Pels Rijcken is regularly instructed on high-profile litigation involving national and local government bodies, with a core focus on defending the freedom of speech and reputation of public officials. The team also stands out for its expertise in Supreme Court litigation concerning IP and media issues. The team is led by Arnoud Boorsma, who handles public media law for regulators, including the Dutch Media Authority, and Jordi Bierens, a ‘true expert in his field’ who specialises in civil media law disputes, including defamation and press freedom.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Intellectually strong, very thorough and high-quality approach to matters.’
- ‘Arnoud Boorsma is a highly skilled lawyer, excellent in court and a pleasure to converse with.’
- ‘The practice distinguishes itself through consistently high standards combined with a cooperative and approachable style of working.'
- 'Clients can expect advice that is not only legally sound but also delivered quickly and in clear, practical terms. Communication is a real strength: responses are timely, straightforward, and actionable, which makes decision-making easier.’
- ‘Jordi Bierens stands out for his accessibility and collaborative approach. He is easy to reach and very pleasant to work with, which makes the cooperation smooth and effective. His advice is always clear and practical, enabling us to make decisions with confidence.'
- 'Jordi Bierens actively thinks along with our in-house legal department, aligning his expertise with our business context. It is also clear that Jordi is a true expert in his field, and that combination of professionalism, clarity, and partnership makes him different from competitors.’
Key clients
- Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst
- State of the Netherlands - Ministry of Economic Affairs
- Consumentenbond
- Data Privacy Foundation
- Sena and Buma/Stemra
- State of the Netherlands - Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
- CBR
- Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure
- Dutch Telecommunications Authority
Work highlights
Successfully represented the Consumentenbond in summary proceedings concerning critical statements about misleading packaging by Wonderbox.
Represented Data Privacy Foundation in major class actions against Facebook/Meta.
Represented the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure in all proceedings with regard to the Dutch national radio auction and nationwide FM frequencies licences.
Lawyers
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Practice head
Jordi Bierens; Arnoud Boorsma
Other key lawyers
Sikke Kingma; Quirine van der Bent