Firm Profile > Kennedy Van der Laan > Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dispute resolution: Mediation Tier 1

Kennedy Van der Laan’s Eva Knipschild heads the group and is a member of the Mediatorsfederatie Nederland (MfN). Senior associate Simon van IJsendoorn is also registered with the MfN, and is singled out. The group has experience acting as mediators in a wide range of disputes.

IT Tier 1

Industry focus: Information technology Tier 1

Kennedy Van der Laan is highlighted for its 'fast and in-depth advice, ability to understand business problems, and for offering the right solutions'. In addition to outsourcing and other IT projects, the team also handles  IT disputes, e-commerce mandates, cybercrime, and public procurement matters. Patrick Wit is in demand for his 'negotiation expertise', while other well-regarded partners include Joost Linnemann, Hester de Vries, and Christoph Jeloschek; senior associate Joost Schmaal is also a name to note. The team counts TNT,  McDonald’s and Stichting BKR among its broad client base.

Industry focus: Media and entertainment Tier 1

Kennedy Van der Laan 'has a full spectrum of media knowledge' and a 'clear understanding of ethical issues in media reporting and the EU regulations protecting press reporting'. Team head Jens Van den Brink 'is a smart negotiator and his strategic advice is outstanding. His team brings all aspects you might seek in a media desk. All are great to work with'. Emiel Jurjens is also well rated, especially on account of his track record of winning cases. Counsel Christien Wildeman acts for De Persgroep and is known for her defamation expertise. The team acted for NOS, RTL, and De Persgroep in proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights concerning access to state-held information on the MH17 plane crash.

Industry focus: retail Tier 1

The Kennedy Van der Laan practice 'provides creative solutions, combining expertise in different areas such as IP, distribution, data protection and licensing and also stands out at managing complex projects' and it specifically benefits clients with 'significant expertise in the retail industry'. Martijn van Bemmel and Jelle Blom are 'outstanding' while Martine de Koning is viewed as 'a top lawyer who perfectly knows the retail industry'. Nike, Converse, VodafoneZiggo and Elecosoft UK are among its client list. Of late the team has handled matters including a complex distribution dispute, franchising, and online retailing issues. It also advised Panda Sporthallen Exploitatie in a Court of Appeal case in which it claimed compensation for the early termination of a fitness club franchise format. Counsel Bart-Adriaan de Ruijter and senior associate Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken are other team members of note.

Insurance Tier 2

Kennedy Van der Laan 'has a pragmatic approach, focuses on priorities, and is a great partner'. Peter van den Broek is recommended along with  Frits van der Woude and associate Mark Wisse. Senior partners Erik van Orsouw heads the insurance and liability practice and Chris van Dijk has a focus on claims relating to personal injuries. AIG, Zurich, Chubb, and AON are clients and recent work includes advising on large claims in the construction industry; various regulations and advice on insurance and liability issues in connection with the use of asbestos and the insurance implications of product recalls.

Intellectual property: trade marks, copyrights and design rights Tier 2

The 'efficient, well-synced team' at Kennedy Van der Laan 'has excellent communication skills; the advice is pragmatic and it has broad experience in brand protection matters'. Alfred Meijboom and Maarten Schut head the department and offer broad expertise in IP, media, and related technology issues. Schut also coordinates the European brand protection work for Nike.  Counsel Sophie van Loon has a focus on copyright law and advises international media and publishing clients, including on matters relating to collective rights management societies. The team's impressive client roster includes Ikea, Facebook, and Tommy Hilfiger. Highlight work includes continuous assistance to Converse in its fight against counterfeiting in several European countries and wins against Dutch distributors Van Caem and Goeiemode.

Construction Tier 3

Kennedy Van der Laan has a track record in the construction sector, including expertise with architecture, real estate, and procurement law and increasingly large commercial projects. Richard Jan Roks and Nico Jacobs co-head the team; Roks has a strong healthcare client roster and Jacobs has a focus on the leisure industry; he advised Wenzhou Tongyong Locks on the purchase agreement and construction matters in respect of the proposed Olympic Hotel in Amsterdam. The team also advised the Port of Amsterdam on solar matters including the procurement procedure and construction contracts in respect of the installation of rooftop solar panels.

Employment Tier 3

Kennedy Van der Laan is highly rated for the range of HR-related advice it can offer in addition to the handling of contentious cases, especially in the finance and tech sectors. Eva Knipschild, Chris Nekeman and Soo-Ja Schijf are the senior partners who oversee work for clients such as Unisys, VodafoneZiggo and Rabobank. It advises Microsoft on all its employment matters including co-governance issues relating to restructures and reorganisations.

Industry focus: healthcare and life sciences Tier 3

Kennedy Van der Laan has a special focus on mergers and joint ventures together with medical liability and disciplinary actions. The team is a member of Biolegis, the pan-European network of independent law firms with a focus on life sciences. Fenna van Dijk heads the healthcare team and Maarten Schut specialises in IP within the life sciences sector. Meltem Koning advises on corporate and private equity matters. The group advised the Oncode Institute, a new ‘super’ institute combining oncology research from numerous academic hospitals and research institutes. It assisted with its set up and governance, funding negotiations, and complex IP arrangements. In other work includes advising on licensing, R&D collaborations, and patent disputes.

EU and competition Tier 4

Kennedy Van der Laan 's team 'works efficiently and is focused on the bigger picture'. It has notable strength handling competition matters in the banking and finance, retail and healthcare sectors. Annemieke van der Beek assisted the Dutch Payments Association during a dawn raid and is acting for the client in an ongoing investigation by the European Commission into its role in the alleged misconduct by Dutch banks surrounding their payment accounts and third party access. Martine de Koning, who is 'very dynamic', and senior associate Martijn van Bemmel are other names to note.

Real estate Tier 4

The real estate group at Kennedy Van der Laan is made up of 'young and very motivated lawyers who are different to the other big firms; their approach is unconventional and so are their legal solutions.' Nico Jacobs and Richard Jan Roks head the team and senior associate Anne-Christine Keuning is identified as a 'skilled negotiator who is positive and efficient in getting deals done'. The team has an established clientele in the hotel, leisure, and healthcare sectors. Recent highlight work includes advising Marriott Hotels International on a range of new hotel projects and also advising Nike Europe on the development of its new European HQ to accommodate more than 2,000 employees.

Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 5

Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 5

Client Testimonials

CLIENT: Steven de Schrijver

COMPANY/FIRM: Astrea

TESTIMONIAL: People are very laid back but still very professional. I always get advice within budget, within the time limits requested. So it is very pleasant to work with. The firm is not only after profit, but good client relationships and good quality of work.

CLIENT: Johan Kahn

COMPANY/FIRM: Kahn Pedersen

TESTIMONIAL: I think our view of Kennedy Van der Laan is very inspiring We look to Kennedy Van der Laan for inspiration and motivation.

CLIENT: Brian Newman

COMPANY/FIRM: Vice President International HR, LiveNation Entertainment

TESTIMONIAL: Soo-Ja Schijf has successfully advised us on employment matters within our international business. She is extremely responsive in terms of timing and understands the international context of our entertainment business with different issues and challenges. I value her strong international focus and her pragmatic and very solution-focused approach. With Soo-Ja we are on the right track.

CLIENT: Martin Haas

COMPANY/FIRM: Sales Excellence and Licensing Lead, Microsoft Switzerland

TESTIMONIAL: I have worked with Reinoud Westerdijk on some of the largest and most complex licensing and cloud deals that I have ever been involved in in my 10+ year experience at Microsoft. Reinoud provided excellent support with these global deals, not only in his field of expertise but also as a great sparring partner helping us to shape the business partnerships and the negotiation outcome. This took a lot of hard work and dedication. Reinoud’s highly efficient and professional work-style combined with his positive and constructive attitude made it always a great pleasure for me to work with him.

CLIENT: Monique van Diessen

COMPANY/FIRM: Managing Attorney Nike Europe

TESTIMONIAL: ‘We highly recommend Martine de Koning, first and foremost because of her knowledge and creativity in providing solutions and strategic thinking’. Martine de Koning has worked for sports products manufacturer Nike and Converse on franchise, distribution, agency, procurement and competition law, including litigation and arbitration, for over 15 years.

CLIENT: Sarah Humphries

COMPANY/FIRM: Orange Brand Services Limited

TESTIMONIAL: “Orange has worked with Alfred Meijboom at KVdL for a number of years and very much values his high quality advice.   He consistently obtains the best results for our Orange Brand in the Netherlands”

Diversity/Community

For us it is a given that the best teams are diverse teams, made up from people from different backgrounds. This is why diversity is a key theme when we source future talent. For our team members we invest in deep knowledge, capability development of hard and soft skills, irrespective of gender, age, nationality, sexual preference, ethnicity, disability, religion or background. We also encourage everyone to train, develop and utilize their experience for the benefit of the wider teams.

We have around 20% of female partners at the top. We signed the letter of intent of the Bar, promising to promote diversity within our profession. Furthermore, we believe that actively promoting diversity means creating an inclusive work environment that allows for personal growth, an environment where everyone has the headspace and opportunity to succeed, and to develop beyond their current field of expertise. This is why we embrace flexible working principles for everyone.