Dentons‘ real estate practice is led by Dirk-Jan Gondrie, who excels in transactional matters, advising Dutch and international investors on sales, acquisitions, leasing and restructurings. Paul Wanders focuses on commercial property issues, handling real estate transactions, litigation, commercial tenancy law and professional liability matters. Landlords and tenants regularly seek out the firm for its track-record in commercial leasing mandates, with Wendela Raas and Jeroen le Clercq both key to such mandates. Other core areas of focus include cross-border tax, construction, and contentious matters.
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Profile
Work Department
Real Estate
Position
Partner, Europe Chief Executive Officer
Career
Wendela Raas is a partner in our Prague and Amsterdam offices and Chief Executive Officer of Dentons Europe. As Europe CEO, she is responsible for the leadership and strategy of 23 offices in 18 countries in Europe and Central Asia. In addition, she serves as Global Vice Chair on Dentons' Global Board.
Wendela's practice is recognized by Chambers and Legal 500, and she is ranked as a ‘leading individual’ in the Netherlands both for real estate matters and retail. She focuses on commercial leases, litigation and transactional work. Wendela is well known for multiple litigation matters that resulted in landmark cases before the Dutch Supreme Court. Her clients include leading institutional investors, project developers, hotels and retailers.
In 2017 Wendela was awarded an Honorary Professorship at Amity University Dubai in recognition of her competence and reputation in the area of real estate law. She gives guest lectures at the university’s faculty of law.
Wendela also teaches real estate law at various institutions, including the Amsterdam School of Real Estate (University of Amsterdam) and she publishes regularly. She is a member of the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS). On occasions she has been a special advisor to the Dutch Government on tenant law related legislation.
Europe Chief Executive Officer, Dentons, November 2024 to date
Global Vice Chair of Dentons' Global Board, 2024 to date
Member of Dentons' Global Board, 2019 to date
Member of Dentons' Europe Board, 2017 - November 2024
Country managing partner, Dentons, 2017 – 2020
Managing partner, Dentons (formerly Boekel), 2015 – 2017
Partner, Lexence, 1999 – 2010
Languages
Dutch and English
Memberships
- Honorary Professor real estate law, Amity University Dubai (2017-to date)
- Member, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (2013 – to date)
- Member, Advisory Committee on Landlord and Tenant law Legislation, established by the Netherlands Bar Association (2008 – 2015)
- Member, Advisory Board of the Association of Young Real Estate Lawyers (2012 – to date)
- Board Member, Netherlands Association of Landlord and Tenant Lawyers (2008 – 2017)
Education
University of Leiden, admitted 1999.
Content supplied by Dentons
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Team is very open and easy to approach.’
‘Dirk-Jan Gondrie is easy to approach and easy to communicate with. Does not overcomplicate issues that are flagged and always proposes workable solutions to conclude the transactions we are working on.’
Key clients
- Ayvens
- Altera
Work highlights
Advised CBRE IM on sale of the Sypesteyn office building on Jaarbeursplein in Utrecht to NSI, and the sale of a retail property on the Reguliersbreestraat in Amsterdam to a private investor.