Real estate in Netherlands
Houthoff
Houthoff's team is 'both very knowledgeable and practical' as well as 'highly professional' and 'pleasant to work with'. Clients include Dutch and international banks, pension funds, investors and developers. In recent highlights, the practice assisted Kroonenberg Groep with its €82m acquisition of 65 retail units and two office buildings in the city centre of Almere. Practice heads Jan Cees Kuiken and Herman Lohman assist clients with national and cross-border real estate transactions and projects as well as real estate M&A. Michel Klijn and senior associate Sander van den Boogaart handle construction-related matters.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team operates effectively, each specialist taking their role and dedicated to delivering within the set time frames. They don’t rush things off, but make sure to address all due diligence items diligently.‘
‘Houthoff has some excellent partners and associates, they have a thorough and very good understanding of the transaction being worked on. To me, the partner and associate that we highly recommend is Herman Lohman – very committed, pro-active, analytical and keeps a close eye on the ultimate goal of the client, so has a commercial mindset as well.‘
‘Best in class legal advisory firm in the Netherlands.‘
‘Lucas Louwerier is one of the best real estate lawyers (notaries) in the Netherlands. He is involved in high end transactions and complex projects. Lucas has very good technical skills and market knowledge. It is a pleasure working with him and his experienced team members. He is a nice person and has a very practical approach.‘
‘Large team, so always available, even on last-minute large assignments. Able to support in all legal aspects (acquisitions, notary, banking, zoning, etc), all coordinated by the same partners, which is very convenient and efficient for clients.‘
‘Jan Cees Kuiken is highly respected and (in my opinion) the best real estate notary in the Netherlands. Marco Witmer is great support, always thinking about solutions and always available in the notary department. Andre de Neve is exceptional in terms of case knowledge and being able to anticipate the implications of all aspects when in negotiations.‘
‘The team is both very knowledgeable and practical. They are well informed and pleasant to work with. We have built a trusting relationship with the team.‘
‘Dolf de Jong and Thijs Harperink both act as true advisers to the client but are also committed to finding a solution to get the deal done. Thus, they keep in mind the specific requirements of the client.‘
‘The Houthoff team is highly professional, no nonsense and not too aggressive. They are very responsive and really support their clients.‘
‘We work with great pleasure with Lucas Louwerier and Pieter Tieskens and their team.‘
Key clients
CBRE Global Investors
Unibail-Rodamco
Nuveen Real Estate
ASR Real Estate
Amvest
LCN Capital Partners
UBS
Gramercy Property Europe
Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance
Delta Lloyd / Nationale Nederlanden
VolkerWessels
Wereldhave
NSI
PATRIZIA
Commerz Real Investmentgesellschaft
Heimstaden
Greystar
Egeria
Hannover Leasing
Barings
Work highlights
- Advised Nationale Nederlanden/Delta Lloyd on the €1.5bn sale of the majority of its residential portfolio, comprising 6,777 houses, to Vesteda.
- Assisted Wereldhave with the sale of the Itis Shopping Centre in Helsinki to Morgan Stanley for €450m.
- Advised CBRE Global Investors and ASR Real Estate on the joint purchase of two residential towers from Provast, to be developed in The Hague with 655 residential units, in a deal worth €200m.
Loyens & Loeff
Loyens & Loeff's team integration with the firm's tax, environment and planning, and banking and finance departments, ensures it is able to carry out 'a dedicated job with a big team on a complex transaction with many disciplines involved'. It provides a 'one-stop shop' service and frequently handles multi-jurisdictional transactions. Steven Lucas, who focuses on commercial and residential real estate transactions, as well as turnkey developments, is 'extremely smart and a good communicator'. Other key names to note are practice head Lonne Rooseboom, Wilfred Groen and Bram Linnartz, who has particular expertise advising on German real estate funds.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘One of the largest real estate practices in the Netherlands. A real one stop shop.‘
‘Felicitas Stern (senior associate) is extremely responsive and always delivers on time. Jurriaan van der Stok (partner) is very knowledgeable and deal focused. The team assisted us with a complex structured sale of the yet to be constructed project SPOT in Amsterdam Southeast to Amvest comprising 880 turnkey apartments, 20,000 square metres of office space and commercial space.‘
‘L&L: One stop shop – Performed a dedicated job with a big team on a complex transaction with many disciplines involved.‘
‘Steven Lucas – is a no nonsense partner with the ability to keep complex matters simple and true to their essence. In that way solutions and options become clear.‘
‘Steven Lucas has built a strong team. It’s still expanding and he is always able to deliver a full-service real estate due diligence team within one day, ready to enter the dataroom. They are all highly qualified and motivated.‘
‘Steven Lucas is extremely smart and a good communicator. This combination makes him very strong. He is definitely going to be an established player in the real estate market. What I also like about him is that he still litigates. This keeps the knife sharp while drafting our contracts. I really like working with him.‘
Key clients
Round Hill Capital
The Blackstone Group
Castlelake
ABN AMRO
Rabobank
ING Bank
Merck Sharp & Dhome
Goldman Sachs
Patrizia
Union Asset Management
AXA REIM
Hannover Leasing
Primonial
Schiphol Travel
NSI
Monarch Alternative Capital
M7 Real Estate
Highbrook
AB Sagax
Zurich Insurance
Keppel
Nuveen
Prologis
Savills IM
Soros Fund Management
UBM Development
Tristan Capital
AEW Europe
Fortress
Carlyle
CBRE GI
Blackrock
Heimstaden
KKR
Work highlights
- Advised Round Hill Capital on the €1.4bn disposal of its property portfolio in the Netherlands, consisting of 9,544 houses, and 12,100 square metres of commercial space and parking spaces, to Heimstaden.
- Assisted M7 Real Estate with 17 transactions consisting of light industrial, logistic, retail and office properties in a matter worth over €260m in total.
- Assisting OVG Project Development with real estate construction project Edge Amsterdam West, which involves the 48,000 square metre redevelopment of an office building from the 1970s into an advanced and sustainable office space.
AKD
AKD has recent expertise advising on development matters, where Marc Wintgens particularly stands out. In recent work, the group advised Ontwikkelbedrijf Greenport Venlo on a number of real estate issues, including lease, planning and zoning matters, arising from its major development project. The team's 'knowledge, skills and personal engagement are excellent' and it 'always sees the bigger picture and easily combines experience from various practice areas'. 'Strategic thinker' Taco de Lange 'always keeps the interests of clients in mind'. Also recommended are Sven Billet, Julian Versmissen, Floris van Westrhenen and notary Aukje van Griensven. In late 2019, the practice was bolstered by the recruitment of Frenk Huisman from Baker McKenzie.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Taco de Lange and Reint Bolhuis both helped us. Taco is very senior, has a lot of knowledge and is a strategic thinker. He always keeps the interests of clients in mind. Reint is pro-active and able to use his legal knowledge on a project. He creates the documents, drafts emails to third parties and helps us with complex ownership situations.‘
‘The team always sees the bigger picture and easily combines experience from various practice areas.‘
‘AKD is highly regarded in the construction, real estate and PFI practices. They are very good and have in-depth knowledge of the real estate market.‘
‘Marc Wintgens is an excellent lawyer, with plenty of experience and outstanding negotiation skills. He is very smart, creative and has leadership. Teije van Dijk is a strong real estate litigator who can act very well in large cases and projects. He is an excellent lawyer and very practical.‘
‘Knowledge, skills and personal engagement are excellent.‘
‘Marc Wintgens is one of the sharpest analytical legal minds. He always surprises me with his ability to “hit the nail right on the head” – he is always able to address the vital issue in a case (especially with regards to contractual issues). The same is applicable for his associate Jeannette Luijten. She has excellent knowledge and experience in international cases.‘
‘Superb knowledge, creativity in searching for solutions, truly supportive in solving business challenges.‘
‘They are very focused on getting the deal done and solve problems.‘
‘Marlies Pierik is very hands-on, is clever and knows exactly the challenges firms like ours are facing. Reint Bolhuis is very dedicated, accurate and always willing to assist.‘
‘AKD delivers quality and does it in a careful and diligent manner. They act as a partner in the development of the deal and give us legal and overall counsel. Also, they helped us in negotiations.‘
‘Frenk Huisman has proven to be an experienced and hands-on lawyer who acted on several cases on our behalf.‘
‘Frenk Huisman: a terrific lawyer and well spoken. Always eager to achieve the most for his client and will do his best.‘
‘Frenk Huisman is a very knowledgeable real estate lawyer. He is able to convince counter parties of his point of view. In addition he is a nice person to work with.‘
‘Frenk Huisman is a legal expert in real estate transactions involving Amsterdam data centre assets – he has showcased his astute ability to represent and defend clients’ interests in complex issues, and has an in-depth knowledge and expertise in this area of work. Frenk is a responsive, competent and effective lawyer that any client should have to see through their complex transactions.‘
Key clients
VolkerWessels
DW Partners
WDP
DSV
Catella
Green Real Estate
Development Company Greenport Venlo (DCGV)
M&G Real Estate
Heijmans
BAM
Crosslane
Philips
Janssen De Jong / Hercuton
Kaan Architects
Rochdale
Stichting Portaal
Stichting Staedion
Stichting Haag Wonen
Stichting Havensteder
Stichting Vestia Groep
Stichting Woonbedrijf
Stichting Ymere
Woonstichting ’thuis
Woningbouwvereniging WonenCentraal
Stichting Sint Trudo
Prologis
Blackstone LP
Vue Cinemas
Egeria Real Estate Development
Epicenter Stockholm
Flow Real Estate
TB3 Investment
Profinn
Work highlights
- Assisting construction company VolkerWessels with redevelopment project Strijp S, comprising around 500,000 square metres on a former Philips Electronics site.
- Advising Ontwikkelbedrijf Greenport Venlo, a governmental body, regarding all real estate issues including leasing, planning and zoning, transactions, and construction surrounding the development of Greenport Venlo.
- Advising WDP, a real estate investor, on the acquisition, as well as the realisation, of several large-scale distribution centres.
Allen & Overy LLP
Allen & Overy LLP fields a 'very capable' and 'very dedicated' team which is a 'pleasure to work with'. The practice is centred on four key areas: advising on commercial real estate deals; major real estate development projects; real estate financing; and public law-driven areas of real estate. Counsels Jochem Spaans and Coen Thomas provide expertise in public law, and industry, leasing and construction, respectively. Leon Hoppenbrouwers has particular knowledge of social housing and is 'has extensive market knowledge, with a practical and commercial approach'. Werner Runge is also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Leon Hoppenbrouwers; Werner Runge; Jochem Spaans; Coen Thomas
Testimonials
‘Very capable team. Lot of knowledge about real estate in the broadest sense of the word.‘
‘Leon Hoppenbrouwers leads a very dedicated team.‘
‘Practical, pragmatic. Good know-how. Always deliver. Pleasure to work with.‘
‘Have worked a lot with Klaas-Jan de Groot. Pleasure to work with. Practical, focused and works hard. Great client service. Overall very good team.‘
‘Well-developed practice which is solution-oriented and that offers a good balance between cost and quality.‘
‘Leon Hoppenbrouwers: efficient, has extensive market knowledge, with a practical and commercial approach.‘
‘Strengths: knowledge, timing, availability.‘
‘Overall knowledge and specific knowledge.‘
Key clients
AEDES
Actiam
Anbang
Attestor Capital
Bewust Investeren
Bank of Ireland
Booking.com
Crossroads Real Estate
CTF Development International
Davidson Kempner
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Pfandbriefbank
Europa Capital
Fattal Hotels
Fortress Investment Group
Giesbers Groep
Goodman Logistics
ING Bank
JP Morgan Asset Management
Jumbo
Primark Netherlands
RED Company
Roompot Vakanties
Time Equities
Van Lanschot
Vue Cinemas
Work highlights
- Assisting ING with the refurbishment of the Financial Plaza building and the sale and delivery of its new head office in Amsterdam Zuidoost in a deal worth over €500m.
- Advised Anbang Insurance Group on the €425m sale of the DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam to AXA Investment Managers.
- Assisted Fattal Hotels with its €160m acquisition of European Hotel Management, which owns the 13 Apollo Hotels in the Netherlands.
Baker McKenzie
The team at Baker McKenzie stands out for its transaction expertise. In a recent highlight, the practice advised real estate investor Aroundtown on the €1.1bn acquisition of a portfolio of seven CenterParcs resorts, of which four are in the Netherlands, two in Belgium and one in Germany. New clients include Mapletree Investments, Patrizia, and Landesbank Baden Württemberg. Frenk Huisman joined AKD in late 2019. Cynthia de Witt Wijnen is now with NewGround Law.
Testimonials
‘Joanna Bebenek: very experienced notaries, precise, service orientated, great SPAs.‘
‘Very knowledgeable people and service providers of the kind you would like to have.‘
‘Accurate and cooperative.‘
‘The team has diverse disciplines covered, such as law, notary and tax.‘
‘Hands on practice, committed to deals, punctual.‘
Key clients
Deka Immobilien GmbH
Greystar LLP and its investment partners
BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Management Luxembourg S.A.
Van Merksteijn International
Dow Chemical Company
LRC UK Ltd
Allsafe
Entrada Duivendrecht Property
EdgeConnex
Aroundtown SA
Astellas
Tasman Properties Holding B.V.
Abbott Laboratories (and its subsidiaries)
Allianz
Novartis Pharma AG
HANSAINVEST
PATRIZIA
Mapletree Investments
Abinger Capital
Work highlights
- Advised real estate investor Aroundtown on the €1.1bn acquisition of a portfolio of seven CenterParcs resorts, of which four are in the Netherlands, two are in Belgium and one is in Germany.
- Advising Greystar Real Estate Partners LLP and its investors on the €100m expansion of the Amsterdam student campus in Diemen Zuid, adding approximately 800 newly developed residential units.
- Assisted Deka Immobilien with further enlarging its logistics portfolio in the Netherlands by acquiring existing and newly built logistics centres in well-known Dutch hubs at Schiphol and Venlo.
CMS
The 'flexible and creative' real estate team at CMS is instructed by an increasing number of noteworthy international clients, among them new additions Patrizia, Haam and Kiwoom. Recent highlights include advising Nuveen on the €126m acquisition of the the office complex De Gouden Bocht in Amsterdam. The team includes a number of lawyers with different specialisms and 'offers all-round and wide-scale professional real estate assistance', covering the full range of real estate matters, including transactions, project development, leasing and zoning. The 'open-minded' Arnout Scholten leads the practice, along with Hein van der Meer, who 'can make a real difference'.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is accurate and quick to respond. Furthermore, their commercial skills are high. The office offers all-round and wide-scale professional real estate assistance, not only transactional, but also notary, finance, environmental, technical/software, tax, etc.‘
‘Eager to do the transaction, highly dedicated, quick, flexible and creative.‘
‘Easy to work with, flexible and very knowledgeable.‘
‘Arnout Scholten: open minded, carries out risk-based analysis, advises outside the strict boundaries of the project. Can play different roles.‘
‘Their broad experience and in-depth knowledge about the real estate market make this firm one of the best and finest to work with in the Netherlands.‘
‘Hein van der Meer and his team have an outstanding reputation to make things happen. Together with his associates, he can make a real difference.‘
Key clients
Patrizia
Delin Capital Asset Management
Invesco
Curzon Advisors
CBRE Global Investors
Swiss Life
Tesla
Nuveen
Kildare Management Ltd.
Catella
COD/Borghese
M&G Real Estate
Capreon
Fidelity
Hana Alternative Asset Management (HAAM)
Kiwoom
Work highlights
- Advised Korean investor Hana Alternative Asset Management on the €250m acquisition of the office building Edge Amsterdam West at Basisweg (Amsterdam Sloterdijk) from Edge Technologies (OVG).
- Assisted Capreon, part of Noé Group, with the €71m sale of the office building Haagsche Zwaan in The Hague.
- Advised Invesco on the purchase of shares in a company holding a housing complex comprising 304 residential units with parking and commercial spaces in Amsterdam/Diemen.
Dentons
The 'highly specialised and dedicated' team at Dentons fields lawyers who 'make difficult things simple and easy to understand'. The practice provides 'the full range of services' related to real estate matters, both nationally and for international clients, including AXA Investment Managers. Practice head Wendela Raas is especially known for her commercial leasing practice, while Ines van Dijk focuses on real estate transactions, the structuring of residential and shopping centres, and special sales processes. Other key names to note are Paul Wanders, counsel Jeroen Le Clerq, 'solution-oriented and thoughtful' Dirk-Jan Gondrie and Bas van Schouwenburg, who is the construction specialist.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘It was very pleasant to work with experts in their fields who were efficient and cooperative.‘
‘The Dentons team provided solid and clear advice on a large construction project. They are reliable and provide the full range of services necessary for a real estate developer.‘
‘The team is well organised and have a good knowledge about the subject. The team we work with knows us really well and this creates a good relation between us and them. This also makes sure that we both know what we can expect from each other.‘
‘Wendela Raas and Jeroen Leclerq have a very clear way in which they analyse the problem at hand and can explain in a clear way which are the legal options to deal with the situation.‘
‘Dirk-Jan Gondrie is a great person for legal advice, solution-oriented and thoughtful, especially at the negotiation table.‘
‘Highly specialised and dedicated team with very pragmatic lawyers.‘
‘They are always there for us. They go that extra mile and they involve specialists if necessary.‘
‘Very good communication skills, very pragmatic, they make difficult things simple and easy to understand.‘
‘Specialised in tenancy law. Quick responses.‘
‘Best in class in terms of knowledge and on time delivery of advice. Well designed strategical and practical solutions.‘
Key clients
Altera
Aroundtown
ASR
Aventicum
Avis
AXA IM
Bouwinvest
CBRE Global Investors
Cushman & Wakefield
Deka Immobilien
Europa Capital
Foot Locker
Hines
HVBM Vastgoed
IWG Plc
Kildare
Kronos Solar Project GmbH
Royal FloraHolland
Savills IM
Starwood Capital Group
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Union Investment Real Estate
Under Armour
VGP
Wereldhave
Work highlights
- Advising Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield on a €500m project to enhance the Mall of the Netherlands retail park located near the Hague, comprising a range of real estate, leasing, and construction issues.
- Advised HVBM Vastgoed on the €16.9m sale of the built-to-suit centre leased by Fri-Jado.
- Assisted Europa Capital with its €35m acquisition of a portfolio of business premises.
DLA Piper
DLA Piper's 'network is invaluable', according to one client, and it frequently works with its international offices. In recent highlights, the practice was instructed in a number of cross-border matters by Intervest Offices & Warehouses, including turnkey projects, and sale-and-leaseback transactions, worth €250m in total. Practice head Monique Laenen and hotel industry specialist Rutger Oranje 'form a winning team'. Also recommended are Hans-Mark Giezen, who 'always thinks from a commercial perspective', and Leen van der Marel. The was further bolstered by the arrival of Mirjam Hinskens - van Neck from the Supreme Court of the Netherlands in April 2019.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘As a large international company with presence in over 100 countries, the DLA Piper network is invaluable. We have been working with projects in Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland simultaneously and that the teams have been able to cooperate cross-border has been key for us. The team provides top level legal services. We are also impressed that they are able to advise us on commercial issues and we use them more as a partner for entering the market, than just a legal service provider.‘
‘Hans-Mark Giezen is a very experienced and all-around lawyer who is capable of providing sound legal advice. He is pragmatic and is focused on finding a solution in order for the client to achieve the best deal. I would described Hans-Mark as a lawyer that knows what he is talking about. He always thinks from a commercial perspective and that is an added value for a lawyer. Kirsy Corten is a young rising star within the practice group. She has an excellent eye for details. She is skilled, (commercially) fast thinking and provides excellent legal advice that is practical. She is a legal jewel.‘
‘Leen van der Marel is the best in the Netherlands.‘
‘Pragmatic, client focused, always available.‘
‘Monique Laenen and Axel Visschedijk are very client focused, very quick to respond, pragmatic and solution-focused when dealing with complex and difficult negotiations.‘
‘DLA’s real estate team is put together in such a way that all legal disciplines relevant in this respect are represented (private/civil law, leasing law and administrative law), and not many Dutch law firms have this in order.‘
‘Monique Laenen stands out as a notary and leader of the real estate team. She is a very solid legal expert and is pleasant to work with.‘
‘Knowledge combined with creativity and response time!‘
‘Rutger Oranje and Monique Laenen form a winning team.‘
‘The real estate practice of DLA is one of the best practice groups in real estate in the Netherlands. The team is knowledgeable and pragmatic.‘
Key clients
Gazely/GLP
Prologis
Aberdeen Standard Investments
Intervest Offices & Warehouses NV
Urban Industrial
RJB Group
Patrizia AG
Urban Real Estate Partners
Rasmala Investment Bank Limited
Aspen Group
Ares Management Limited
APF International
Neo Capital
Barings Real Estate
Work highlights
- Advised Principal Real Estate on the €60m sale of the Ink Hotel Amsterdam as part of a cross-border hotel portfolio.
- Assisted APF International and Ares Management with their purchase of the Le Mirage office building in Utrecht via an acquisition of the outstanding share capital in the entity owning the property, in a deal worth €50m.
- Advised Rasmala Investment Bank on the turnkey acquisition of the DuPont Building from Dura Vermeer.
Lexence
Lexence's 'practical and creative' real estate team brings its 'high level of knowledge' and 'practical approach towards problems' to a wide variety of real estate matters, including sale and purchase transactions, zoning and public law, and real estate financing. The practice also fields a large and experienced leasing law department, where Tomas Steenmetser is a key contact. Other notable partners at the firm are practice head Bob Bekker, Ferry van Schoonhoven, who has a wide focus including assisting with redevelopments, renovations, and leaseback constructions. 'Precise and reliable lawyer' Michiel de Wit is also highly regarded for his 'great expertise and pragmatic goal-oriented approach'. Jip Spierings and Stephan Westera made partner in January 2019.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Michiel de Wit: great expertise and pragmatic goal-oriented approach in commercial letting. Thorough legal analysis and quick pro-active ad-hoc advice. Reliable lease house-keeping.‘
‘Good team with excellent knowledge in different fields concerning development, construction, and operation of real estate.‘
‘They are quick and pro-active. Their knowledge is excellent.‘
‘Practical, capable and 24/7 service.‘
‘High level of legal knowledge which is of use during transaction negotiations.‘
‘High level of knowledge. Practical approach towards problems and always thinking in solutions. Fine people to talk with and always ring back or send an email on short notice. Good understanding of deadlines.‘
‘They are very practical and to the point. They are pro-active and quick.‘
‘Practical and creative, look for solutions rather than only warning about problems.‘
‘Worked with Michiel de Wit for a couple of years already – a very precise and reliable lawyer. It’s also worth mentioning that he is very capable of dealing with foreign companies.‘
‘Good experience. Long term relationship. Very experienced.‘
Key clients
Rabo Real Estate Group / Bouwfonds REIM
Prologis
Volker Wessels
Kroonenberg Groep
Steigenberger
NSI
Deutsche Bank (DWS)
Klépierre
HansaInvest
Achmea
Bouwinvest
Goodman
Annexum
De Hoge Dennen
BNP Paribas REIM
Schiphol
CBRE Global Investors
Vastned
ASR
Slokker
Van Herk Groep
Forma Fund
Triuva
Shurgard
Dura Vermeer N.V.
Stena Realty
NRP
DPBM
Amvest
MEAG Munich ERGO REIM
Vastint
Rosenbaum
Intergamma
Elizen Vastgoed
ReShape
Rochdale
Hurks Bouw
Hannover Leasing
Sprangers
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways)
Work highlights
- Assisting Triodos Vastgoed Fonds with the disposal of its office portfolio consisting of 16 green office buildings in the Netherlands, in a deal worth €100m.
- Advised Kroonenberg Groep on its purchase of a large retail portfolio in Almere, including 65 shops and two office buildings.
- Assisted Bava Winkelbeleggingen with the sale of property Spui 10 in The Hague, which is let out by major tenants Five Guys and Dunkin’ Donuts.
NautaDutilh
With David Van Dijk at its head, the team at NautaDutilh assists clients, including real-estate investors, developers and building firms, as well as government bodies including municipal and provincial authorities, water boards and the national government, with the full spectrum of real estate matters. The firm occupies a unique position on the European continent, with offices covering the Benelux region, in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The practice recently advised W.P. Carey International LLC on its acquisition of an automotive dealership portfolio through a sale-and-leaseback transaction worth €29m. Anne-Marie Klijn left the firm in September 2019.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
ABN AMRO
AM
Apollo/Lapithus
ASR Vastgoed
Atlassian
Balmoral
BamTech (Subsidiary of Disney)
BAM
Borago Properties
Catella
Cathexis
CBRE
CBRE Global Investors
Confinimmo
Corio Retail
Cisco
Cromwell
Cyclus Property
Deciem
Dusit Thani Hotels & Resorts
European Investment Bank
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Expeditors
First Sponsor
Fluor
G&S Vastgoed
GAC
GHMG
Gilead-Kite
Goldman Sachs
Great Grey Investments
Hästens
Heitman
ING Real Estate
IPMMC
Imtech
KNSF
LaSalle Investment Management
Leen Bakker
Louman Groep
Pathe
PZEM/ Delta
Media Markt Saturn
Merlin Entertainment Development
Mn Services
Motel One
MottMacDonald
Movares
Municipalities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Haaksbergen, Hoorn, Almere and Den Helder
Ministeries of Finance and Housing
Navteq
NL Real Estate
OVG
Perial
Pinnacle
PPF Real Estate
Propertize
RREEF
Siemens
Shurgard
Snippe Projecten
Syntrus Achmea Vastgoed
Tritax Eurobox
UBS Real Estate
Union Investment
Vastgoedmanagement Nederland
Van der Vorm Real Estate
Van Wonen
Volksbank
WP Carey
Yondr
Work highlights
- Advising entities related to G&S and OVG on the development and subsequent sale and transfer of the new ING HQ in Amsterdam.
- Assisted Heitman with its €85.3m acquisition of residential care complex Leyhoeve Groningen.
- Advised W.P. Carey International LLC on its acquisition of an automotive dealership portfolio through a sale-and-leaseback transaction worth €29m.
Simmons & Simmons
The 'very committed' team at Simmons & Simmons provides 'sound legal advice and solutions' in a number of key real estate areas, namely M&A, project development, leasing, public tenders and disputes. The practice demonstrates 'good sector knowledge' in a wide range of industries, advising clients on real estate including office, retail, logistics, residential, and leisure space, as well as hotels, infrastructure and data centres. Practice heads Luc Cohen and Rob Hendriks, along with counsel Siemkje Batenburg, advised Hines on the €116.5m acquisition of business park ABC Westland, a major agricultural logistics park measuring 117,000 square metres.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is very committed to its clients.‘
‘They are committed and they seem to understand everything with one explanation. They produce deeds in any form very quickly.‘
‘We have been working with Simmons & Simmons for quite some years. It goes without saying that we are provided with sound legal advice and solutions, that Simmons is responsive and gets the job done. However, what makes the team we work with stand out from others, is that we know Simmons truly wants to understand our business, our concerns and our goals, which goes beyond having good sector knowledge. They have made a lot of effort to understand our business, and continue to do this. They feel it is very important to ensure we get advice that is of value to us, that caters to our needs and which we can implement easily as it fits our business. We also appreciate that they work and staff matters as efficiently as possible. We know there is always a well experienced lawyer on top of a case.‘
‘In particular we work frequently with head of real estate Luc Cohen, and managing associate Andrea Chao who is specialised in project development and construction. We know Luc and Andrea are dedicated to working with us, are very excited about the projects we are developing, and take a lot of pleasure and pride out of working with us. We know they deal with the most innovative and challenging types of projects, so we know we are in good hands with Luc and Andrea.‘
Key clients
Hines
90 North Real Estate Partners
SAS ATREAM / ATREAM Hotels Nederland SCI
Meijer Realty Partners
Savills Investment Management (formerly Cordea Savills)
Movement Real Estate
Van Deursen Groep
Davidson Kempner
Sidra Capital (UK) Limited
SEDCO
BlackRock
L’Etoile Properties
Blauwhoed Projectontwikkeling
Certitudo Capital
Brookfield IDI Gazely
Provast
Bouwfonds IM
ABN AMRO Bank
ING Bank
NIBC
Rabobank
Work highlights
- Advised Hines on the €116.5m acquisition of business park ABC Westland, a major agricultural logistics park measuring 117,000 square metres.
- Assisted CRH, the global building materials group, with the divestment of the complete DIY business in the Netherlands and Belgium, together with certain related property assets, to Intergamma and a US real estate investor, in a deal worth €510m.
- Advised Focus on the sale and transfer of a light industrial real estate portfolio comprising of four properties located in Barendrecht, Eindhoven and Rotterdam to the Cording Real Estate Group.
Stibbe
With David Orobio de Castro at its head, the team at Stibbe advises Benelux construction and real estate companies, domestic and foreign property developers, governmental agencies, architects and engineering firms. The practice recently gained noteworthy new clients including Accor Invest, Morgan Stanley and Palmira Capital Partners. It has a focus on assisting with real estate transactions and property development projects. Other key names to note are counsel Boris Cammelbeeck and Jan van Oosten, who impresses with his 'exceptional engagement and professionalism'. David Meijeren left the firm in August 2019 for Quist Geuze Meijeren.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Jan van Oosten: exceptional engagement and professionalism. It feels like Jan is your in-house team member. Manages a team of expert lawyers very well, also those more senior than himself. Advice is always on time and very useful, which is not always the way on the Dutch legal service market. Jan has led our project and our team through the difficult legal and business reality of the Dutch real estate market. Anne-Marie Span: very engaged with a very good level of legal knowledge. Anne-Marie has grown together with our project and is currently one of the strongest elements in the team dedicated to our project.‘
‘The real estate team has a lot of experience and is capable of scaling up the effort/team if necessary.‘
‘The partner was honest, stable and versed.‘
Key clients
Accor Hotels
Accor Invest
Aedifica
APG
Amundi
Ballast Nedam
Blackstone
BPD
CitizenM
Dossche Mills
DURA VERMEER/KNSF Muiden
Genmab
Granite
Groothandelsgebouwen
Holland Casino
Hudson’s Bay Company
Katara Hospitality
KRC
Mercedes Benz
Mitiska REIM
Morgan Stanley
Merus
Neinver
Palmira Capital Partners
SEGRO
Société Générale
TNT/FedEX
Twenty 14
UPS
Work highlights
- Advised Neinver, one of the largest operators of factory outlet centres in Europe, on the purchase, transfer and tenancy of a location in the Sugar City area in Halfweg, in a deal worth €100m.
- Assisted Groothandelsgebouwen with the €90m sale of the Groot Handelsgebouw, the largest multi-tenant business building in the Netherlands, and its business to HighBrook Investors.
- Advised Genmab and Merus on The Accelerator, the development and rental of an 18,000 metre squared multi-tenant life sciences building in Utrecht Science Park.
Van Doorne
The 'friendly and flexible' team at Van Doorne, is jointly headed by Mark Moolhuizen and the 'well-respected' Annerie Ploumen. The practice is a popular choice for companies active in commercial real estate, real estate developers, institutional investors, foreign and domestic banks, the Dutch government, local government bodies, housing corporations, universities, and hospitals. In a recent highlight, a team led by Andy Furr advised Retail Estates on the acquisition of the Freeland Portfolio, consisting of three large Dutch retail parks, in a matter worth €91m. Jan Roeland was a new arrival from PKF Wallast.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Strengths: their wide spread knowledge, flexibility, experience and perfect price/quality ratio. And the people are very friendly and respond quickly.‘
‘Friendly and flexible with high knowledge.‘
‘The real estate team at Van Doorne is very knowledgeable and able to adapt to different (difficult) counter parties. Their responses are swift and efficient. They are committed to the deal.‘
‘Arien van Heesen, Dennis Sloot, Tess Lont and Puck Nannes are all pleasant and efficient to work with. They are committed and client-oriented. They know what the client is looking for and act as a trusted adviser.‘
‘Good mix between the experience and knowledge of the “old hands” and the eagerness and new views of the “new gang”. Solid and balanced service and advice at good rates.‘
‘Annerie Ploumen carries a ton of knowledge and experience and puts it to work for the client. She is well respected by her peers (the opposition) and sees right through the younger ones.‘
‘Smart, capable team that knows their trade. Experienced counsel who are technically strong and also commercial thus able to progress transactions smoothly without always waiting for clients’ feedback.‘
‘Arien van Heesen, Friso Foppes and Desiree van der Veer are our go-to team for real estate transactions.‘
Key clients
Aareal Bank
Aberdeen Standard Life
Aedes Real Estate
AEW
Ahold N.V.
AM
Amphia Hospital
Annexum
Banque Hapoalim Luxembourg
Bentall GreenOak
BerlinHyp
Calvijn College
Care Property Invest
Catalonia Hotels & Resorts
Cerbus Global
Cording Group
Cromwell Property Group
De Jong Project Ontwikkeling Development
De Nijs Projectontwikkeling Development
Deutsche Bank, London Branch
DRC Capital
Dutch City Development
Equity Estate
Frasers
Gramercy
Het Nieuwe Instituut
HMC Bronovo Hospital
Holland Park
Hornbach Holding B.V.
Housing Corporation Casade
Housing Corporation Eigen Haard
Housing Corporation Lieven de Key
Housing Corporation Waterweg Wonen
Housing Corporation Woonbron
HSBC
Kildare
LIFE
M7 Real Estate
Maarssen
Municipality of Amstelveen
Municipality of Helmond
Nuveen
Oiltanking Amsterdam
Oldenburgische Landesbank
Patrizia Immobilien
Patron
PGIM
Prowinko
Quadoro
Retail Estates
Rijnlands Lyceum
Rothesay Life
ROC Amsterdam
Schiphol Airport
Stebru
Stern Group
Tergooi Hospital
University of Amsterdam
V.O.F. Nijs2Max
Verbrugge Terminals
Vesteda
Xior Student Housing
York Capital
Zaans Medical Centre
Work highlights
- Advised Equity Estate on the €43m acquisition and financing of the head office of Vodafone Ziggo in Amsterdam.
- Assisted Care Property Invest with setting up a healthcare property portfolio in the Netherlands through the acquisition of various existing properties and redevelopment projects, in a deal with an aggregate value of €89.1m.
- Advised Xior Student Housing on the acquisition of 526 self-contained student rooms in Amsterdam and Utrecht, worth €95m.
BarentsKrans
The sizeable team at BarentsKrans 'has the strength to advise on all facets of real estate', focusing in particular on project development, the setting up of property investment funds, and on the cooperation between local government authorities and private parties, especially in the areas of social housing and sustainable energy. Practice heads Jesse Zijlma and Jeffrey Koenecke act for a range of clients, including housing corporations, investment funds, institutional and commercial investors, investment managers and developers, among them IEF Capital, Aegon and Ikea. Other core members of the team include Remco Bäcker, Nicole Soliana and Joost Huijgen.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘High flexibility and availability.‘
‘Very high knowledge of the case involved.‘
‘The team has the strength to advise on all the facets of real estate. Providing both legal advice and also a notary is a big plus for this company.‘
‘Besides the fact that we are working with nice people they also have a hands-on mentality which is something that fits to our company philosophy.‘
Key clients
Amvest
Aegon Levensverzekering NV
a.s.r.
MN Services
Borealis Hotel Group
Brookland/Dirk van den Broek
Provast
Municipality of Delft
Zürich Lebensversicherung
Ecorus
Coltavast
IKEA
BNG Bank
Gist
Van der Vorm Vastgoed
Rabobank Nederland
ABB Bouwgroep
Detailresult Groep
Synchroon
LSI
JP van Eesteren
AM
Urban Interest
Municipality of Ridderkerk
Municipality of Westvoorne
Work highlights
- Assisted Zürich Lebensversicherungs-Gesellschaft with the €66.5m sale and transfer of the Zürich Tower in the centre of The Hague to the Central Government Real Estate Agency.
- Advising Gist Netherlands, part of the Gist Ltd/Linde Group, on terminating its current lease agreement for a distribution centre in Bleiswijk with Flora Holland and entering a new lease agreement with ULP Bleiswijk.
- Assisting developer Synchroon with the project Waterfront in Harderwijk, which includes the realisation of energy-efficient rental homes, a harbour, a city beach, two parking garages and many shopping facilities and restaurants.
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance has a core focus on portfolio deals, advising on all aspects including developments, acquisitions, disposals and financing, especially for logistics centres, hotels and residential properties. Jelle Hofland and Jaap Koster led a team which assisted Orange Capital Partners with the acquisition of a portfolio of around 450 residential properties from Rubens Capital Partners in a deal worth €90m. For transactional work covering a wide range of asset classes, Liesbeth Buiter is the key name to note. Also recommended are Titus de Vries are Hein Tonnaer, who specialise in financing matters.
Practice head(s):
Liesbeth Buiter; Jaap Koster; Titus de Vries; Jelle Hofland; Hein Tonnaer
Key clients
ASR Vastgoed Vermogensbeheer
OCP
GIC
Allianz
BlackRock
PGGM
Amvest
GreenOak Europe
ING Bank
Rabobank
Prologis
Work highlights
- Advised the BlackRock Eurozone Core Property Fund on the acquisition of the Huidekoper office building in Amsterdam, which has a 5,700 square metre letting space with two layers of parking spaces, a social area on the ground floor and five floors of office space.
- Assisted Orange Capital Partners with the acquisition of a portfolio of around 450 residential properties from Rubens Capital Partners in a deal worth €90m.
- Advised a real estate investment trust on the acquisition of The Medimall in Rotterdam, a housing development with more than 25 healthcare-related tenants.
Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V.
The real estate team at Eversheds Sutherland (Netherlands) B.V. acts for domestic and international clients on drafting, reviewing and negotiating lease agreements, and handling acquisitions. Practice head Paul Goedvolk and Annette Relou, who was promoted to principal associate in May 2019, are key names. Natascha Geraedts joined in 2018 from boutique firm vanState Advocaten and Christine Strating joined in 2019 from Stibbe Geraedts specialises in renewable energy issues, and planning and zoning; her arrival has allowed the practice to further expand its influence in the sustainable energy sector, attracting clients including project developers, clean energy companies, and investors.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The Eversheds team are very knowledgeable, professional, efficient and personable. I have always been very satisfied and confident with all the work they have done for us, both in the UK and The Netherlands.‘
Work highlights
- Advised a real estate investment boutique on the acquisition of a shopping centre in Breukelen (winkelcentrum Breukelen).
- Assisting a company from the catering industry with the relocation of its real estate property.
- Assisting an electric power generation company with the real estate aspects of several biogas projects in the Netherlands.
Osborne Clarke
Osborne Clarke's 'smart, dedicated and specialised' real estate offering is led by 'very intelligent and dedicated lawyer' Bas Beenen. The practice advises on real estate acquisitions, sales, and redevelopment contracts for developers, investors and funders, as well as assisting clients with the development of smart cities and new solar parks. Berend Zwart has experience in the field of commercial real estate, with a focus on acquisition and sales. Associate Kim Hoefman was a new arrival from Loyens & Loeff. Also notable are senior associates Peter van der Horst and Casper Bos.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Smart, dedicated and specialised real estate team. Mid-sized but dedicated and with expertise.‘
‘Bas Beenen is a very intelligent and dedicated lawyer. He is more than a lawyer, he thinks like a developer/investor, manages transaction processes very well, and is aware of all other aspects like tax and finances.‘
Key clients
Amvest Projectontwikkeling/Amvest Residential Core Fund
Cairn Real Estate
Boelens de Gruyter
Caransa Groep
Angelo, Gordon & Co
AT Capital
APF International
Aegon Woningen
Dutch Property Company Vermeer & Rembrandt
Kavel Vastgoed
Aspen Real Estate
Van Dijk & Ten Cate Vastgoedadviseurs
Adriaan van Erk
Credit Suisse
Onderlinge ‘s-Gravenhage
ZINC Real Estate
Exeter Property Group
Urban Fabric
Lingotto
Work highlights
- Advising Pinnacle on the acquisition of Hurksestraat 27, Eindhoven, a large commercial wholesale building currently let out as a Praxis Megastore.
- Assisted Boelens de Gruyter with various acquisitions and development projects, including Overschiestraat 180 in Amsterdam, Fashion House Amsterdam and the Merwede area in Utrecht.
- Advised Cairn Real Estate on the acquisition of a portfolio consisting of eight office buildings located throughout the Netherlands.
Six Advocaten
The 'very approachable' team at boutique firm Six Advocaten combines 'great legal knowledge with commercial knowledge of the market'. The practice is especially focused on the development, sale and acquisition, and lease of student housing and hotels, as well as on infrastructure projects. In a recent highlight, the team is assisting Ballast Nedam with an inner city redevelopment project in the market quarter of Amsterdam, which involves building a new integrated food market on the north side. Key contacts are Leon Burgersdijk and the 'razor sharp' Femke Borst.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘All disciplines covered, personal, high level staff that will actually be involved in your case.‘
‘Femke Borst: razor sharp and helps close deals by finding solutions during negotiations that work for both parties.‘
‘The Six Advocaten team distinguishes itself by the fact that they are very approachable and combines this with really great legal knowledge and also commercial knowledge of the market in which they operate. Within the expertise of their boutique, they offer advice on all relevant jurisdictions, each partner with their own speciality. We are happy to refer work and clients to the Six Advocaten team. As you can see from the growth of the firm and the development of their client portfolio, the firm is truly one of the important players in real estate.‘
‘Leon Burgersdijk is truly an authority in his field of construction law in the broadest sense of the word. He is very pleasant to work with, reacts quickly and deals with his clients in a pleasantly informal but professional manner. Benno den Teuling is for us the person to refer everything that has to do with procurement law. Pleasant lawyer, great dedication to his cases and clients. And, not unimportantly, a good sense of humour.‘
Key clients
BPD Development
MN Pension Fund for Metal and Technology Industry
Royal BAM group (BAM Infra, BAM Bouw en Techniek and BAM Civiel) as well as AM Real Estate Development, the separate development entity of Royal BAM
Paribus Immobilien Asset management GmbH
Ballast Nedam
Lingotto
PVH Group (Tommy Hilfiger)
Rabobank
CBRE Global Investors
Yisheng Group
AVEBE
Work highlights
- Assisted Zorgbalans with a cooperation agreement regarding the built-to-suit realisation and lease agreement of 33 care apartments and joint activity spaces.
- Advised Paribus Immobilien Asset Management on the €18m acquisition of an office complex in Utrecht.
- Assisting Ballast Nedam with an inner city redevelopment project in the market quarter of Amsterdam.
Straatman Koster Advocaten
The team at Straatman Koster Advocaten is 'friendly, reasonable and a joy to work with'. The practice utilises an integrated approach to deliver 'all legal services needed for real estate projects at the top level', focusing particularly on area development projects. Joost Hoekstra, a 'specialist in transformation projects' is drafting agreements relating to the Schiphol Trade Park for the Schiphol Area Development Company. Other core members of the team are Thijs Straatman, 'truly trusted adviser' Wilfried Koster and Marinda de Smidt, who is 'good at explaining legal concepts, to both legal counterparts and non-legal counterparts'. Anne Marie Ferwerda, an environmental and zoning specialist, joined the firm in 2019.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The firm provides all legal services needed for real estate projects at the top level, whether it is real estate development or real estate transactions. They are truly excellent value for money with low fees compared to other firms.‘
‘Anne-Marie Ferwerda has an incredible knowledge of public law, especially zoning law. Wilfried Koster is not only an excellent lawyer, but he also has a profound understanding of my business. He always keeps my business goals in mind when advising on legal aspects. He is a truly trusted adviser. He also brings humour to the table, which can be very helpful in tough negotiations.‘
‘In my opinion the juridical help and advice of Straatman Koster is very accurate, linked with the practice of real estate (and not only theoretical), all-round and specific if needed. Very nice personal contact, friendly, reasonable and a joy to work with.‘
‘For years I have worked with Olivier Vermeulen as a juridical adviser, sometimes in the role of a lawyer (law cases). In these situations Olivier has the excellent qualities for being diplomatic and emphatic at the same time (besides the excellent juridical knowledge of matter) and seeking solutions. By this positive and emphatic position, a lot of cases can be solved quite easily and smoothly. In fact Bas Razenberg, Violet Acar and Thérèse Fraai have these qualities in common with Olivier. Enthusiastic, accurate, friendly and always provide good advice leading to solutions.‘
‘They have a lot of knowledge. Understand the situation from both sides, which give them the ability to find the right legal solution.‘
‘Have the ability to explain the problem and solution in simple Dutch words. They also have an eye for the social aspect of our work.‘
‘Straatman Koster is a highly specialised niche firm with 25 lawyers. I appreciate its pragmatic approach and engagement at the strategic level, followed by executing on contracts and litigating when necessary. They have a team with specialists, mostly senior lawyers, the team acts very quickly, and is responsive and pro-active. They know the market and work for both private and public parties, which makes them good all-round lawyers as well.‘
‘My contact person is Joost Hoekstra. I consider him to be a leading real estate lawyer with a broad experience in project development. He combines broad experience and knowledge of private and environmental law, which is very helpful in negotiating and drafting agreements relating to project development. Furthermore, he is a specialist in transformation projects, which is one of the hot topics in Dutch real estate these days, and public-private partnership contracts.‘
‘Price versus quality; quality of good contracts is very good. Fast delivery and contact response, pro-active discussions during negotiations. Able to discuss legal items with non-legal counterparts. Clear use of language in contracts – no archaic language. Good social skills.‘
‘Joost Hoekstra: clear language, amiable, pro-active in pointing out potential pitfalls, able to explain legal discussions to non-legal counterparts. Knowledge of all relevant items in real estate. Good at deducing potential fiscal consequences as well as seeking additional advice, good social skills. Marinda de Smidt: clear language, good social skills, very good with additional knowledge on spatial and environmental legislation as well as real estate. To the point and good at explaining legal concepts, to both legal counterparts and non-legal counterparts. Bas Razenberg: good at planning, always delivers within the planned time frame, knowledgeable about real estate.‘
Key clients
BPD (formerly Bouwfonds)/Rabobank
Koninklijke Volker Wessels Stevin
Dura Vermeer
Schiphol Area Development Company
Municipality of Rotterdam
Municipality of The Hague
Municipality of Leiden
Municipality of Gouda
Municipality of De Bilt
Province of Zuid-Holland
Municipality of Almere
Ballast Nedam
Football club Feyenoord
Green Park Aalsmeer Gebiedsontwikkeling
Ontwikkelings Maatschappij Lelystad Airport (OMALA)
Football Club AZ
VORM
ProDelta
Province of south-Holland
Moervast development
KIKX Development
N.V. Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij Utrecht
Work highlights
- Drafting several land sale agreements for the municipality of Leiden regarding project Stationsgebied Rijnsburgerblok, which will include office space, retail units, a car park, and apartments, next to Leiden Central Station.
- Advising the Schiphol Area Development Company on agreements relating to Schiphol Trade Park, consisting of 140 hectares for logistics functions.
- Assisted Valina Properties with the sale of a retail portfolio, consisting of 13 properties, and an office portfolio, consisting of five properties.
Greenberg Traurig LLP
Greenberg Traurig LLP's team has a 'pro-active mindset' and is particularly active in advising on portfolio acquisitions, with a strong focus on commercial and logistics developments, both national and cross-border. Longstanding clients include Allianz Real Estate, Amundi Real Estate, and Marks & Spencer. Peter Jansema, who specialises in real estate transactions, developments and leasing matters, is 'always ready to provide his experienced advice'. The other key name to note is Jan Kees Brandse, whose strength lies in advising real estate funds and investment managers, both commercial and residential.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Pro-active mindset, not shying away from solving difficult problems.‘
‘With regards to real estate, Peter Jansema has been very diligent in assisting us with various issues. Always ready to provide his experienced advice.‘
Key clients
Jamestown
Aegila
Allianz Real Estate
Amundi Real Estate
Dream Global REIT
Tristan Capital
Resolution Property
Marks and Spencer PLC
VF Corporation
Picnic
Banque J. Safra Sarasin
Zoku International
Heitman International LLC
Equity Estate
Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG
Executive Property Invest B.V.
Work highlights
- Advised Amundi on its €38m sale of the PwC Tower in Rotterdam.
- Assisted Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust with its acquisition of a pan-European real estate portfolio from Goldman Sachs in a deal worth €324m.
- Advised Dream Global REIT on its €46m acquisition of an office building in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands.
Hemwood
Hemwood's real estate team balances a 'personal approach' with 'detailed knowledge about specific topics', among them zoning, planning, and environmental matters. The lawyers at the practice 'excel in their field', providing assistance with redevelopments, selection and acquisition of property, and sales. 'Top negotiator' Gijs Heutink and Sonja van der Kamp, who provides 'a clear and practical picture of how to solve any case', jointly head the practice. Niels van Tamelen, who is experienced in both transactions and litigation; Eefje van Bommel; and Anique Bergers Kemp, who specialises in landlord and tenant law, are other key names.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Focused and dedicated real estate practice. Top notch.‘
‘Gijs Heutink and Karin Markerink: sharp, clear, knowledgeable, good communication.‘
‘The lawyers at Hemwood are not only knowledgeable, but also understand the business. This I find very important. And, they win many cases for us in court.‘
‘Personal approach, detailed knowledge about specific topics, fast, solution-oriented.‘
‘Practical, service-oriented and a great deal of knowledge/expertise in the real estate area.‘
‘Sonja van der Kamp is a great personality, a pleasure to work with and gives a clear and practical picture of how to solve any case.‘
‘Good and quick responses. Clear service and direct contacts.‘
‘Down to earth, high quality, good in-depth knowledge, great service.‘
‘They excel in their field. They work quickly, thoroughly and effectively. They are easy to approach. They can make difficult material understandable for lay people in a good way.‘
‘Gijs Heutink: top negotiator.‘
Key clients
Achmea
Ahold
AM Real Estate Developments
Amway Corporation
Annexum
APF International
AS Watson
Ashendene
ASR
Amrath Hotels & Restaurants
Bauhaus
Being Development
Bloemenheuvel BV
Borghese Real Estate
BouwInvest
BPD Ontwikkeling
Breevast
Camelot
Caransa Groep BV
Cityden
CLINK Hostels
Cocon Vastgoed
COD
Coltavast
CompaNanny
Coronel Beheermaatschappij
Currie Logistics
De Bijenkorf
De Hoge Dennen BV
Doniger Vastgoed
Dreef Beheer (Dekamarkt)
Dutch Green Company
Equinix (EMEA)
Esprit
FGH Bank
FNG
FOC Assen BV
G&S Vastgoed
GebouwWest BV
HB Capital
HBB Groep
HBC Projectontwikkeling
Heren2
HG International BV
Holland Immo Group
Hoorne Vastgoed
Hotels van Oranje
Innova Investments
IVY Group
Klaas Puul BV-Puul Benelux
Kleingouw Vastgoed
KNSF Vastgoed
Landmarkt
Laeitana Vastgoed Consultancy
LaSalle Investment Management
Levi Strauss
Marathon Fund
Metro Properties (Makro)
Montea
Mooijer Vastgoed
Motel One
Multi Corporation Multi Netherlands
Municipality of Schiedam
Municipality of Sliedrecht
Municipality of Soest
Municipality of Tilburg
Municipality of Westland
Natuurbegraven Nederland BV
Patrizia
Peak Development
PLUS Vastgoed
PVH (Hilfiger/Calvin Klein)
Rabobank Nederland
Redevco
Retailpark Den Bosch BV
Roba Metals
Rockspring
Spaansen Holding
Stadgenoot
Stichting De Oude Kerk
Stichting Paleis het Loo
Syntrus Achmea
Timeless
Triuva
Van der Valk Investments BV
Van der Vorm
Vastgoed BV
Van Lanschot
Bankiers
Verus
Vivera Foodgroup
Volker Wessels Vastgoed
Vomar
World Food Center Ede
Work highlights
- Acting for Montea on sructuring and negotiating a deal with both the seller (Louwman) and lessee (Koopman Logistics) of a large space in Borne used as a logistics park, in a deal worth €37m.
- Defended Spaansen Groep in real estate litigation against the municipality of Harlingen, which claimed that a land transaction involved state aid.
- Assisted Montea with its €24m sale of a distribution hub to Aberdeen Standard Life Investments.
Kennedy Van der Laan
The team at Kennedy Van der Laan advises on all stages of the life cycle of real estate projects from area development, due diligence and the acquisition of property, through redevelopment and construction, to property management and leasing, as well as the disposal of property. The firm's 'deep insight into the business model of hotel operators' gives it particular expertise in the hospitality sector. The recent arrival of Anita Nijboer from Ekelmans & Meijer Advocaten strengthens the practice's ability to assist with environmental and zoning matters. Richard-Jan Roks and Nico Jacobs jointly head the practice, which also includes senior associate Anne-Christine Keuning, who 'has profound legal knowledge and looks into matters very diligently and thoughtfully'.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Good mix.‘
‘Team leader has deep insight into the business model of hotel operators.‘
‘Although we work with several people from Kennedy Van der Laan in various cases, I have the feeling that everybody on the team is fully aware of the issues going on and helps each other. This means that the communication within the team is very good and efficient and that team work is not only a slogan but is put into action.‘
‘Anne-Christine Keuning: we have worked with Anne-Christine now for several years and she is outstanding because of her unconventional approach. Although she seems to be not a typical lawyer she has profound legal knowledge and looks into the matters very diligently and thoughtfully. Lieke Feenstra: Lieke takes care of our administrative law matters. She works with incredible effort, reacts very quickly and provides a very high level of service.‘
Key clients
Port of Amsterdam
AEW Europe
Raiffeisen Bank
IQNN Vastgoed
Vink Bouw
Blauwhoed
Life N.V.
Quest for Property
Fairtree Capital
Multi Netherlands B.V. 15
NEOO
Marriott Hotels
NH Hotels
HR Hotel Group
PPHE Hotel Group
Hard Rock International
Brownhouse Hotels & Resorts
Ymere
De Key
De Alliantie
Eigen Haard
Rijnboutt
MVDRV
Bouwbedrijf De Nijs
Mace
Volker Wessels
ABN Amro Bank
Van Lanschot Bank
Vodafone Ziggo
IMO Car Wash
Nike Europe
Via Outlets
G-Star
Valentino S.p.a
Marc O’Polo
Here Europe BV
Zamro
Chargepoint
Swarovski
Diesel
Indeed
HP
Forpeople
Cantel Medical
Colorcon
AMC
Prinses Maxima Centrum for Child Oncology
Work highlights
- Assisted Hexis, the owner, with the sale of Amsterdam hotel boat Botel.
- Acted for Diesel Benelux on reviewing lease contracts concerning retail space situated in designer outlets Roosendaal and Bataviastad.
- Advising Dutch construction and development company Vink Bouw on the development of a multi-functional project in the historic city centre of Delft.
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV stands out for its 'high-level subject-specific knowledge' and it is a popular choice for government bodies, among them municipalities including Rotterdam, Amsterdam and The Hague. Alain de Jonge advises on urban renewal and restructuring, and city centre development. Recent highlights include assisting the municipality of The Hague with the €3.8m purchase, division into apartment rights, and ground lease of commercial premises. René Spit is the key contact for structured sales processes for commercial and public clients. Also recommended are Maryse Mesu-Abbekerk and Daniëlle Roelands-Fransen, who is 'the guru in the field of environmental law'.
Practice head(s):
Alain de Jonge; René Spit; Maryse Mesu-Abbekerk; Daniëlle Roelands-Fransen
Testimonials
‘Very good practice. Always available for the best legal solutions and advice.‘
‘Astrid Temmerman and Karin Lemckert are very good.‘
‘Pels Rijcken is unique, because the team has a broad knowledge of planning and environmental law. They always respond to our questions very quickly and accurately. No other law firms answer questions so quickly as the lawyers of Pels Rijcken do. The advice is pragmatic and useful and not just a legal plea.‘
‘Daniëlle Roelands-Fransen is the guru in the field of environmental law (and actually all other administrative law matters). She always answers my questions quickly and in a pragmatic way. She does not have to do any research or write a memo before she presents me with the correct conclusion. Jim Zweers also responds very quickly to several ad hoc questions. We are also very pleased with their work when we need complete due diligence research about the administrative aspects of an acquisition. The lawyers of the planning and environmental team of Pels Rijcken are very pragmatic without losing sight of the legal framework.‘
‘Pels Rijcken & Drooglever Fortuijn specialises in providing legal advisory services for government companies. This requires, for example, high-level subject-specific knowledge in general administrative law. In practice these issues often arise from other fields, such as real estate, tenders, notaries, etc. This combination of knowledge makes it pleasant to work with this firm.‘
Key clients
Havenbedrijf Amsterdam
Easy Hotel
Municipality of Tholen
Municipality of Tilburg
Municipality of Rotterdam
Municipality of Haarlem
Municipality of Amsterdam
Municipality of The Hague
Altera Vastgoed
Capital Value
ABC Capital
Florence
Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (Dutch Central Government Real Estate Agency)
Van der Vorm Vastgoed Groep
KPN
Galapagos NV
Vopak
ExxonMobil
Work highlights
- Advised Stichting Florence on the €3m sale of apartment rights in The Hague.
- Assisted the municipality of Rotterdam with the €30m sale of the Schiecentrale, a multi-tenant building with offices, houses, a radio studio, a television studio, a hotel, and sports facilities, in Rotterdam.
- Advised the municipality of The Hague on the €3.8m purchase, division into apartment rights, and ground lease of commercial premises in The Hague.
Stijl Advocaten
Boutique practice Stijl Advocaten offers 'the benefits of a small firm with the capabilities of a large firm'. The 'efficient and multidisciplinary' team advises on a broad range of real estate matters, including lease law and property management, construction law, environment and spatial planning, as well as commercial real estate transactions and area developments. The firm is jointly headed by 'solution-oriented' Taco Hovius and 'pragmatic and business-oriented' Truke den Uyl-Slagter, and is regularly instructed by international companies acquiring, developing or divesting real estate in the Netherlands. The key contact for administrative law matters is Michiel van Driel. Also recommended is 'excellent litigator' Vincent van Oijen.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Efficient and multidisciplinary. Excellent knowledge.‘
‘I work with Michiel van Driel and Vincent van Ooijen. They both deliver Top 5 quality for better prices. I use them for Zoning (Michiel van Driel) and Litigation (Vincent van Ooijen).‘
‘Vincent van Ooijen is an excellent litigator. Really sharp and the judges respect him.‘
‘One of their strengths is that they works as a team. Each individual lawyer has several legal specialities. The contact/communication with us as clients is informal in a very pleasant way and the advice is to the point.‘
‘Stijl is a rather small but very agile working law firm. It either has all the competences needed directly or within their direct reach and can deliver a high quality and to-the-point answer for several legal issues.‘
‘Taco Hovius and Ilco van Riel are both good listeners. When being given pieces of background information, one can almost “see” them calculating the legal consequences and possibilities on the spot. They ask the right questions, and provide realistic legal advice without false hopes.‘
‘The benefits of a small firm with the capabilities of a large firm. All the knowledge of area development is available, and the contact between the client and lawyers and lawyers inside the firm is fast and easy. In comparison to other firms the price-quality relationship is very good.‘
‘Personal approach, concerned, have a lot of knowledge.‘
‘Taco Hovius: excellent litigator, solution-oriented. Truke Den Uyl-Slagter: pragmatic and business-oriented lawyer. Michiel van Driel: administrative law specialist.‘
Key clients
All-In Investments Holding B.V.
Amvest
Aon
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A.
Cure Afvalbeheer B.V.
Dura Vermeer
Edwin Oostmeijer Projectontwikkeling B.V.
L.I.F.E. N.V.
Local
Multi Corporation B.V.
Municipality of Bergen of Zoom
Municipality of Heiloo
Municipality of Eindhoven
Municipality of Lochem
Ngage Media
NSI N.V.
One Underwriting, authorised agent for insurers, part of Aon
Patrizia
Room Mate S.A.
Stichting Onderwijshuisvesting Hoorn (SOHH)
Tank & Rast GmbH
VastNed Retail N.V.
Woonbron
Ymere
Masterpiece Development B.V.
Koopmans Bouwgroep B.V.
Municipality of Midden-Delfland
NEOO Ontwikkeling B.V.
Vereniging Zaanse Molen
Wesselman Flowers B.V.
Zurich Insurance PLC
Work highlights
- Assisting Dura Vermeer with the Radarstraat housing project, which involves the construction of 54 apartments with green gardens and parking spaces in Ijmuiden.
- Advising Edwin Oostmeijer Projectontwikkeling on a new project in the north of Amsterdam, involving the realisation of approximately 90 sustainable and circular apartments, six studios, a bazaar and a café.
- Assisting the Municipality of Bergen op Zoom with the redevelopment of an old fire station into 65 apartments, mostly for older residents.
Van der Feltz Advocaten
The team at Van der Feltz Advocaten provides 'accurate and compelling advice'. It has 'very broad knowledge of both civil and public building law', leading to instructions from clients including developers, investors, construction companies, international organisations, and particularly municipalities and provinces. Willem van der Werf, who jointly heads the practice with Willem Bosma and Marc Houweling, is assisting the Municipality of Rijswijk with the Pasgeld-Oost and Pasgeld-West housing developments. The practice's expertise in the energy sector was strengthened by the recent arrival of Michelle de Rijke from Bird & Bird LLP.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Very personal approach to the working relationship.‘
‘Accurate, fast and compelling advice.‘
‘Very broad knowledge of both civil and public building law.‘
‘Very good communication skills also with regard to non-lawyers (both management and technicians).‘
Key clients
Heijmans group
Koninklijke BAM group
AM
VolkerWessels group
VORM group
Van Wanrooij Bouw en Ontwikkeling
Van Arnhem Bouwgroep
Renschdael Groep
Syntrus Achmea
Industrieschap Plaspoelpolder
Vereniging Natuurmonumenten
NS Vastgoed
European Patent Office
K_Dekker
Strukton
Work highlights
- Advising Kondor Wessels on the development of more than 500 student and youth accommodations on the Postjesweg in Amsterdam.
- Assisting Heijmans Vastgoed with the development of 800 houses and a shopping mall (project Koningsoord) in the municipality of Tilburg.
- Advising the European Patent Office (EPO) on the development of its new €250m office building, including related tenders regarding maintenance, and consultancy contracts.
Boels Zanders Advocaten
Providing a multi-disciplinary approach, Boels Zanders Advocaten's real estate team collaborates with colleagues from practice areas including M&A to provide a holistic service to clients including investors, contractors, project developers, engineers, investors, and housing corporations. The practice has a particular matters relating to retail, leisure and residential housing. The firm is also strong in leasing matters, illustrated by its negotiation of a long-term lease agreement concerning a newly built hotel consisting of 80 rooms in the city centre of Eindhoven for LBG Hotels; Harm Heynen led the advice. Louis Einig is also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
McArthurGlen European Development Ltd
Designer Outlet Centre Roermond BV
Gamestate BV
Outlet Rosada BV
Residence32 BV
La Bergère Group (LBG)
ToyChamp Netherlands BV
Work highlights
- Negotiated a long-term lease agreement regarding a newly built hotel consisting of 80 rooms, as well as a wellness suite, in the city centre of Eindhoven on behalf of client LBG Hotels.
- Assisted ToyChamp Netherlands with the contract takeover of leases for XL retail stores in Rotterdam (shopping mall Alexandrium), Utrecht (shopping mall The Wall), Roermond (shopping mall retail park), Breda, Hoofddorp, Middelburg and Almere.
- Negotiated a long-term lease agreement pertaining to a retail space of 1,250 metres squared at the Arena Shopping Centre (Arena Boulevard) in Amsterdam for Gamestate Arena.
Buren
The 'highly skilled, professional and friendly' team at Buren stands out for its 'great attention to detail' and 'good internal communication'. Advice is provided on the development, purchase and lease of real estate projects, and the firm is also known for its specialist expertise in foreclosure auctions of real estate. Clients include A&O Hotels, ING and VolkerWessels. Key contacts at the firm are Gerbrand Schrickx; Kirsten Prick, who is experienced in international real estate transactions; and Jonathan Gal, a name to note for project development and lease matters.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is very responsive and always provides exactly what is needed.‘
‘Great attention to detail and they really understand what is needed from a business perspective.‘
‘Highly skilled, professional and friendly.‘
‘Very accurate team.‘
‘Very in-depth and professional knowledge.‘
‘It is a large office with many different areas of expertise. The different fields of expertise have good contact with each other. A cross-expertise question can be answered quickly in this way. Compared to other offices, the in-house expertise is considerable. People are also always willing to help.‘
‘We work with Kirsten Prick and Artie Chinnoe. They are both fully aware of the laws and regulations with regard to the work we have assigned to them. Both can also be approached for advice and they will pro-actively contact us if the situation gives them cause to do so.‘
‘Practical and no-nonsense approach.‘
‘Good internal communication and hand-over amongst the various team members. This also applies to cases where advice is required in different legal areas where they utilise their all-round team with (solicitor) colleagues covering different legal areas. In addition they have strong ties with third-party service providers like translators for legal documentation and overseas legal advice.‘
‘Consistent output and good dependability. Kirsten Prick and Lous Vervuurt do not shy away from sharing their thoughts and personal views on our sometimes atypical and complex questions.‘
Key clients
A&O Hotels
ABC Westland
ABN AMRO
AINA Hospitality
Assets
BAM
Booking.com
Cabot Partners
De Vries en Verburg
Fiduciam
Fresch Real Estate
Hillgate
ING
Nationale Nederlanden
Planon
PPHE Hotel Group
Reshape Property
Schouten Bouw
Stadgenoot
Staedion
Reinier de Graaf Groep
Thuismakers
Vesteda Investment Management
VolkerWessels
Zeilstra Vastgoed
WoonHolland
Work highlights
- Advised Vesteda Investment Management on the acquisition of a Dutch residential portfolio worth €1.5bn from NN Group.
- Assisted ABC Westland Beheer with the €116.5m sale of a logistics business park in the agriculture and food industry to real estate investor Hines.
- Advised Tenbos Invest on the sale of its business premises in Nootdorp, the Netherlands, to the David Hart Group, a Dutch real estate investor, in a deal worth €9.5m.
Fort Advocaten
The real estate team at Fort Advocaten stands out for its 'clear communication' and 'personal attention'. The practice has particularly 'good knowledge of the retail real estate market', and clients in this space include Lush, JD Sports Fashion and Nespresso Nederland. Its recent workload includes property transactions and advising on lease agreements. Katinka Verdurmen is 'a very hardworking lawyer with a sharp mind', who specialises in commercial tenancy and franchise law. Other key contacts are Dirk van den Berg, Jodit de Bruin, and Pieter Twaalfhoven.
Practice head(s):
Pieter Twaalfhoven; Jodit de Bruin; Katinka Verdurmen; Dirk van den Berg
Testimonials
‘What makes the practice unique, I think, is the focus of Fort Advocaten on real estate, the size of the firm (not too big, not too small) and the professionalism and informality of the team.‘
‘I work closely with Jodit de Bruin and Berth Brouwer.‘
‘Solid, reliable, all relevant disciplines are in-house. Very quick responses and reactions.‘
‘Most of the time I worked with Katinka Verdurmen. She is a very hard working lawyer with a sharp mind and often has out of the box creative solutions to problems. She is polite, a quick thinker with humour, and knows how to ease tensions. This style is reflected in her team, Maaike Boomsma and Mirjam Davelaar.‘
‘The real estate team is at a high level. The response speed is good. The price-quality ratio is good.‘
‘Katinka Verdurmen and Maaike Boomsma: the lawyers are friendly. Quick understanding and fast to the point. Very accurate.‘
‘Good knowledge about the retail real estate market.‘
‘Clear communication, pragmatic, open to feedback, active approach.‘
‘Great dedicated team. Friendly, accurate and knowledgeable.‘
‘Personal attention.‘
Key clients
Action Nederland B.V.
Bakker.com
Big Bazar B.V.
Blokker B.V.
Blokker Holding B.V.
Gemeente Dronten
H. Lagendijk Holding B.V.
HEMA B.V.
Hendriks Brandstoffen B.V.
Intertoys B.V. (Green Swan Netherlands B.V.)
JD Sports Fashion B.V.
Kolhoorn Heerde B.V.
Lush B.V.
Mexx Europe B.V.
MS Mode Nederland B.V.
Nederflex Beheer B.V.
Nedstede Group
Nespresso Nederland B.V.
Scapino Retail B.V.
Sports Unlimited Retail B.V.
Yves Rocher B.V.
BMB Ontwikkeling B.V. (part of VolkerWessels)
Biesterbos Groep
Frites uit Zuyd B.V.
Libra International B.V.
Lush B.V.
P1 Parking Amsterdam Centrum B.V.
Provincie Zuid-Holland
Sallaerts Tankstations B.V.
Stichting Compensatieregeling Grenspomphouders “De Grens Bereikt!”
Stichting Ymere
Workday B.V.
Work highlights
- Advising BMB, part of Royal VolkerWessels, and affiliated companies on lease agreements for commercial spaces and other property issues, including apartment rights, easements, chain clauses and qualitative obligations.
- Assisting real estate investor Nedstede with the purchase of Dutch football stadium Gelredome, home to Vitesse, in Arnhem.
- Advising the province of Zuid-Holland on the design of a new system for the lease of petrol station lots and the transfer of existing users to the new system.
HabrakenRutten
HabrakenRutten's real estate team is 'able to combine the legal aspects with the commercial ones' when advising on matters, including the restructuring of major real estate development projects, and acquisitions and sales. The firm has expanded its expertise in leasing with the recent arrival of counsel Jorieke van Strijen from NautaDutilh. Other key contacts include Henk Raven, whose 'winner's mentality makes him very effective in contracting and negotiation', Sjoerd Rutten and Peter Habraken. Marleen van Dijkma and Willemijn Ritsema van Eck left the practice in the summer of 2019.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘HabrakenRutten has extensive experience and knowledge of the real estate business. They cover the whole value chain. They are experienced advisers in all aspects of contract and corporate law with a focus on the real estate industry.‘
‘Henk Raven is a strong and experienced practitioner in real estate. His analytical skills together with his winner’s mentality makes him very effective in contracting and negotiation. It is a pleasure to work with Henk. He is dedicated and flexible.‘
‘Very good knowledge of the mechanics and players in the construction/civil-engineering and property industry.‘
‘Peter Habraken: high quality, process orientation, excellent network, stable adviser. Henk Raven: high quality, team player.‘
‘We have a good cooperation with HabrakenRutten. They have a lot of knowledge of the real estate practice. They are very good in contract matters, better than any other firm I know.‘
‘Henk Raven is totally involved in our cases. They work very hard and what they promise, they will do. His contracts are of high quality.‘
‘Always there when you need them. Sharp and clear.‘
‘Peter Habraken: human but also tough.‘
‘Very capable and thorough.‘
‘The team is very dedicated to assisting the client, providing an almost 24/7 service. The HabrakenRutten team has in-depth knowledge of the real estate market and is able to combine the legal aspects with the commercial ones.‘
Key clients
Amvest
Staedion
Syntrus Achmea
Work highlights
- Advising Syntrus Achmea Real Estate on the redevelopment of the Planeet shopping mall in the city centre of Utrecht.
- Assisting Westfields Logistics Development with the sale and transfer of its warehouses near Eindhoven, in a deal worth over €100m.
- Advising Hommerson Casino’s on the €30m development, realisation, financing and sale of a large seaboard parking facility in Scheveningen, The Hague.
HVG Law LLP
HVG Law LLP's well-connected real estate team stands out for its 'proactive and responsive' approach. The practice has particular experience assisting clients in the leisure sector, as well as supermarkets and car park operators, among them Q-Park, Coop Supermarkten; the group assisted the latter with the acquisition of 51 Emté supermarket stores. The practice is jointly headed by 'very competent lawyer' Sander van Leeuwen and Jan Willem Stouthart, who specialises in real estate transactions.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Great team with expertise and knowledge. Their response is swift, the content is accurate and helpful for the business.‘
‘Sander van Leeuwen is a very competent lawyer, an expert in real estate. He is sharp, accurate and his eagerness to win the case or to seek a solution is praiseworthy.‘
‘Besides being strong negotiators, HVG Real Estate is keen to serve its clients pro-actively and responsively.‘
‘Sander van Leeuwen is very responsive, ambitious, connected.‘
‘In depth knowledge of the Dutch real estate market.‘
‘HVG Law LLP has a very hands on approach and has been able to put the clients’ interests first.‘
‘Sander van Leeuwen has always made himself available and managed to get an experienced team to solve matters. He is not shy to tell you if he is not completely sure on things and will make sure next time we meet he is sure. I would call him a “practical” lawyer which makes him valuable and someone you want on your side.‘
‘The team is able to quickly process new information and developments and provide us with advice, even when they need to involve new colleagues and expertise.‘
‘Sander van Leeuwen was quick to understand the complexities of our cases and able to provide us quickly with input and advice.‘
‘The team and individuals go above and beyond the brief. They are not there to provide the agreed services but they are there to help the client close the case/ deal/ etc. For us as a client that’s the only way to move forward. Not many teams from other firms are as dedicated.‘
Key clients
Q-Park
Capricorn Capital Group
AB European Real Estate Fund
Coop Holding, Coop Real Estate, Coop Supermarkten
MidNed Projectontwikkeling
Green Real Estate
Pensioenfonds voor het Slagersbedrijf
Gemeente Goes
Corum SA
Remondis
Work highlights
- Assisted Capricorn Capital Management and Zetland Capital Partners with the acquisition of a portfolio consisting of 11 office buildings, in a deal worth €46m.
- Advised Coop Supermarkten on the acquisition of 51 Emté supermarket stores, which were mainly controlled via leases.
- Advised 21 schools in Amersfoort on the transfer of the obligation from the municipality to the schools to renovate and build new schools for the next 40 years.
Russell Advocaten B.V.
The 'very efficient' team at Russell Advocaten B.V. provides 'a personal touch' and is 'simply a pleasure to work with'. The practice has a niche specialisation in matters concerning embassies and residences of ambassadors. Other work includes assisting with the purchase and lease of premises, and permits and zoning for clients including leading enterprises, Dutch and foreign public authorities, and affluent individuals. Key names to note are 'open and direct' Reinier W.L. Russell, who 'understands the business of clients', and Jan Dop.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Excellent expertise.‘
‘Pro-active approach.‘
‘In particular the actual knowledge of legislation combined with knowledge, clear analyses, and a personal touch and approach. We are interested in short analyses, provided with specific advice.‘
‘A very good protracted professional relationship based on trust, integrity and respect.‘
‘The unique thing about Russell Advocaten is the honest and quality service you get. You work with a small team, that is very efficient and high standard. They can guide you through difficult proceedings and help you perfectly get the right answer to your questions. Simply a pleasure to work with.‘
‘Reinier Russell (Managing Partner) is always a very open and direct person, whom will give you always a straightforward answer. A perfect combination with his knowledge of the subject. I also love the business man in Reinier, he understands the business of clients. Ynze Kliphuis (associate) is a very solid lawyer. He is young, but already very experienced. Not afraid to say his mind and to defend a difficult case in front of the courts. Exceptional.‘