Dirkzwager > Arnhem, Netherlands > Firm Profile

Dirkzwager
VELPERWEG 1
6824 BZ ARNHEM
Netherlands

Email firm Visit website 31 88 24 24 100 31 88 24 24 111

Netherlands > Insurance Tier 2

Dirkzwager fields a large insurance team operating at a domestic and international level, with a specific focus on D&O liability and large coverage disputes for both Dutch insurers and listed companies. The Arnhem-based team is frequently involved in cross-border matters, where it works closely with practitioners in the firm’s London office. The team has specific experience in contentious claims, particularly regarding professional liability, and also acts on range of other insurance matters including those concerning product, corporate, and government liability. Harry Kruitwagen, Daan Baas and Joost Bindels are the practice heads.

Practice head(s):

Harry Kruitwagen; Daan Baas; Joost Bindels

Testimonials

‘Very good industry knowledge coupled with great legal expertise allows the team to provide excellent advice and a pragmatic approach to issues.’

‘Harry Kruitwagen is technically very skilled, provides pragmatic advice and is very engaging.’

Key clients

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE

Amlin Insurance SE (MS Amlin)

Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE

Allianz Benelux N.V.

Royal Sun Alliance

AIG Europe SA

Achmea Schadeverzekeringen (Avéro and Centraal Beheer)

Zurich Insurance plc

HDI Gerling

QBE Insurance (Europe) ltd

DUPI

Marsh

Willis

Aon

Bovemij

Netherlands > Industry focus: Information technology Tier 3

Dirkzwager’s Arnhem-based IT practice is sought out by clients for a range of matters, including contracts for hardware and software service agreements, disputes concerning failed automation projects and software, and data protection issues. The team, led by Ernst-Jan van de Pas, regularly works on IT-related matters in the healthcare and life sciences sector, including handling cases that reach the Supreme Court and negotiating tech partnerships between hospitals and high-tech medical devices companies. Mark Jansen heads the data protection and cybersecurity teams and is instrumental in drafting GIBIT terms (new conditions for procuring IT services and products) in Dutch municipalities. Joost Becker is a soft IP specialist, representing clients in contentious design rights, copyrights and image rights as well as advertising disputes. Christel Jeunink focuses on IP contracting, R&D projects and licensing agreements. Associate Sven Wakker drafts IT contracts and is a key member of the privacy and IT teams.

Leading individuals

Ernst-Jan van de Pas – Dirkzwager

Next Generation Partners

Mark Jansen – Dirkzwager

Practice head(s):

Ernst-Jan van de Pas; Joost Becker; Mark Jansen; Christel Jeunink

Other key lawyers:

Sven Wakker

Testimonials

‘The lawyers possess strong IT knowledge, take a personal approach and are available at key times.’

‘People like Ernst-Jan and Sven Wakker know when to act and show up when they need to, including evenings and early mornings.’

‘Dirkzwager is a company that offers a total package. The combination of extensive knowledge in the field of IT and healthcare makes them unique. We also follow the firm’s advice in the field of information security and privacy policy.’

‘Mark Jansen and Sven Wakker have specific knowledge, are excellent communicators and have flexible attitudes.’

‘Ernst-Jan van der Pas is friendly and clever. Mark Jansen is likeable and takes a deep interest in legal developments and is not shy in sharing his opinions on these developments.’

‘Mark Janssen is amicable, a good communicator and delivers on time. His input is spot-on.’

‘Mark Jansen and Dafne de Boer are notable partners. Systematically strong and achieve optimal results in order to properly argue the case.’

‘The firm has good knowledge off the healthcare industry, including the specifics of IT suppliers.’

Key clients

Alliander N.V.

Info Support

Deventer Ziekenhuis

ETZ (Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis)

Serendipity

Rijnstate Hospital Arnhem

Avisi Group

Bovemij

Hogeschool Arnhem-Nijmegen (HAN)

Vereniging Nederlandse Gemeenten (VNG)

Nationale Stichting Grote Clubactie (NSGC)

Landelijke Huisartsen Vereniging (“LHV”) and InEen

Work highlights

Assisted Alliander’s subsidiaries with contract drafting and negotiations for the provision of its software platforms so that its services can be easily expended throughout Germany, UK and the Nordics.
Represented Stichting Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis, a hospital group with 3 major sites in the Netherlands, in Supreme Court litigation due to the failed implementation of the Electronic Health Record by Portuguese IT-supplier Alert.
Assisted the HAN University of Applied Sciences in the handling of one of the larger data breaches in the Netherlands (550k+ data subjects) and all the follow-up actions.

Netherlands > Commercial, corporate and M&a Tier 6

Counting domestic and international companies among its key roster of clients, Dirkzwager has experience advising on M&A and private equity transactions, with notable expertise in the energy sector. Practice leader Claudia van der Most focuses on the cross-border and corporate governance aspects of M&A projects, while Selma van Ramele handles contractual matters and Maarten Kole advises on M&As in the energy sector.

Practice head(s):

Claudia van der Most

Other key lawyers:

Maarten Kole; Selma van Ramele; Deline Kruitbosch; Valerie van Engelenburg-Sijberden

Testimonials

‘Dirkzwager is a practice that is down to earth. They are a partner in crime in the case you work with them, easy to communicate with. They are reliable and are honest in their knowledge.’

‘Clear in their communication and well-informed.’

‘Good advice and quick responses.’

‘Pragmatic approach, while keeping an eye on the most important deal topics.’

‘No nonsense approach and extremely good communication.’

‘Excellent helicopter view and knowledge from Selma van Ramele.’

‘The leadership during the entire process was well-divided between the lawyers of Dirkzwager.’

‘Astute throughout the entire process.’

Key clients

Rubis Terminal S.A.

Arcadis Nederland B.V.

Bovemij N.V.

Obton A/S

Q-lip/Bactoforce

Rupro AG

Krämer Bouwgroep B.V.

Coppa Consultancy B.V.

Mooreast Holding B.V.

SOP International Ltd

ABC Vastgoed B.V.

Ankro Vastgoed B.V.

Work highlights

Advised Arcadis on its acquisition of 70% of the share capital of Water Platform Company, the Dutch-based software company that owns HydroNET.
Assisted Rubis Terminal SA in its sale of two subsidiaries, Rubis Tankmed B.V. and Rubis Terminal Petrol Ticaret Ve Sanayi A.Ş. to Transpet Petrolcülük ve Enerji A.Ş.
Assisted Mooreast Holdings (Mooreast) in its listing on the Singapore Exchange’s (SGX) Catalist.

Netherlands > Banking and finance: lender or arranger side

Rising stars

Sanne Swinkels – Dirkzwager

Firm overview: Meet Dirkzwager, where legal and tax specialists provide integrated services. Dirkzwager was founded 137 years ago and is the 12th largest law firm in the Netherlands (2022). With offices in Arnhem and Nijmegen and approximately 170 legal experts (attorneys-at-law, notaries, candidate notaries and tax consultants), Dirkzwager possesses specialist expertise in almost every field.

Full service approach: Dirkzwager aims to be a guide to the world of law. That is why we opt for an organic approach. Our teams and organization operate flexibly and are constantly adapting. To every assignment, job or client. We grow with clients when necessary, and change course when it makes sense. But always with a clear and common goal in mind: to solve complex legal and tax issues for our clients.

Thanks to our focus on multidisciplinary teams and sharing of specialist knowledge, we maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of our profession. This way we are able to ensure that our clients are provided with service effectively, promptly and cost-effectively. This also applies where international interests are involved.

Dirkzwager works with its clients as business partners and not simply as suppliers of legal and tax services. It commits to excelling not only in its individual areas of practice, but in the way it delivers service to its clients — with enthusiasm, effort and integrity.

The firm serves as its client’s legal and tax trusted advisor, helping clients achieve their business objectives while managing their risks, difficulties and expenses.

Furthermore, Dirkzwager takes great pride in not only knowing its client’s industries but also understanding their unique business process. The firm offers full legal and tax services in the Netherlands. In addition, it offers legal services in Germany through its own German desk run by both Dutch and German accredited attorneys.

International collaboration: Dirkzwager works for regional, national and international clients. Multinationals often entrust us with their legal affairs. These include corporations with a Dutch holding company, foreign operating companies or business units in the Netherlands. From our own region, but also from further afield.

Through our German Desk and the TELFA (Trans European Law Firm Alliance) and USLAW network, Dirkzwager is able to assist its clients in all EU countries as well as all 50 US states. As members for the past 30 years, Dirkzwager has worked closely with most affiliated firms from the network.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Banking & Finance	Chantal van den Borne
Banking & Finance	Rob van Houts
Cassation, procedural law and appeals	Tom van Malssen
Civil law notary	Ruben Berentsen
Corporate	Bas Bookelmann
Corporate	Claudia van der Most
Corporate	Deline Kruitbosch
Corporate	Karen Verkerk
Corporate	Klaas-Albert Veerbeek
Corporate	Rogier Faase
Corporate	Selma van Ramele
Employment	Buby den Heeten
Employment	Tom Vandeginste
Energy	Maarten Kole
Environment; Rent	Jasper Molenaar
German desk	Susanne Hermsen-Pfeiffer
Government	Hanna Zeilmaker
Healthcare	Koen Mous
Healthcare	Louis Houwen
Healthcare	Luuk Arends
Healthcare	Marieke van Dongen
Insurance	Daan Baas
Insurance	Henriek Kragt
Insurance	Joost Bindels
Insurance	René Wildenburg
Insurance; Litigation	Harry Kruitwagen
Intellectual property and IT	Christel Jeunink
Intellectual property and IT	Ernst-Jan van de Pas
Intellectual property and IT	Joost Becker
Intellectual property and IT	Mark Jansen
Pensions	Frédérique Hoppers
Pensions	Henk Hoving
Private law and Family law	Ineke Meuwese
Procurement	Frank Cornelissen
Procurement	Tony van Wijk
Real estate	Anouk Bisseling
Real estate	Bart van Meer
Real estate	John Wijnmaalen
Real estate; Rent	Robert Rijpstra
Tax	Cuno Wittrock
Tax	Dennis Nijssen
Tax	Gerton Rademaker
Tax	Lex van Noordenburg
Tax	Lodewijk Reijs
Tax	Petra de Waal
Tax	René Sueters
Tax	Robert de Vries

Name	Position	Profile
Mr Daan Baas	Attorney – Partner	View Profile
Mr Joost Becker	Attorney – Partner	View Profile
Mr Joost Bindels	Attorney – Partner	View Profile
Ms Sanne Hebbink - Swinkels	Senior Attorney	View Profile
Mr Mark Jansen	Attorney – Associate Partner	View Profile
Ms Christel Jeunink	Attorney – Associate Partner	View Profile
Mr Maarten Kole	Attorney – Partner	View Profile
Mr Harry Kruitwagen	Attorney – Partner	View Profile
Ms Selma van Ramele	Attorney, Partner	View Profile
Mr Sven Wakker	Attorney	View Profile
Mr Ernst-Jan van de Pas	Attorney – Partner	View Profile
Ms Claudia van der Most	Attorney – Partner	View Profile