Mrs Berry van Wijk > Houthoff > Amsterdam, Netherlands > Lawyer Profile

Houthoff
GUSTAV MAHLERPLEIN 50
1082 MA AMSTERDAM
Netherlands

Position

Berry van Wijk specialises in insurance law and liability issues. She advises and litigates in the fields of regulatory law, reinsurance, life and non-life insurance, distribution of insurance, the transfer of portfolios and the liability of insurers for their products.

Berry has been a key voice in the nationwide discussions about unit-linked insurance since the debate began in 2006. This discussion has led and still leads to a variety of claims from different consumer organisations and individual policy holders. She advises a vast number of insurers, including Nationale Nederlanden, in such matters.

Berry advises on the development of new life and non-life insurance products as well as new distribution forms. She helps clients in their contacts with the main Dutch regulators, the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), and assists them with the implementation of regulatory requirements in the Netherlands. Berry further advises on the regulatory component of M&A transactions in the insurance industry.

Berry is a trusted adviser to the legal counsel and board members of several insurance companies. She is a daily board member of the Association for Insurance Sciences (Vereniging voor Verzekeringswetenschap) and member of the Advisory Committee on Insurance of the Dutch Bar Association (Orde van Advocaten). She is also a member of the Advisory Council of the Albert Schweitzer hospital and of the VNAB (Dutch Insurance Exchange Association).

Berry is an editor of the journal ‘Liability, Insurance and Damage’ (Aansprakelijkheid, Verzekering & Schade), writes a regular column in de Beursbengel and publishes in other trade journals. She is a lecturer on the post-academic Financial Law programme at the Eggens Institute of the University of Amsterdam and the Co-Insurance course (Leergang Co-Assurantie) at Erasmus University.

Languages

Dutch, English

Lawyer Rankings

Netherlands > Banking and finance: Financial services regulatory

The financial regulatory team at Houthoff advises on a wide range of matters, including market supervision, licensing and insurance, among others. The firm offers a comprehensive service to traditional banking institutions as well as fintech companies, payment platforms, and cryptocurrencies. Leading the team is Berry van Wijk, a financial regulatory expert who frequently navigates cases with the Dutch regulatory authorities. Lisanne Haarman works closely alongside van Wijk and is noted for her knowledge of regulations concerning anti-money laundering, banking, and payment services.

Netherlands > Insurance

(Leading individuals)

Berry van WijkHouthoff

Houthoff is a popular choice for insurers and their insureds facing class action suits, with the firm handling several such cases over the past year, including those tied to the alleged mis-selling of unit-linked insurance products. The practice also assists with regulatory matters, focusing on prudential insurance and business conduct, as well as the launches of new insurance products, while also providing transactional support. Berry van Wijk leads the team, with a regulatory practice that covers both life and non-life insurance products and issues tied to M&As. Huib Lebbing specialises in contentious insurance matters, with a particular focus on health and safety-related incidents. Former practice co-head Hans Londonck Sluijk co-founded his own firm, insurance boutique Londonck & Kos, in January 2023.

Netherlands > Fintech

(Firms to watch)

The fintech practice at Houthoff is well versed in advising on financial regulatory matters. Berry van Wijk heads up the practice, in which IT specialist Thomas de Weerd and Juan Vervuurt are names to note.