Stek > Amsterdam, Netherlands > Firm Profile

Stek > The Legal 500 Rankings

Netherlands > Energy: regulatory Tier 1

With ‘wide knowledge and experience in energy law‘ and ‘profound knowledge of regulation', the energy and utilities team at Stek is active in lobbying and litigation in the energy regulatory space, and acts for major national and international clients. Jan Erik Janssen is a key contact for clients seeking advice on regulatory matters, and has a strong track record in contentious work. Senior associate Veii Jacobs plays a key supporting role, with notable experience in spatial planning and public law as it relates to renewable energy projects.

Netherlands > Energy: transactional Tier 2

Stek has a broad energy and utilities offering covering transactional, project financing, and regulatory work for clients including major national energy companies, distributors, funds, and investors. Reijnoud Homveld is a key contact, with experience in both M&A and projects. Coen Thomas is strong on capital-intensive projects, and Claudia Beele stands out for her ‘in-depth knowledge‘ of the renewables space.

Netherlands > EU and competition Tier 2

Stek’s competition and regulated markets practice is comprised of competition specialists, led by Ruben Elkerbout and Berend Reuder, and regulated markets experts, led by Jan Erik Janssen. The practice is noted for its strong litigation capacity, as well as its focus on digital investigations in cartels and consumer protection. The firm also operates within a range of highly regulated sectors, including healthcare, technology, agrifood, transport and energy, and is involved in a variety of cartel cases, including dawn raids, defence and claimant work and leniency applications, as well as merger control cases, including second phase merger notifications, often involving a cross-border element.

Netherlands > Project finance and PFI Tier 2

Stek’s project finance practice has developed in conjunction with the firm’s strong energy sector focus, both regulatory and transactional. The team is naturally extremely active in renewable energy financing, including solar power, and wind, and developing energy sources such as biomass and geothermal projects. The team primarily acts for lenders, including domestic Dutch and international banks, and is also engaged in the glass fibre industry, acting for both lenders and companies. The practice also counts larger infrastructure projects, such as data centres, as a key strength and is led by Herman Wamelink, Sharon Kaufmann, Reijnoud Homveld, Claudia Beele and Coen Thomas.

Netherlands > Transport Tier 2

Stek advises clients on the full spectrum of aviation-related matters both domestically and at an international level. The team specialises in transactional arrangements regarding leasing, acquisition and the sale and financing of commercial aircraft, helicopters and business jets. The team’s expertise is consolidated by experience in aviation regulation, specifically relating to Schipol airport. The firm acts for an impressive roster of aviation clients including airlines as well as financial institutions, which it assists with financing facilities. Jeroen Timmermans leads the team and has proficiency in all aspects of aviation law, including aircraft repossession and related contract issues.

Netherlands > Banking and finance: lender or arranger side Tier 3

Maarten van der Graaf, Frans Haak, Sharon Kaufmann and Herman Wamelink head the finance department at Stek. International law firms and foreign financial institutions, as well as a number of leading Dutch banks, draw on the team's local Dutch expertise across a range of lending transactions. The group has seen increased activity in the project finance space as a result of the energy transition and related government subsidies. The group's expertise also extends to acquisition/leveraged finance, general corporate lending (involving a combination of lending and asset-based financing) and healthcare/hospital financings. Counsels Marleen Veenstra and Guy Pegels provide additional support.

Netherlands > Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 3

Stek‘s dispute resolution team is known for combining the expertise of litigation and competition lawyers in order to represent corporates and financial institutions in complex domestic and multi-jurisdictional cartel litigation and follow-on damages claims. Litigation team heads Gerben Smit and Jan Bart Van De Hel are vastly experienced in acting for clients in finance litigation, corporate investigations, fraud cases and director’s liability claims. Associates Simon Boersen, Max Hetterscheidt, Tanja Schasfoort and Marie-Claire Leijten are key contacts for corporate, commercial and liability disputes.

Netherlands > Private equity Tier 3

Praised for its ‘flexibility and responsiveness’, Stek counts domestic and international private equity funds, as well as portfolio companies and management teams, among its key roster of clients. The practice is well-placed to leverage the expertise of the firm’s corporate, competition and regulated markets, finance and dispute resolution departments to assist with investments in new portfolio companies, add-on acquisitions and commercial matters. Eelco Bijkerk leads the practice alongside Ruben Tros and Maarten Van De Graaf.

Netherlands > Banking and finance: Borrower side Tier 4

Stek's transactional expertise makes it a go-to for borrower clients such as large corporates, private equity houses and sponsor-held portfolio companies. The team is in a unique position to advise on healthcare/hospital finance transactions, although other drivers of activity include acquisition finance, leveraged finance and general corporate lending matters. Elsewhere, project finance transactions with a nexus to the energy sector are handled by the group. Maarten van der Graaf, Frans Haak, Sharon Kaufmann and Herman Wamelink head the practice, which also includes counsels Marleen Veenstra and Guy Pegels.

Netherlands > Commercial, corporate and M&a Tier 4

Noted for its expertise in handling energy-related transactions, boutique firm Stek has demonstrable experience advising on the finance and competition law aspects of mid-market M&A deals. The team is well-placed to leverage the expertise of the firm’s competition and regulated markets, finance and dispute resolution practice groups to handle commercial matters. Key contacts in the group include corporate specialist Eelco Bijkerk, energy expert Reijnoud Homveld, Jasper Stek and Ruben Tros, who acts for W&I insurers in underwriting M&A transactions.