Mrs Eveline Sillevis Smitt > AKD > Amsterdam, Netherlands > Lawyer Profile

AKD
PO BOX 59280
1040 KG AMSTERDAM
Netherlands

Work Department

Public law / Environment and Planning

Position

Partner

Career

Eveline Sillevis Smitt is a lawyer and partner at AKD. She is a leading expert in the field of environmental law (including spatial planning). She acts primarily on behalf of property developers and for large and medium-sized companies in the heavier industries, the foodstuffs industry, the energy sector and waste processing. She has a lot of experience with the environmental and spatial aspects that play a role in those fields. Eveline helps clients to obtain permits and dispensations, or in the event of impending enforcement measures.

Eveline speaks the client’s language and is able to find the right tone whenever environmental consultants need to be involved in the case. She acts proactively, communicates clearly and responds quickly. According to one client, “Eveline is very engaged, helpful and bright, with outstanding knowledge”.

Eveline publishes regularly. She also lectures at various environmental law educational institutions and speaks at client seminars.

Environmental aspects with which Eveline has experience are best practices, air quality, noise (zoning), emissions (such as substances of very high concern) and emissions trading, soil and soil contamination, odour issues, (external) safety, spillages, environmental protection (including flora and fauna), the use of secondary building materials and environmental impact assessments. She also provides support in relation to specialist (environmental) disputes involving (nuclear) energy, asbestos and asbestos liability, Legionnaire’s disease and waste legislation.

Eveline has worked on projects involving various kinds of power generation, such as wind and nuclear energy. She also advises on the coordination and acceleration of procedures for the acquisition of any government permits that may be required. She also has experience with (national) monuments, the Crisis and Recovery Act [Crisis- en herstelwet] and the Transport Infrastructure (Planning Procedures) Act [Tracéwet].

Eveline also uses her knowledge of environmental law in the context of project development, for example in conjunction with (city centre) redevelopments, the restructuring of former industrial sites and other conversions. In addition, she advises property developers about project feasibility, sustainability aspects and she makes recommendations about when to commence construction.

Lastly Eveline advises clients in supervisory and enforcement cases brought after permits or dispensations have been granted or not. Examples include obtaining orders subject to penalties, as well as administrative enforcement and administrative penalties.

Eveline is a lecturer at E-WISE and also gives the PO course for lawyers entitled ‘Property subject to Public Law’. She also teaches in the field of environmental law at the Educational Centre for Business and the Public Sector [Studiecentrum voor Bedrijf en Overheid] (SBO).

Lawyer Rankings

Netherlands > Environment and planning

(Leading individuals)

Eveline Sillevis Smitt – AKD

AKD‘s environment and planning team, which is formed of ‘highly qualified lawyers’, is well-equipped to advise on the gamut of complex matters ranging from high-value major developments and zoning plans to contentious and non-contentious environmental issues regarding such aspects as the shipment of waste. Its client list features names including the Minister of Infrastructure and Environment in the Netherlands. Breda-based Jos Van Der Velden oversees the team, alongside Hugo Doornhof, who works from the Amsterdam office, and Rotterdam-based Gerrit van der Veen, who is described as being ‘straight to the pointreliable and very competent’. The ‘unique and down-to-earth’ Thomas Sanders is also a name to note, as is Eveline Sillevis Smitt, who is particularly focused on major development and enforcement matters. Henk Breeman retired from the team in December 2022.