Energy: transactional in Netherlands

Under the leadership of Menno Stoffer and Nicolien Van Den Biggelaar, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek continues to act as lead counsel in large transactions, high-profile litigation and regulatory matters. The firm is a member of 'Best Friends', a network of independent European law firms, and with offices in Brussels, London and Shanghai, is well placed to handle cross-border matters. The team is active on many facets of the energy industry from oil and gas, to nuclear, to renewables. Stoffer is recommended for financing issues and acts for sponsors, investors, contractors and financial institutions.

The energy team at NautaDutilh has ‘a very broad skillset’ which it utilises to handle high-profile energy transactions in a fast-changing energy environment. Harm Kerstholt has 20 years’ experience in the sector and is recommended for M&A, projects work and contracts, while managing partner Jaap Jan Trommel handles corporate energy work for domestic and international clients. Senior associate Lisa Schoenmakers is well versed in contractual and commercial matters. The practice group was further strengthened with the arrivals of  Nima Lorjé  and Iris Kieft in May and October 2021, from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and ENVIR Advocaten, respectively.

Well known in the market for advising on high-profile M&A in the sector, Stibbe's energy and infrastructure group has recently handled wind farm, power plant, exploration and production (E&P), carbon capture and storage (CCS) and waste to chemistry (W2C) projects. The practice also undertakes the negotiation and drafting of commercial contracts, financing matters, litigation and regulatory issues. Practice head Martin In de Braekt acts for sponsors, developers, contractors and lenders on finance and construction matters. Counsel Li Wee Toh is recommended for on- and offshore-wind and energy-transition projects.

Bird & Bird’s energy team is led by Sophie Dingenen, who is ‘knowledgeable, communicative and client focused’ and has strong renewables credentials, as evidenced by her position on the board of the Dutch Wind Energy Association (NWEA). The practice has recently been working on cutting-edge energy projects, including hydrogen and blockchain-related energy technologies, and has considerable expertise in contractual and commercial matters, including corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs). Roger van Buuren is a name to note for project finance work.

With strong corporate, finance and tax capabilities and a large international network, Clifford Chance is able to undertake high-profile and high-value cross-border energy deals with ease. The practice handles both Dutch and English law and has considerable experience in M&A and project financing. The team, which is co-led by Hein Tonnaer, Liesbeth Buiter and counsel Nanette Rutgers, has recently been advising on wind, solar and datacentre projects. Tonnaer is particularly recommended for project finance in the renewables sector and energy transition matters.

The team at Houthoff offers clients a full-service energy and utilities practice, which handles transactions, projects, and commercial contracting and regulatory matters. The group has considerable experience in M&A transactions and restructurings in the traditional and renewable energy markets; it also stands out for its niche expertise in the waste to energy sector and its experience in the development of storage projects, including CCS facilities. Practice head Kirsten Berger acts for energy and industrial companies on projects, joint ventures, and financial matters.

The ‘knowledgeable, sharp, engaged and solution-focused’ Loyens & Loeff combines corporate, project finance and tax expertise in the Netherlands and Belgium to advise on high-profile transactions in the energy sector. The full-service practice acts for developers, banks, corporates, funds and utilities on financing, project development and regulatory matters. The team is co-led by Jan-Willem van Rooij, who handles M&A, Roland de Vlam  and the Brussels-based Koen Panis. Max van Oosterhuis stepped back from the partnership but has taken up an of counsel role.

Ploum has notable experience in the oil and gas sector, in particular with regard to the mid- and downstream segments, but also in relation to exploration and production. Clients value the combination of public and environmental law which the team employs on both traditional and renewable energy projects. The practice has sseen a sustained uptick in renewables instructions and has also been advising on a hydrogen project, recently. Stephan Sluijters has 20 years’ experience in energy transactional matters and Maayke Maas-Cooymans is the name to note for public law work. Other key practitioners include Jeroen Terstegge, Jolande van Loon and Lucas Lustermans.

Offering ‘a strong team with a deep understanding of the energy market’, Stek’s integrated transactional, project finance and regulatory group is across both the traditional and renewable energy sectors. Clients value the group's broad expertise, which includes M&A, joint ventures, and commercial contracts alongside a strong regulatory and public law capability. Key practitioner Reijnoud Homveld acts for energy companies, financial institutions, private equity funds and investors. Claudia Beele was promoted to partner in January 2021 and Coen Thomas joined from Allen & Overy LLP the following month.

Biesheuvel Jansen advocaten offers ‘a team of top-quality, extremely driven and dedicated individuals’ who dedicate their time to transactions and projects in the renewable energy sector. It has particular experience in onshore and offshore wind parks, solar parks, and hydrogen, biomass and biogas plants. M&A and energy lawyer Rutger Jansen heads the practice and is ‘sharp in negotiations with a great sense of the business needs’.

The Dutch energy and climate change group at CMS offers ‘a lot of experience in the sector combined with a team that covers all aspects of transactions’. It often works in tandem with teams in the firm's global network to handle cross-border transactions. With a strong focus on the renewables sector, the group is experienced in on- and offshore wind and solar PV projects, biomass and biogas generation, and electricity storage. Cecilia van der Weijden heads the practice which was strengthened with the Ocober-2020 hire of Bart-Adriaan de Ruijter from Kennedy Van der Laan.

The multidisciplinary energy team at Dentons is able to draw on expertise from corporate, project finance, projects, environmental, regulatory, construction and tax practitioners. Servicing traditional and renewable energy companies, the practice has particular experience in wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and biomass projects. Jan Jakob Peelen heads the team and acts for energy companies, investors and financial institutions. David Shearer  left for Simmons & Simmons in April 2021.

Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V.’s energy offering was bolstered, recently, by the arrivals of Wieger ten Hove from Simmons & Simmons and Max van Drunen from DLA Piper in February and April 2021, respectively. Advising on the full life-cycle of projects, including development, construction, financing, and corporate and operational matters, the practice has particular strength in the renewables segment and is experienced in onshore and offshore wind power, solar generation, heat supply and grids, and clean technologies, among other areas. Miriam van Ee and Michel Chatelin co-head the team.

Norton Rose Fulbright acts for a range of clients, including utilities, banks, project developers, upstream companies and start-ups on financing and corporate energy matters. The team is led by banking partner Wouter Hertzberger and includes Matthijs Van Leeuwen, who is experienced in national and international off- and onshore wind projects, LNG terminals and gas storage projects.

Van Doorne handles a range of transactional, regulatory and contentious matters in the energy sector and is particularly experienced in corporate M&A, contracts, tax, litigation and arbitration. Léone Klapwijk joined from Loyens & Loeff in October 2020 and now heads the team alongside Hugo Reumkens and Rogier Schellaars. Reumkens is recommended for corporate work and is well versed in international deals, while Schellaars is a name to note for disputes.

AKD’s multi-disciplinary energy team is led by Marjolein Dieperink and has notable expertise and experience in the sustainable heat sector. It is also active in the solar, wind, CCS and decommissioning areas. The practice is recommended for regulatory, contracting, transactional and project finance work.

The energy and natural resources group at DLA Piper focuses on the renewables’ market, establishing multidisciplinary teams to handle the finance, corporate, real estate, regulatory and contentious aspects of energy deals. Particularly strong in project finance, the team is led by Gerard Kneppers and Pieter Paul Terpstra.

HVG Law LLP is well known in the market for its regulatory expertise, but the practice also advises on energy transactions and disputes, and is experienced in international deals. The firm is aligned with EY Tax and cooperates with consultancy's international arm as part of the global EY Law network. Sander Simonetti heads the practice.