The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Netherlands > Energy: transactional

Anja Mutsaers heads the energy group at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek that does 'great work', according to its clients. The practice provides an impressive client roster with end-to-end expertise in the energy sectors via multi-disciplinary teams. It is advising TenneT on a range of transactions including a large-scale energy project involving a joint venture to develop a renewable (wind farm) electricity system hub in the North Sea and on proceedings in respect of energy tariffs. Marnix Leijten is leading a team advising GasTerra in a high-value arbitration.

The 'pragmatic and client-focused' team at Houthoff is considered to be 'a great addition to any legal department'. The team is led by the 'responsive and practical' Kirsten Berger who joined from Stibbe in March 2018. Jacques Kroner and senior associate Marc van Beuge are also recommended for their 'great knowledge on energy law'; Willem de Nijs Bik handles corporate-related matters. The team offers the full spectrum of transactional and regulatory expertise which includes waste to energy matters.

NautaDutilh 'demonstrates a huge capacity to adapt teams; it dedicates specialists when requested and keeps a perfect project management approach' especially on M&A work. The 'highly experienced' Jaap Jan Trommel and senior associate Lisa Schoenmakers provide 'proactive and commercially focused advice' to clients including Centrica Plc and Tullow Oil. Highlight work includes assisting NY-listed McDermott on an agreement to acquire Chicago Bridge & Iron Company's entire Dutch business in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $6bn. Joost den Engelsman is also a key member of the team.

Bird & Bird LLP handles the structuring and development of national and international energy projects, especially in the wind and solar sectors. Sophie Dingenen, who is dual-qualified in the Netherlands and the UK, is advising Unisun Energy Group on the acquisition of a solar portfolio and on the development of future projects. She is also project counsel to URENCO ChemPlants and provides strategic advice to the URENCO board. Other clients include Suntech, Eurus Energy Europe, and Better Energy Group.

Loyens & Loeff provides its clients, including buyers, sellers, and investors in the energy sector, with multi-disciplinary advice in relation to M&A transactions in the oil and gas, utilities and renewables sectors. Team head, Jan-Willem van Rooij is advising exploration company ONE (Oranje-Nassau Energy) in a complex transaction in the oil and gas sector whereby the client will acquire operational responsibility for the GEms area of the North Sea. EU and national energy specialist Max  Oosterhuis is also a noted team member.

Norton Rose Fulbright delivers end-to-end advice in the oil and gas and renewables sectors; the practice assisted a client on the acquisition of a substantial solar park, advising on the financing and operation of the park in addition to land rights and regulatory issues. The practice is headed by Wouter Hertzberger who, along with Matthijs van Leeuwen, advised an energy client on contractual and regulatory matters around its entry into various Dutch energy markets.

Ploum team head Stephan Sluijters advised BayWa r.e. on the establishment of a joint venture with the shareholders in GroenLeven through which it would operate and further develop a significant number of solar projects – the advice covered matters including real estate, finance, and permits as well as the corporate side. Other clients include the Netherlands Petroleum Stockpiling Agency, Eneco, and BP.

Rogier Schellaars, Pieter van Uchelen, and managing associate Andrea Chao are the senior advisors at Simmons & Simmons. With cross-border capabilities, the team offers an impressive range of transactional, finance, and arbitration and litigation skills in the energy sector. The group advised Eurus Energy Europe on the acquisition and development of an onshore wind farm project from seller/developer Yard. It has also advised on matters ranging from solar energy projects and a joint venture in the fuel cell industry to the issuance of green bonds.

Stek emergy practice is described as 'highly skilled, responsive, pragmatic, and creative'. Reijnoud Homveld is recommended for transactions; 'he is sensitive to the client's needs and is a very effective dealmaker'. He represents an impressive range of energy companies, financial institutions, and private equity houses. Senior associate Claudia Beele is also recommended, especially for renewables matters. The team continues to act for Stedin in various high-impact transactions, including the sale of Joulz Energy Solutions to Volker Wessels. It also acted for the shareholders of turbine manufacturer Lagerwey in the sale of the company to ENERCON – it subsequently assisted ENERCON/Lagerwey with the execution of the joint venture with Russia’s NovaWind.

Stibbe attracts an impressive range of work in the wind farm sector; in one such highlight, it is acting for Ørsted in respect of the implementation of the Borssele I&II offshore wind project. The practice is also advising the consortium of Air Liquide, AkzoNobel, Enerkem, and the Port of Rotterdam on the waste to chemistry project in Rotterdam. Martin In de Braekt heads the team, assisted by senior associate Li Wee Toh and counts the likes of Chevron, Deutsche Windtechnik, and E.ON as clients.

A cross-disciplinary team at Baker McKenzie handles a range of corporate and finance mandates on behalf of energy clients in the renewables sectors. It acted for Triodos Bank and Triodos Groenfonds as lenders on the development and construction of the Bouwdokken wind farm. The practice also advised RoundShield Partners on the financing and documentation in respect of a number of biomass projects. John Paans and senior associate Jason van de Pol are key contacts.

Cecilia van der Weijden leads the team at CMS which is especially active on renewable energy mandates. The team is advising Partners Group on the acquisition of a 45% interest in a Dutch company that owns the project rights in the offshore wind farm Borssele III/IV.  Other clients include BioMCN, Orsted, and GE Renewable Energy.

Miriam van Ee heads the practice at Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V.  which handles M&A and finance transactions in the energy sector, including advising on alternative energies. van Ee led the team advising Stichting Groenfonds and DE-on regarding a woody biomass heating project of BeGreen, advice which included financing and all transactional documents. Michel Chatelin is also a key member of the team.

Rutger Jansen and Inge Timmerman head the team at Biesheuvel Jansen advocaten which continues to act for Engie on a range of transactions. It is also advising Dutch & Co on the development and financing of various solar parks in Africa, including a joint venture with Solarcentury. The group serves clients in the wind, solar, biogas, and utilities sectors.

In addition to its leading financing expertise, Clifford Chance offers extensive transactional skills led by Jaap Koster and counsel Liesbeth Buiter. Finance expert Hein Tonnaer is a key advisor with extensive energy expertise; he led a team which advised Shell, Diamond Generating Europe (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation), and Eneco as sellers on the sale of a 45% stake in the offshore wind farm project Borssele III/IV to Partners Group funds. He also assisted Blue Elephant with acquisitions and project financings on a number of solar parks.

Gerard Kneppers, Richard Fens, and Pieter Paul Terpstra head up the practice at DLA Piper and count Tesla, Wintershall, ING Bank, and SABIC as clients. Of late the team is advising HSH Nordbank on the construction and financing of a ground-mounted solar PV project.