Florent > Amsterdam, Netherlands > Firm Profile

Florent
NOMA HOUSE
GUSTAV MAHLERLAAN 1236
1081 LA AMSTERDAM
Netherlands

Netherlands > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2

The practice at Florent is noted for its ‘exceptional dedication’ to assisting its clients. The practice is well-placed to advise companies in financial distress on the remit of issues, including in WHOA proceedings, as well as to advise clients in bankruptcy proceedings. ‘Highly intelligent strategist’ Hanneke De Coninck helms the offering and has experience acting as court-appointed trustee in high-stakes insolvencies. At the team’s head alongside De Coninck is Kees van de Meent who advises in high-profile proceedings spanning the array of industry sectors and is ‘appointed in some of the biggest insolvencies in the Netherlands’.

Practice head(s):

Hanneke De Coninck; Kees van de Meent

Other key lawyers:

Daphne Beunk; Jurgen van de Heuvel; Merijn Moeliker; Joris Opstroom; Alejandra Bouts

Testimonials

‘The Florent team truly distinguishes itself through its pragmatic approach to handling cases. Their exceptional dedication, prompt and precise counsel, and availability have significantly contributed to the success of our case.’

‘Hanneke de Coninck is a highly intelligent strategist who goes beyond the legal aspects and genuinely acts in the best interests of her clients.’

‘Kees van de Meent is a good communicator and knows how to get parties involved.’

‘In the Netherlands, Florent has the largest group of insolvency lawyers who also are court-appointed trustees in insolvency. Their experience as court-appointed trustees is also very useful for advising companies that are in financial difficulty but not yet insolvent.’

‘Kees van de Meent has a wealth of experience as court-appointed trustee; he is appointed in some of the biggest insolvencies in the Netherlands. Great on strategy and guiding the client. Daphne Beunk, Jurgen van de Heuvel and Merijn Moeliker are very knowledgeable and pleasant to work with.’

‘Hanneke de Coninck had an enormous drive to succeed in the project and was very nice to work with. She never gave up and was available day and night.’

‘The team is of the right size and masters the various disciplines at the right level, including in terms of years of experience. The team is flexible and rapidly deployable. Pragmatism prevails, but there is also sufficient attention to the theoretical aspects of a case. The team is pleasant to work with.’

‘The colleagues at Florent are motivated and hardworking professionals. Working with each of them is a pleasure. I enjoyed working with Hanneke De Coninck in particular for her broad and in-depth knowledge of a wide range of subjects. Hanneke quickly wins the trust of her discussion partners and is truly a trusted advisor.’

Key clients

Crystal River Cruises

Helpling

FNG group of companies

Theo Henkelman Schoenen B.V.

Only A Shoes B.V.

V&D

La Place

Exem Energy

Thomas Cook Nederland B.V.

Doniger Fashion group of companies

Van der Moolen group of companies

Integrated Green Energy Amsterdam B.V.

B.V. Vitesse

Sports Unlimited Retail B.V.

Basta

Big Bazar B.V.

Aygun Aluminium Netherlands B.V.

Delight Yoga group

Arch & Hook group

Work highlights

  • Acting as bankruptcy trustee in the bankruptcy of Sports Unlimited Retail, including the sports apparel chains Perry Sport, Aktiesport, and Sprinter.
  • Acting as bankruptcy trustee in the bankruptcy of Big Bazar, a chain of discount stores that operated over 125 stores in the Netherlands and Belgium and employed approximately 1,350 employees in the Netherlands.
  • Acting as court appointed restructuring expert (herstructureringsdeskundige) in the public WHOA proceedings of professional football club Vitesse, in the football season 2023/2024 playing in the highest Dutch league.

Netherlands > Dispute resolution: Commercial litigation Tier 3

Florent has established itself as a force in the Dutch litigation market, advising on a wide range of cases from commercial, financial and corporate litigation to arbitration, class actions, insolvency litigation and private international law matters. The team advises a mix of domestic and international entities, from shareholders to directors, companies, organisations and entrepreneurs. The Amsterdam-based team is particularly noted for its skill in handling disputes for clients in the finance, pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors. Emille Buziau leads the practice and is the go-to for shareholders, directors and supervisory board members looking for representation in corporate and commercial litigation. Yvette Borrius excels in class actions, while Chris Jager handles a mix of litigation and arbitration.

Practice head(s):

Emille Buziau

Other key lawyers:

Yvette Borrius; Chris Jager; Bart Jan Hermans

Testimonials

‘Florent proves to be the supreme combination of top-notch quality, strategic thinking, swift communication and a nice atmosphere. The result is a truly client-oriented, high-quality and high-impact driven culture. I strongly recommend Florent.’

‘Yvette Borrius is one of a kind. Yvette is number one in her league, super driven and great in communication. She starts with the client’s strategy and the questions behind the question, takes all time necessary to really understand worries, even to a level we had not thought about before. Yvette is my number one choice.’

‘Very knowledgeable, extremely service-orientated and very strategic.’

‘Chris Jager is an excellent thinker and very analytical and commercial.’

‘Informal, down to earth and has strong fundamentals.’

‘Emille Buziau is a great sparring partner who clearly understand the dynamics between parties.’

‘The team is very knowledgeable and approachable. They are able to thoroughly understand and advise on a complex case.’

‘Yvette Borrius and Emille Buziau are highly qualified.’

Key clients

Renault SA and group companies

Promez Communicatie Management B.V.

Enterprise Chamber Officers (D.E.M. saga)

Cascades Recovery + a division of Cascades Canada ULC

Work highlights

  • Represented the CEO and one of the major shareholders of Van Dongen & De Roo in a dispute with the other shareholders.
  • Represented Renault and group companies in class action litigation.
  • Represented PCM in its €48m litigation against Intres.

Netherlands > Employment Tier 3

Florent's employment practice is instructed by multinational clients on corporate employment law matters, with a particular focus on M&A transactions, and the team is equally adept at advising on a wide range of contentious issues. Practice head Joris Oster is 'a superb attorney in employment law', and Sophie Kremer's workload includes assisting with flexible employment arrangements.

Practice head(s):

Joris Oster

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘An impressive and strong team of experienced employment lawyers.’

‘Joris Oster has a smooth, practical and solution-driven approach to matters. He is very good with clients.’

‘Sophie Kremer is really good, a sharp and diligent employment lawyer. She combines very high quality work with the flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit of Florent which is an excellent combination. A lot of attention and personal involvement.’

‘The team is really looking out for our needs and accompanies us to take the risk at the right level. A very collaborative team.’

‘A true leader in employment law.’

‘Joris Oster is a superb attorney in employment law. He excels in showing compassion for his clients, understanding the situation, and working on creative solutions. He’s also firm and a powerful negotiator when needed, helping secure great outcomes.’

‘Sophie Kremer is very sophisticated, hands-on and has a pragmatic approach.’

Key clients

Warner Bros.

Roku Inc.

OranginaSchweppes

Vanderlande Industries

RAI

Garantibank

Betterup

Indeed

Douglas

Plukon

Novisource

OxGreenfield

Arcus

Freshstream

Work highlights

  • Advised Warner Bros. Discovery on employment matters, including terminations of individual employment agreements, changes to employment terms and transfer of undertaking.
  • Advised Roku on downsizing its EMEA headquarters in Amsterdam.
  • Acting as OranginaSchweppes’ employment counsel, including handling sensitive employment matters.

Netherlands > Fraud and white-collar crime Tier 3

Florent focuses on assisting clients with domestic and cross-border asset recovery cases, insolvency issues and civil fraud matters. The team is led by Kees van de Meent, an expert in insolvency law and international asset recovery who is often appointed by the court as receiver in large-scale bankruptcies. Financial fraud investigations are also prominent in the group's workload, and the practice is also recognised for its strength in forensic IT matters.

Practice head(s):

Kees van de Meent

Other key lawyers:

Jurgen van de Heuvel; Daphne Beunk; Merijn Moeliker

Testimonials

‘Kees van de Meent is an excellent practitioner with remarkable experience in the asset recovery space. Extremely knowledgeable, while being responsive, down-to-earth and very easy to work with.’

‘The legal team that deals the fraud and asset recovery cases are very experienced and are experts in transnational asset recovery.’

‘The team handles sophisticated investigations and legal remedies to uncover complex fraud.’

‘This practice is unique in that it is at the intersection of several areas of law, including insolvency law, private international law and criminal law. Florent covers the required expertise.’

‘Kees van de Meent is the lead partner, hands on, great on strategy and from the very first moment he has been involved in cross-border fraud and asset recovery cases. Merijn Moeliker is knowledgeable and keeps a cool head. Jurgen van de Heuvel and Daphne Beunk stands out for their expertise in cross border insolvencies.’

‘Kees van de Meent is among the best in the business when it comes to the civil aspects of fraud and asset recovery. A real heavyweight. Jurgen van de Heuvel is a rising star and deserves special mention.’

‘Florent has an unique practice combining criminal and civil asset recovery and having a strong focus on civil fraud. ’

‘Kees van de Meent is the authority in the Netherlands with regard to civil fraud and asset tracing and recovery. ’

Key clients

Court-appointed bankruptcy trustee of Exem Energy B.V.

Work highlights

  • Acted for the bankruptcy trustee of Exem Energy B.V. in a cross-border corruption case.

Netherlands > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

Florent‘s team is able to handle the remit of corporate transactions. Robert-Jan Dekkers, who is experienced advising corporate governance and shareholder clients, joined in April 2024 from Stibbe as co-lead. Dekkers leads alongside Pieter van den Brink whose recent work includes advising on governance-related projects and investment implementation; experienced practitioner Pieter van Uchelen who is well-regarded in the M&A sphere; and David van Kessel who handles sales and investments.

Practice head(s):

Pieter van den Brink; Pieter van Uchelen; David van Kessel; Robert-Jan Dekkers

Other key lawyers:

Lidewei Lankreijer; Lisette Smits van Oyen; Amber van der Spek

Testimonials

‘Partners in business! Experts and great advisors.’

‘Pieter van den Brink and Lidewei Lankreijer are extremely thorough and have great understanding of what we stand for. Not many legal advisors know how to deal with mission driven entrepreneurs – they do! Nothing we do consists of standard work, we rethink every business deal, agreement or contract.’

‘Florent has a very efficient approach, and they also have a lot of expertise within the organization. By limiting overhead, transparency and with a lot of expertise, insight and/or results can be achieved quickly.’

‘For both Pieter van den Brink and Lidewei Lankreijer, we see not only a very pleasant and very professional cooperation, but also the necessary results.’

‘The Florent team is always on the ball, collaborative and very capable.’

‘We enjoyed working with David van Kessel, who is a real partner on the job who shows great engagement. David is an outstanding M&A lawyer and great negotiator.’

‘Pieter van de Brink is very experienced and delivers high-quality with his team.’

‘David van Kessel is an exceptional partner with deep legal expertise. He effectively identifies and addresses complex legal issues while considering business context, enabling us as client to make informed decisions. Additionally, David is solid throughout urgent matters and a pleasure to work with.’

Key clients

Tony’s Chocolonely

New York Pizza

PHIT Holding B.V.

Solo Invest

J-Club

Validata

Epec

The Correspondent

Victus Participations

Ennatuurlijk

People Intouch

Sensorfact

Plukon Food Group

Arcus Infrastructure Fund

Nimbus

Ancala Partners

Kubus Sports

Euro-Caps

Friesland Campina

Vendis Capital

Freshstream

Douglas

Döhler

Indutrade

(shareholders of) People Intouch

Datamars SA

Meijer Beheer

Reducate

BOM Capital I B.V.

Johnny Cashew

TurkCommerce

Strohm Holding

Dutch Trading Office (DTO)

O2 Capital

Transformation Capital

The Surgical Company

Mosadex

Smilde Good Group

Rabobank Investments

Verwater

Lyreco

Burg Group

Cegeka

Kenzoll Capital

Mapiq

Conxilium

Farmtrace

Netherlands > Real estate Tier 5

Florent‘s commercial real estate and property law team focuses on mid-market real estate transactions and also handles leasing disputes and liability issues related to property transactions. The team’s client base ranges from domestic real estate investors to international brokers and real estate platforms. The Amsterdam team is led by David Weinstein and Jurjen Tuinman, with Weinstein handling commercial real estate transactions such as purchase and sale of commercial real estate, while Tuinman excels in handling landlord and tenant disputes.

Practice head(s):

David Weinstein; Jurjen Tuinman

Other key lawyers:

Victor ten Have; Sharon Kistemaker

Testimonials

‘David Weinstein is a down-to-earth guy with always good ideas and very good legal knowledge. Always keen to help and think outside the box. Very helpful to get a commercial result over the line.’

‘David Weinstein, Victor ten Have and Sharon Kistemaker are all very dedicated to the client and helped to make a legal and commercial result in the various cases working with them.’

‘Unique to Florent is that every issue is approached holistically, drawing on the diverse expertise available within the firm. The team is compact and agile, sharp in its analyses, and decisive in both negotiations and litigation. The client’s business interests are paramount, and nothing is overlooked. This ensures that, as a client, you always know that the end result is the best achievable, and you can confidently rely on a watertight solution.’

‘Jurjen Tuinman is a pragmatist par excellence. When I take too principled a stance, he always brings me back on track and creates solutions that make me think afterward: why didn’t I come up with that myself? He is easily accessible, quick, and smart, a skilled tactician, and someone who is a pleasure to work with – even for opposing parties.’

‘I prefer boutique offices due to personal approach and direct lines. Also more partner involvement and short lines between partner and associates.’

‘Pragmatic, cooperative, flexible and knowledgeable.’

Key clients

Mark

Commerz Real

Millten

Steengoed

Being Development

Appel Realty

Lieven De Key

First Sponsor

Harvest

Frans Hals Museum and Scheepvaartmuseum

Holiday Extras

Inospace

M-Tower. M-Tower Group Ltd.

UMB Group

VMH Ontwikkeling

Crossbay

Doma

Work highlights

  • Advised Crossbay on all aspects of the acquisition of a distribution center located in Almere by virtue of a share transaction with a deal value of €26m.
  • Advised Alderan, specifically SCPI Comète, on the acquisition of MediArena, a complex of various TV-recording studios in Amsterdam.
  • Advised M-Tower Netherlands on the acquisition and potential redevelopment of a sports business center located in Leusden, with approx. 75 tenants.

The firm: Florent is an independent Dutch corporate law firm based in the heart of the financial district of Amsterdam.

Florent is a young entrepreneurial firm founded in 2017. Currently our team consists of around 50 lawyers. Our lawyers are homegrown or have worked with national or international renowned law firms before founding or joining Florent.

We offer high end legal advice in a personal setting. Our services include corporate/M&A, governance, insolvency and restructuring, dispute resolution, banking & finance, commercial real estate, employment law and fraud & asset recovery. 

Areas of practice

  • Corporate/M&A
  • Insolvency and restructuring
  • Banking and finance
  • Dispute resolution
  • Governance
  • Fraud and asset recovery
  • Commercial real estate
  • Employment law
Department Name Email Telephone
Restructuring and insolvency Hanneke De Coninck hanneke.deconinck@florent.nl +31 (0)6 546 98 295
Restructuring and insolvency / Fraud and white-collar crime Kees van de Meent kees.vandemeent@florent.nl +31 (0)6 433 66 312
Restructuring and insolvency Joris Opstroom joris.opstroom@florent.nl +31 (0)6 127 56 460
Restructuring and insolvency Daphne Beunk daphne.beunk@florent.nl +31 (0)6 111 36 113
Restructuring and insolvency / Fraud and white-collar crime Jurgen van den Heuvel jurgen.vandenheuvel@florent.nl +31 (0)6 278 30 249
Restructuring and insolvency Merijn Moeliker merijn.moeliker@florent.nl +31 (0)6 110 552 75
Corporate and M&A Pieter van Uchelen pieter.vanuchelen@florent.nl +31 (0)6 531 38 431
Corporate and M&A Pieter van den Brink pieter.vandenbrink@florent.nl +31 (0)6 113 88 578
Corporate and M&A David van Kessel david.vankessel@florent.nl +31 (0)6 289 289 64
Corporate and M&A Lidewei Lankreijer lidewei.lankreijer@florent.nl +31 (0)6 103 21 896
Corporate and M&A Lisette Smits van Oyen lisette.smitsvanoyen@florent.nl +31 (0)6 553 43 860
Dispute Resolution: commercial litigation Emille Buziau emille.buziau@florent.nl +31 (0)6 435 50 133
Dispute Resolution: commercial litigation Yvette Borrius yvette.borrius@florent.nl +31 (0)6 433 66 322
Dispute Resolution: commercial litigation Chris Jager chris.jager@florent.nl +31 (0)6 290 08 118
Dispute Resolution: commercial litigation Bart Jan Hermans bartjan.hermans@florent.nl +31 (0)6 113 68 582
Employment Joris Oster joris.oster@florent.nl +31 (0)6 202 350 06
Photo Name Position Profile
Daphne Beunk photo Daphne Beunk Daphne specializes in private international law (PIL) involving insolvency law, the law…
Steven Boerbom photo Steven Boerbom He is part of the Corporate / M&A practice focusing on general…
Yvette Borrius photo Yvette Borrius Strong track record on pre-litigation and dispute resolution work, including directors’ duties…
Emille Buziau photo Emille Buziau The whole spectrum of corporate and commercial litigation, with a focus on…
Hanneke De Coninck photo Hanneke De Coninck She is a specialist in the field of companies in financial difficulties,…
Robert-Jan Dekkers photo Robert-Jan Dekkers Complex matters in corporate law, focusing on (cross-border) acquisitions and investment-transactions, joint…
Annebelle Hasselman photo Annebelle Hasselman She is part of the corporate M&A practice focusing on general corporate…
Bart Jan Hermans photo Bart Jan Hermans Bart Jan specialises in dispute resolution both in the public courts and…
Chris Jager photo Chris Jager Chris conducts a very extensive litigation practice where he assists companies, investors…
Sophie Kremer photo Sophie Kremer A wide range of employment-related matters including (sensitive) dismissal cases, reorganizations, employee…
Lidewei Lankreijer photo Lidewei Lankreijer Corporate law, focusing in particular on M&A, private equity, governance and commercial…
Merijn Moeliker photo Merijn Moeliker He specialises in restructurings, insolvency and dispute resolution, with a special focus…
Johanny Nicastia photo Johanny Nicastia He is part of the Corporate / M&A team focusing in particular…
Nienke Nijland photo Nienke Nijland She is part of the Employment team, focusing on general employment law…
Joris Opstroom photo Joris Opstroom Joris provides counsel to stakeholders of businesses facing imminent or actual bankruptcies.…
Joris Oster photo Joris Oster Joris advises and litigates on a variety of employment law topics, including…
Claire Overduijn photo Claire Overduijn Claire’s practice focuses on corporate law, in particular on M&A and commercial…
Lisette Smits van Oyen photo Lisette Smits van Oyen Lisette focuses on corporate, private equity and infrastructure transactions.  
Timar  de Deugd photo Timar de Deugd He is part of the Corporate / M&A team focusing on general…
Joost van Hilten photo Joost van Hilten Joost specializes in corporate law, with a particular focus on (cross-border) mergers…
David van Kessel photo David van Kessel David specialises in corporate law and focuses on mergers & acquisitions, governance,…
Pieter van Uchelen photo Pieter van Uchelen Pieter focuses on corporate, private equity and infrastructure transactions. 
Sam van Well photo Sam van Well Sam advises both national and international clients on various employment law matters,…
Kees van de Meent photo Kees van de Meent Full range of restructuring and insolvency work, including advising companies in financial…
Pieter van den Brink photo Pieter van den Brink He specialises in corporate law, focusing on mergers, acquisitions, private equity, joint…
Jurgen van den Heuvel photo Jurgen van den Heuvel Jurgen van den Heuvel is an associate in Florent’s Insolvency and Restructuring…
Amber van der Spek photo Amber van der Spek Amber focuses on corporate law and more particular on M&A, private equity,…