July 2023 saw Kennedy Van der Laan merge its commercial and international trade team with the firm’s EU and competition team, while continuing to be a strong player in matters concerning Dutch franchising law and expanding its work in the e-commerce sector. The retail group is led by the ‘very practical’ Martine de Koning, a leading expert on franchising matters, who also takes on competition issues before the Dutch courts. Jelle Blom, who made partner in June 2023, focuses on franchising and commercial contracts, along with Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken, who also joined the firm’s partnership in 2023, combining a civil procedural law practice with matters of franchising, distribution and consumer law.

Van Doorne fields a team of ‘high level professionals’ when taking on retail matters, and was able to expand its team with the arrival from De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek of Daan Beenders and his team in October 2022 to head the firm’s litigation practice, assisting the retail team with matters ranging from non-performance to product recalls. On the non-contentious front, the group advises national and international retailers, investors and distributors on real estate, logistics and distribution and e-commerce. Lisette Bieleveld leads the team, handling litigation in the realms of consumer and liability law. Willem van der Ven specialises in contractual matters, assisting with the drafting and negotiating of distribution, franchising and cooperation deals, in addition to taking on related litigation.

Real estate and corporate advice form the key pillars of act Fort Advocaten's retail practice, which covers transactional matters, franchising, employment issues and disputes. Members of the team act for clients in the food and household goods sectors, in addition to investors with holdings in the retail sector. Practice co-head and managing partner Katinka Verdurmen handles both transactional and contentious real estate transactions and leases, and acts for both franchisors and franchisees on franchise agreements. Petrol sector specialist Dirk van den Berg co-heads the team, handling leasing matters for retailers.

Bird & Bird assists retail clients seeking to optimise their supply chains and IT systems, assisting with a range of projects in that regard and also providing support to clients building up their e-commerce businesses. Brand protection and IP also fall within the team’s capacities, and it further advises on employment, franchising and licensing matters. Practice head Manon Rieger-Jansen specialises in the fashion and luxury sectors, advising on soft IP management and disputes tied to counterfeiting and parallel imports. Roelien van Neck advises retailers on online platform and data regulations, with particular expertise assisting with online business-to-consumer models.

Dentons' retail practice places a strong emphasis on real estate matters, including issues around lease renegotiations and on the development of retail space, including shopping centres. Practice head Wendela Raas maintains a notable commercial leasing practice, and is also active before the courts, where she represents investors, retail chains and project developers. Jeroen le Clercq, who made partner in April 2023, is noted for his contentious landlord and tenant work, while Valentijn Leijh advises on the administrative and regulatory aspects of retail site development. IP specialist Marc Elshof left for BarentsKrans in October 2023.

NautaDutilh handles a broad range of retail-related issues, including M&As and restructuring measures, franchising arrangements and IP and brand protection matters. The practice is spearheaded by the London-based Willianne van Zandwijk, who focuses primarily on transactions involving national and international retailers,  in addition to acting for private equity and real estate investors. Jeroen Boelens handles hard and soft IP matters, including licensing and high value disputes. Petra Zijp, who co-heads the firm’s capital markets team, is also frequently instructed on matters concerning the retail sector.

Real estate transactions, including acquisitions and leases, supply chain issues and distribution contract matters, all fall under the remit of Osborne Clarke‘s retail team, which also advises on employment issues and acquisition financing arrangements. Leading the team are litigators Jeroen Bedaux, who advises clients under investigation by the Authority for Consumers and Markets for potential breaches of consumer law, while Paul Brouwer acts for retailers, e-commerce clients and real estate investors on a range of commercial disputes.

With a team lauded for ‘consistently delivering unparalleled service,’ BarentsKrans is able to advise retail sector clients on commercial leasing arrangements, and is also instructed on commercial disputes concerning retail issues. Ingrid Reimert leads the group, representing both landlords and tenants on the spectrum of leasing disputes. Marlou Timmerman specialises in real estate development, and is also sought after for her skill in contentious matters, which are also areas of focus for Myrte Pielage.

CMS maintains a broad practice, assisting retailers with such matters as commercial contracts, brand protection, advertising and product liability issues. The team has also placed a growing focus on ESG matters under the leadership of practice co-head Aukje Haan, who spearheads the firm’s ESG efforts in the Netherlands, and is also sought after by clients seeking to implement new sales and distribution models. Alongside her is Mark Ziekman, who chairs the firm’s consumer products team and advises retail clients on cross-border mergers and joint ventures.

As part of the firm-wide consumer goods, food and retail team, DLA Piper is well-placed to support both Dutch and international clients on multi-jurisdictional matters, including brand protection, commercial contracts and e-commerce. The practice is jointly led by Khaled Dadi, who is sought after for his experience in overseeing digital transformations and competition law, and Niels Mulder, whose soft IP work covers trade marks, copyrights and anti-counterfeiting advice, as part of a broader brand protection practice.

Russell Advocaten B.V. has a client roster that includes major players in the luxury goods and fashion sector, which it acts for in regards to corporate and commercial matters, contractual and employment issues and real estate. The team is led by Reinier Russell, who advises on corporate law and issues affecting the day-to-day running of retail businesses, and Jan Dop, whose focus is on employment and real estate law.