competent legal advice, which is made concrete and understandable’.
‘The lawyers are competent in their various specialist areas and they always make you feel like the most important client’.
Key clients
Bally
Bausch Health
China Cargo Airlines Ltd.
Greenco B.V.
Lincoln Electric
Marsh B.V.
Medux B.V.
Planon B.V.
World forum
Zeeman TextielSupers B.V.
Work highlights
- Appointed by Lincoln Smitweld B.V. to advise on a restructuring of the activities of Lincoln Smitweld B.V, which also involved a collective layoff of more than 75 employees.
- Advised Planon Group on the strategic investment by Schneider Electric in Planon Group.
- Advised Aludyne on the Dutch legal aspects of a cross-border asset-transaction and assisted with setting up a legal entity in the Netherlands.
CLINT | Littler
Boutique employment firm CLINT | Littler - which joined the global Littler network in 2018 - specialises in corporate employment law and acts for large international brands, as well as domestic clients. It often handles the HR aspects of cross-border M&A deals and has recently handled a broad range of COVID-19-related instructions. Dennis Veldhuizen, Wouter Engelsman and Eric Van Dam head the team in Amsterdam.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘CLINT combines deep knowledge of labour law with a practical, no-nonsense approach’.
‘Dennis Veldhuizen has excellent communication skills’.
‘A mix of young and more senior lawyers, who are knowledgeable and easy to approach’.
‘Friendly and approachable with a sense of urgency’.
‘Professional attitude and good and quick understanding of the issues to be resolved’.
‘The team at CLINT has a strong and up to date knowledge of the labour practice’.
‘Their boutique approach is highly appreciated; customer friendly with high expertise’.
‘Very professional, quick responses, personal touch, balanced pricing level and real partners in business’.
Key clients
Starbucks Manufacturing (EMEA)
Fresenius Kabi
Hilton Hotels
Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV, the largest / leading labour union in the Netherlands)
Samsung Electronics Benelux
Under Armour
Holland Casino
Work highlights
- Advising Fresenius Kabi on the outbound transfer of the apherese systems from the Netherlands to production plants located in Central America and the inbound transfer of enteral nutrition production.
- Providing comprehensive, ongoing assistance to longstanding client Starbucks Manufacturing (EMEA) in connection with labour and employment matters.
- Providing ongoing assistance to longstanding client Under Armour in connection with labour and employment matters.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Brechje Nollen heads up the Netherlands employment team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; she offers ‘superior knowledge of the law combined with a keen sense for the needs of the business’. The practice focuses on corporate employment law and often handles the employment aspects of large international M&A deals, working closely with the UK magic circle firm's global network.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Dedicated assistance for complex legal matters and difficult cases’.
‘Although our case was pro bono, the staff were very dedicated and knowledgeable’.
‘Aware of financial limitations of charities and brand risks involved’.
‘Assisted to find the most appropriate way out of a stalemate, and by doing so have solved a very difficult and protracted case for us’.
‘Sound knowledge of labour law’.
‘Listens very carefully to the needs of the client’.
‘The quality and speed of advice needed quickly is outstanding’.
‘Brechje Nollen is very committed, knowledgeable and an excellent communicator’.
Key clients
Advent
Alteri
Ardagh / Trivium Partners
Ardian
Boskalis
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Compagnie Saint-Gobain
Coty
CNH Industrial
CVC
Carlson Wagonlit
DVB Bank
Essent
EQT
Stellantis (formerly named Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)
Hexion
Honeywell
Hutchison Ports
Industrikapital
ING Bank
Infinera
J.P. Morgan
Liberty Global
Manpower
McCain
Mediq
Mitsui
Nationale Nederlanden
Nomura
Nordic Capital
NPM Capital
Prysmian
Puma
RELX Group
RWE
Saluda Medical
Save the Children
Springer
Starbucks
Talpa
UPS
Vermaat
Visma
Walki
Warburg Pincus
Weight Watchers
Wereldhave
Greenberg Traurig LLP
US firm Greenberg Traurig LLP handles a range of corporate employment work for large international and domestic clients. Thomas Timmermans heads the team – he joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in 2019 and is experienced in works council consultation and TUPE matters.
Practice head(s):
Thomas Timmermans
Testimonials
‘Thomas Timmermans is highly knowledgeable, has a broad experience and is very responsive’.
‘For Thomas Timmermans what stood out in particular was his extremely up to date legal and market knowledge, and his ability to convert this into pragmatic proposals to keep things moving’.
‘The team distinguishes itself through pragmatic, business-focused advice and their ability to communicate this well to all client stakeholders’.
‘They offer a personal and professional approach’.
‘They were always kind, supportive and available for anything’.
‘I would also highlight the transparency of their work, as well as the capacity to help the client in understanding the risks that it might be subject to’.
T’hey are always kind but honest, while driving the client through the different scenarios and possible outcomes’.
‘A large firm. well-established in the international market, knowledgeable and easy to approach’.
Key clients
Hilton International Nederland B.V.
Tyson Foods Europe B.V.
Jamestown Europe Management B.V.
IDEMIA The Netherlands B.V.
4G Clinical
Rimini Street, Inc.
Zijs Holding B.V.
Dream Industrial REIT
Aduro Biotech Europe B.V.
CLX Logistics (Europe) B.V.
Vision-Box the Netherlands B.V.
Amarna Holding B.V.
Bunzl Continental Europe B.V.
Bracco imaging S.p.A.
Gebr. Van Wijk Installatietechniek
Brain Corporation
Westchester Group Europe Ltd.
Vivienne Court Holdings Pty Ltd
Andes C.V.
Work highlights
- Represented Hilton in relation to a possible takeover obligation of staff from CSU and created case law on the meaning of ‘insourcing’.
- Advised and assisted Tyson Foods with a (cross-border) merger of 34 group companies into one group company.
- Represented Pepijn Zijsling in a case against Belvilla that unsuccessfully claimed that Pepijn Zijsling violated confidentiality and non-competition obligations from a management agreement and share purchase agreement.
HDK Advocaten
Corporate employment law specialist HDK Advocaten acts for both international and domestic companies on collective dismissals, M&A and restructurings, litigation, works council issues and general employment matters. Juliette Huyzer heads the practice and is experienced in the harmonisation of employee benefits and TUPE issues.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They put a lot of effort into proactively informing clients, for example by means of webinars and newsletters’.
‘They always act quickly to provide the customer with good service’.
‘Michiel Koole is always available and he gives practical advice and thinks along with you to come to good solutions’.
‘The firm delivers good quality professionalism with speed’.
‘The lawyers are very pragmatic and solution driven’.
‘Juliette Huyzer and Emma Harlaar are fast and pragmatic and always honest about our position and chances’.
‘Michiel Koole is able to provide a hands-on, pragmatic approach with a problem-solving attitude taking into account our company culture’.
‘Juliette Huyzer has excellent knowledge of her field’.
Key clients
Honeywell B.V.
Damco International BV / APM Terminals Management BV
Arizona Chemical, a Kraton Company
Archer Daniels Midland Europoort B.V.
Dutch Medical Group B.V.
Volker Stevin Materieel B.V. / VolkerWessels
Suitsupply B.V.
NH Media / Public Broadcasting Company Amsterdam
Royal Bel Leerdammer B.V. / Bel Nederland B.V.
PepsiCo
Cimpress N.V. / Vistaprint B.V.
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Orange Clover
Becton Dickinson B.V.
Sabre Global Technologies Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised Honeywell on the closure of a production site, including negotiating with unions, negotiating a social plan, advising on actual termination cases with individuals and managing potential strike issues.
HVG Law LLP
HVG Law LLP has a strategic alliance with Ernst & Young Tax and is part of its global network. The practice handles general employment matters, M&A-related issues and is particularly experienced in negotiations with works councils and trade unions. Following the departure of former practice head Joost van Ladesteijn to Vertex Legal, the team is now led by Laila Berrich – who joined from Houthoff in mid-2021 – Huub Van Osch and Nicky Ten Bokum.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Proactive communication, creative thinking in finding solutions and they make the customer feel welcome’.
‘They engage in a good manner and take ownership of the case at hand’.
‘Transparency, good planning, initiative, and knowledge on all aspects of a case’.
Key clients
Belkin – Foxconn
Mainfreight
Amplifon / Beter Horen
AB Vakwerk
Harvest House
First Dutch
Novomatic
De Jong Verpakking
Tank Services Pernis
Remote
CM.com
EY
Jeugdbescherming west
Haag Wonen
Work highlights
- Assisted Beter Horen / Amplifon SA on various employment related matters last year, including works council consultation processes related to a transition of its Dutch HQ to Utrecht.
- Assisted AB Vakwerk on a restructuring of its group structure.
- Assisted Novomatic AG with a restructuring of its group structure, NOW aid related matters and a reorganisation, including works council consultation.
Höcker Advocaten
Höcker Advocaten’s full-service practice advises large multinationals and smaller domestic companies on advisory issues and disputes. The team has recently been handling cross-border reorganisations, Covid-19-related matters and high profile litigation. Jasper van Hulst heads the practice and is experienced in the travel, media, healthcare and arts sectors.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Jasper van Hulst is an excellent sparring partner’.
‘Jasper van Hulst is friendly, critical and his approach is pragmatic and effective’.
‘Jasper van Hulst works very efficiently’.
‘I trust Jasper van Hulst with our most sensitive cases’.
‘Jasper van Hulst has a fabulous knowledge of employment law in the broadest sense which he combines with a practical view’.
‘Jasper van Hulst has the capacity to resolve complicated matters’.
‘Jasper van Hulst is an outstanding employment lawyer,’.
‘Small boutique employment team offering an excellent level of service and value for money’.
Key clients
House of Sports B.V.
Delta Airlines Inc.
Nemo Science Museum
Omnicom Group
Dutch Association of Performing Arts
HollyFrontier Corporation
MOJO Concerts B.V.
Dutch National Opera & Ballet
Allianz Partners
STER (Stichting Ethernet Reclame)
Grohe Nederland BV
Amadeus Hospitality Netherlands BV
Work highlights
- Represented 84 KLM pilots in their case against the Association of Dutch Airline Pilots as well as against KLM.
- Representing Amadeus Hospitality Netherlands BV on its cross-border reorganisation which was challenged by Amadeus’ works council and individual employees.
- Advising the board of the Dutch National Opera & Ballet in negotiations with the various stakeholders and defending the proceedings that have been brought against it by the FNV Kunstenbond (union) in connection with the use of flex workers, in particular for the flexible choir.
L&A Advocaten
Boutique employment law specialist L&A Advocaten offers ‘a cohesive team' who 'consult well with each other’. It advises medium-sized Dutch and international companies, as well as senior executives, on TUPE, remuneration policies, dismissals, restructurings and litigation. Arlette Putker-Blees and Irene Francken-Van Der Ven head the practice. Inge Slangen recently joined from CLINT | Littler.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Inge Slangen
Testimonials
‘Arlette Putker-Blees is exceptionally strong, determined, and provides outstanding advice and solutions for the most legally complex cases’.
‘This practice is unique in the way in which they are able to connect with employees from our organisation and how they are able to provide the right advice’.
‘Their legal knowledge in the field of employment law is of a high level and they know how to deal with it in a practical way’.
‘The individual employees are friendly, involved but also resolute’.
‘They remain firm in their advice even when they are strongly challenged’.
‘We are particularly impressed by the seniority, knowledge, creativity and commitment of Arlette Putker-Blees’.
‘My regular partners are always available and approachable’.
‘Thinking that goes beyond the mere legal issues’.
Key clients
BP Raffinaderij Rotterdam B.V.
Wolters Kluwer N.V.
Tele2/T-Mobile Netherlands B.V.
Coöperatie Royal FloraHolland U.A.
Avery Dennison Materials Nederland B.V.
Park Plaza Hotel Europe B.V.
Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel (Marriott Group)
Bose Products B.V.
Yamato Transport Europe B.V.
ERIKS B.V.
Netherlands Development Finance Company N.V. (FMO)
ICL Europe Coöperatief U.A.
Universal International Music B.V.
Vesteda Investment Management B.V.
Dwellworks LLC
Stichting Levvel
Stichting Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest
Koninklijke Jumbo B.V.
KinderRijk Holding B.V.
Work highlights
- Provided employment law advice (transfer of undertaking) to Coöperatie Royal FloraHolland U.A. and performed the due diligence investigation on the simultaneous acquisition of four transport companies, together employing over 1,000 employees.
- Advised AIMM Therapeutics on the shutdown of operations of an entire business site and the subsequent collective redundancy.
- Assisted ERIKS B.V. in two successful appeal procedures regarding the legal validity of a summary dismissal.
Liber Dock
‘Service-minded, accessible and practical’, Amsterdam firm Liber Dock has considerable experience in international and domestic restructurings, collective dismissals, works council issues, collective bargaining processes and day-to-day matters. Marian van Eck and Boudewijn Kanen head the practice, which is often referred work by UK and US law firms.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Boudewijn Kanen is the best; they understand our needs and culture and is quick with the best advice’.
‘It is a small team in which the individual lawyers have specific knowledge of employment law’.
‘The members of the team work diligently’.
‘The interaction with the customer is outstanding’.
‘The lawyers have a genuine interest in the client’s company’.
‘Information is proactively shared that is relevant to the customer’.
‘Marian van Eck is an exceptionally driven lawyer who has good empathy’.
‘The Liber Dock team consists of highly competent and very service-oriented individuals’.
Key clients
Kite Pharma EU
Merck Sharp & Dohme
Endemol Shine
VVV Nederland
Credit Agricole Consumer Finance
Syncreon Supply Chain Solutions
Mercer (part of the Marsh & McLennan Companies)
Booking.com
ECI / Trivest
Jones Engineering Group
Works Counsil of Invest NL
Work highlights
- Assisted and prepared Merck’s spin-off of Women’s Health activities in the Netherlands.
- Assisted Endemol Shine in the restructuring of the Dutch business of Endemol Shine Holding and Endemol Shine IP after the acquisition by Banijay.
- Assisted Kite Pharma and Gilead Netherlands to restructure employment terms and conditions in the Netherlands, including works council consultations and employee communications.
Ploum
‘A high quality mid-sized law firm based in Rotterdam’, Ploum has a focus on non-contentious advisory matters and also handles contentious issues for large international corporates, as well as smaller domestic clients. Simon Tan heads the team alongside founding partner Rutger Ploum, who is recommended for conflicts work between enterprises and unions.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Ploum very much relates to our company and to the work we do’.
‘The partners and associates are easily accessible and have in-depth knowledge of our businesses’.
‘Communication is easy and service and support is timely and of expected quality’.
‘They are innovative and offer great value for money’.
‘Good advice and participation in the meetings and negotiations’.
‘The team is highly skilled’.
‘Ploum are professional, knowledgeable and always offer valuable guidance in a timely manner’.
‘The team I have to deal with are professionals in their field, work with speed and really understand the cases and our position’.
Key clients
Unilever
Aluchemie
APM Terminals
Arbo Unie
Atlas Copco
Allianz
Essent
Nutreco
Nature’s Pride
NIBC Bank
Bastion Hotels
Den Hartogh
Ecorys
Kunsthal Rotterdam
ODS
Performation HOTflo
ChyronHego
Scarabee
Work highlights
- Advising Unilever on a wide array of employment related issues, including privacy and co-determination.
- Advising Aluchemie on the intended closedown of the Aluchemie plant and litigation.
- Advising APM Terminals on various high-profile employment and co-determination issues.
Pot Jonker Advocaten
Haarlem-based Pot Jonker Advocaten handles both contentious and non-contentious employment matters for a mix of domestic and international clients. Managing partner Muriel Middeldorp and Hester Tonino head the practice.
Practice head(s):
Muriel Middeldorp; Hester Tonino
Testimonials
‘Thorough, yet still a pragmatic team of lawyers’.
‘Hester Tonino is skilled, a good listener and is client friendly’.
‘Outstanding legal expertise, with good cooperation/collaboration with the client’.
‘The team and individual staff are able to quickly get to the heart of the matter and make it clear in various ways so that any stakeholder from any background is able to understand what a potential dispute is about’.
‘Agreements are always kept and a lot is done to manage expectations’.
‘The employees are easy to reach and approachable’.
‘They are able to describe complex legal issues in a simple manner’.
‘I truly appreciate the Pot Jonker team in the way they give clear and straight forward advice’.
Key clients
ADP
Apotheek der Haarlemse Ziekenhuizen
Atalmedial
Cementbouw
Congregratie van OLV van Liefde van De Goede Herder in Nederland (congregetion)
Danish Crown Netherlands
Dutch Flower Group
Fluor
Township Haarlemmermeer
Grünenthal
De Hartekampgroep
HVO Querido
Hoyng Rokh Monegier
HDI Global Specialty
House of E&J Couture
Kennemerhart
Royal Kampert en Helm Rotaform
Levensmiddelenhuis NL
Lyceo Onderwijsgroep
Nestlé (NL)
Société des Produits Nestlé (CH)
Nieuw Unicum
Oldenburg Bonsel
Orthoclinics (the Knee Clinic)
PPG Coatings
RedWave (formerly USG Energy)
RIBW K/AM
Royal Ahold Delhaize (Albert Heijn)
Stadsschouwburg/Philharmonie (Theatre)
Streeklaboratorium voor de Volksgezondheid Kennemerland
Vereniging Bedrijfstak Zorg
Viva! Zorggroep
Zorgbalans
Russell Advocaten B.V.
Independent Dutch firm Russell Advocaten B.V. is notable for its experience of advising foreign authorities, embassies and consulates on employment issues. It also acts for large international brands on day-to-day employment issues and immigration matters. Jan Dop heads the practice and handles employment, corporate and real estate work, and also litigation.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The employment team advises us on all aspects of staff contracts and disputes’.
‘The team offers fast reactions, flexibility and ease of communication’.
‘The Russell team excels in this field and offers inside expertise on all employment matters’.
‘Jan Dop is our sparring partner; he shares his thoughts and knowledge with us in a professional way, so that we can make balanced decisions’.
‘Jan Dop is available seven days a week for swift replies – this is outstanding’.
Rutgers & Posch
The employment, pensions and benefits team at Amsterdam boutique Rutgers & Posch acts for large international businesses and smaller domestic companies on corporate employment law, reorganisations, works council issues and data protection matters. Inge De Laat, who heads the practice, is recommended for her work concerning the dismissal of managing directors and other top management figures.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Highly professional company and partners’.
‘Flawless support both in preparations and execution of a difficult restructuring’.
‘Very committed partners and back office’.
‘Smart in negotiations and a strong sense of business’.
‘Perfect balance between experience, a knowledge-based approach and practical attitude’.
‘High involvement of partners next to skilled employees’.
‘Inge de Laat is personally highly involved in the case’.
‘Dirk Jan Rutgers can combine a strategic approach with a legal view’.
Key clients
Mediamarkt
Royal IHC
MediaMonks
Artis Amsterdam Royal Zoo
Amazon
Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands
Armada Music
Nippon Express Netherlands
uniQure
VodofoneZiggo Workscouncil
Work highlights
- Advised Royal IHC on all aspects of the reorganisation in which the workforce had to be downsized with approximately 30%.
- Advised the works council of AEB in the process of divestment and rescue plan and assisting with respect to privatisation.
- Advised Van Lanschot Kempen during the acquisition of private bank Hof Hoorneman Bankiers on all the employment aspects of the deal, including TUPE related aspects.
Sagiure Legal
Sagiure Legal is regarded as ‘unique in its hand-on and business minded approach’ to employment matters. It has a strong focus on non-contentious work and acts for large international companies, as well as smaller domestic businesses. Madeleine Molster and Rachida el Johari are the key practitioners.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘It is a small law firm but the partners are dedicated to reach the best result for their clients’.
‘I had the pleasure to work with Rachida el Johari on multiple occasions and she has always been responsive and keen to provide a solution which goes beyond the typical expectation’.
‘The practice in general is very reliable and knowledgeable’.
‘They have the right competencies to support us as a business where necessary’.
‘The professionalism of the practice is excellent’.
‘Rachida el Johari helped us tremendously, with a combination of extensive domain knowledge, pragmatism, business insights and humour’.
‘Their way of working together is very pleasant’.
‘We are totally satisfied with the services we received and certainly will come to them if we have any other legal matters in the Netherlands’.
Key clients
Kraft Heinz
IDEX Corporation
Pont Packaging Europe
Mammoet
Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
DNV
3Dsystems
Tritium Technologies
Concordia International Forwarding
W.P. Carey & Co.
Cyber Capital
Bioseutica
Improvers, a subsidiary of E.ON
Archipelago Analytics Inc.
Parfumado
BRAC International
Kneipp
Hermitage
Maverick Derivatives
Insight TV
Farfetch.com
Work highlights
- Provided advice to IDEX Corporation in relation to ongoing safety measures and policies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Represented Archipelago Analytics, a California-based company, in the setting up of a business in The Netherlands, including drawing up all of the contracts and policies for the Dutch entity.
- Represented Revue Holding B.V. on employment considerations associated with the sale of its share capital to Twitter International.
Shearwaters
Boutique corporate employment specialist Shearwaters provides ‘a very professional service towards clients with exceptional knowledge and availability’. With a focus on transactional support in major M&A transactions, the practice also caters to contentious matters for clients and litigates when necessary. Martijn Van Broeckhuijsen and Maarten Vestering jointly lead the team.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Excellent collaboration, high flexibility and fast reactions’.
‘Martijn van Broeckhuijsen is knowledgeable, competent and provides customer focused support’.
‘Easy to approach and direct and clear support’.
‘My choice of Shearwaters lies in the fact that they specialise in Dutch employment law and in particular the counselling of C-level executives’.
‘Their years of expertise, knowledge of the financial world and a great track record as deal makers were important elements in my choice’.
‘They operate with great patience and determination with a clear goal in mind’.
‘They listen well and get to the core of important issues to then achieve the best result as professional deal makers’.
‘Martijn van Broekhuijsen is an exceptionally good deal maker, technically strong, but combines this with a pragmatic way of acting in close personal contact’.
Key clients
Amino Technologies plc / 24i Unit Media
McAfee Corporation
XR Trading / Headlands Tech
Kongsberg Maritime
Osmose Utilities Services
Vistra
Shin-Etsu Silicones
Various UK-based international law firms (such as DAC Beachcroft LLP (London, Bristol and Manchester)/ Latham & Watkins London LLP
Van Campen Liem / Orange Clover
Numerous top executives against companies such as British American Tobacco, NN Group, a.s.r., Trivium Packaging, OYO Vacation Homes, BinckBank, Houlihan Lokey, BakerMcKenzie, Nobian, Binck Bank, AXA Investment Managers and Avantor.
Work highlights
- Serving Amino and its Dutch subsidiary 24i Unit Media since June 2020 on various employment related topics, of which a recent example includes advising it on a restructuring and resulting group and individual dismissals as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Advising McAfee’s international HR executive team on various employment related topics, of which recent examples include: selling its Enterprise business to a consortium led by Symphony Technology Group for $4bn; implementing an (international) restructuring of its operations; and litigating in individual dismissal matters.
- Advising Vistra for all employment law related work.
Vestius
Vestius acts for large international and domestic companies, with a focus on corporate and employment law. Recent work has included reorganisations, dismissals and Covid-19-related matters. The team is headed by Bart de Vroe and Michiel van Haelst; with de Vroe recommended for transactional employment matters and van Haelst handling litigation.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘They have great insights, think along with the customer and know what’s going on in the market’.
‘They act fast and answer thoroughly’.
‘The communication and collaboration is really nice, down to earth, open and honest’.
‘Bart de Vroe is a great guy, with valuable knowledge and experience and he is always available in urgent cases’.
‘Bart de Vroe acts fast and thinks out of the box, while being compliant’.
‘Full devotion to clients’ needs from Bart de Vroe; he is very responsive and provides outstanding legal advice with a commercial mind’.
‘Overall the practice stands out when it comes to proactiveness, knowledge of our business and the ability to be our full business partner’.
‘The practice actively engages with us by providing clear legal guidance that enables us to make the right business decisions’.
Key clients
FedEx Express International
HelloFresh
Sandvik Mining
Lime Network
Allianz
Diversey
Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet
Collins Foods
Fontys Hogescholen
AFS Group
Greif Nederland
Teleperformance
Vestas Benelux
Work highlights
- Advised East-West regarding the dismissal of the CEO in Thailand under Dutch law.
- Advised PB Engineering regarding a non-competition claim from its major competitor.
- Advised IGT Europe with regard to the complaint filed at the Human Rights Board in the Netherlands by one of its staff members.
Windt Le Grand Leeuwenburgh
Rotterdam-based Windt Le Grand Leeuwenburgh's work has recently covered large reorganisations, dismissals, outsourcing and providing advice on Covid-19-related matters. With over 30 years’ experience, Peter de Waal co-heads the team alongside counsel Steven Palm.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Very knowledgeable people and straight-to-the-point advice.’
‘Our lawyers were able to explain complex strategy and complex procedures in an understandable way.’
‘Exceptional communication.’
Key clients
DVB Bank
Arcus Holding
Mammoet
Grimas
Plantise
Excent
Thebe
Woonbron
BluJay
Stichting Bedrijfstakpensioenfonds HVI & Jachtbouw
Vinçotte Nederland
Eureco-Pharma
Work highlights
- Advising DVB Bank on a range of employment matters arising from the sale of a number of business units.
- Acting for Arcus Holding in a high profile dismissal case.
- Representing Mammoet in proceedings against a former director-level employee at the Court of Rotterdam.
Workx Advocaten
Workx Advocaten is an Amsterdam employment law boutique led by Marnix Ritmeester, Jochem de Roos, Maaike de Jong and Bas den Ridder. It has a strong focus on non-contentious work and often handles the employment aspects of M&A deals. Other areas of focus include individual and collective dismissals, collective bargaining agreements and reorganisations.
Practice head(s):
Marnix Ritmeester; Jochem de Roos; Maaike de Jong; Bas den Ridder
Testimonials
‘Marnix Ritmeester’s availability, expertise and time of response are very much appreciated’.
‘Marnix Ritmeester has a wealth of experience in Dutch social law and is very practical and cost efficient when assisting his clients’.
‘Workx are knowledgeable and very reactive’.
‘They understand our business and try to create legal solutions around it’.
‘They are acting as true partners’.
‘Marnix Ritmeester is our go to person’.
‘Marnix Ritmeester makes himself largely available and his legal expertise serves our business on a daily basis’.
Key clients
Accenture B.V.
Sligro Food Group N.V.
Laborie Netherlands B.V.
Picnic B.V.
BDR Therma Group B.V.
Cerus Europe B.V.
ERIKS N.V.
Stek advocaten
Stanley Security B.V.
The Employment Group
RWE
Dura Vermeer Infra
Webb Traders