‘What I value most about the approach taken by De Brauw Blackstone is that they do not change your business problem into a legal problem. Solving the business problem remains the priority and informs the relevance of legal doctrines. This approach ensures alignment, focus and efficiency. It requires above average understanding of the business by De Brauw, on which they time after time succeed to deliver.’

‘Marnix Leijten is the initiator and leads the energy team with his unmatched experience, dedication and drive to succeed. Matthias Kuscher is an incredible mind that fully stays on top in even the most complex and complicated cases. Martje de Vries Lentsch is an outstanding litigator.’

‘They work seamlessly and efficiently as a team, providing extremely high-quality advocacy and advice in international arbitration, in particular in the energy sector. They ensure that every angle is covered, leaving no stone unturned, and are simply a pleasure to work with.’

‘Marnix Leijten is a real star – he has excellent strategic sense, outstanding judgement and consistently delivers extremely high-quality and practical advice to his clients. Matthias Kuscher is a fantastic advocate, who handles complex disputes and knows how to present complex technical and legal issues in a simple and compelling manner. Jonas Hinrichsen is a rising star, with expertise in the energy sector.’

‘Houthoff is one of the best Dutch law firms in international arbitration matters. Its expertise in challenge proceedings is particularly noteworthy.’

‘The Houthoff team is standout for their attention to client concerns. The team draws from a very strong and talented group of attorneys to address client needs, tapping into cross-practice collaborations when necessary. ’

‘Thomas Stouten is a true leader, both at Houthoff and to the international arbitration community at large. He is a very capable advocate with a strong knowledge of his client’s industries and the potential legal challenges facing their businesses.’

‘Absolutely the best arbitration team in The Netherlands. The team and the firm keep on improving in skills, knowledge and technology. The team is very well balanced, led by outstanding partners and with very eager, smart and ambitious associates. ’

‘Thomas Stouten is the best arbitration lawyer in The Netherlands. He is razor sharp and always on top of his game. His continuous ambition to improve himself and to win matters really stands out. Alongside his outstanding knowledge he is also very socially gifted and great with clients.’

‘Remme Verkerk is an impressive lawyer, his academic knowledge and deep experience ensures best results and solutions for clients. Thomas Stouten has gained a reputation of a superb arbitration lawyer who is well recognized globally. His knowledge, experience and reputation impress.’

‘The Houthoff arbitration team is a truly top-notch team. It is a focused arbitration team with also foreign associates to expand the bandwidth of their offering and one of the largest teams in The Netherlands. They deliver very high-quality work, are approachable and are litigators at heart. They truly enjoy their work and enjoy trying to find arguments and win proceedings.’

‘Thomas Stouten has rapidly made a name for himself and has become one of the household names in the field of arbitration in the Netherlands. He is smart and is extremely responsive. Thomas has got what it takes to win high-profile arbitrations. Dirk Knottenbelt is one of the senior statesmen in arbitration. He immediately sees the strengths and weaknesses in a case and is extremely convincing.’

‘Bart Fleuren is a magnificent lawyer, whose work cannot be overestimated. ’

‘A top-notch, fantastic team comprised of very bright and hard-working team members across all levels. Having worked with them closely over the past two years I can confirm they are a class act and up there with the very best for high-value, complex international arbitration. ’

‘Gerard Meijer leads the team and is an effective strategist whose many years of experience result in sound judgement. His experience allows him to bring a sense of calm to hostile high-value disputes. He is always two steps ahead of everyone else.’

‘Gerard Meijer is the leading practitioner in this field in the Netherlands. He is excellent! I have worked with him for over 10 years and he continues to impress.’

‘The team left us with a very profound impression due to their professional competence, team collaboration capabilities, and the warmth and friendliness towards clients. They consistently provided prompt and clear communication, ensuring that we were kept well-informed at every stage of the process. Their dedication to transparency helped build trust and maintain a strong collaborative relationship throughout. Meanwhile, the team demonstrated an exceptional depth of knowledge and expertise across a wide range of legal domains. This versatility allowed them to handle intricate legal matters with confidence.’

‘Each individual in the team has demonstrated exceptional professional competence, offering invaluable support and assistance throughout our engagement. Particularly noteworthy is Gerard Meijer whose leadership and expertise have been instrumental to our win. He not only has extensive experience in managing cross-border and complex cases, but he is also adept at navigating the intricate legal issues that arise from the involvement of multiple jurisdictions.’

‘Very high quality team across all levels. Regularly work on the highest profile cases in their jurisdiction. ’

‘Nauta Dutilh’s arbitration practice is definitely among the strongest teams in the Netherlands.’

‘Nauta Dutilh excels in dispute resolution and arbitral award enforcement. The firm’s deep understanding of client needs, combined with a diverse talent pool, enables innovative legal strategies that effectively navigate complex disputes.’

‘The individuals at Nauta Dutilh stand out for their exceptional expertise, collaborative spirit, and commitment to client success. A key figure is Mirjam van de Hel-Koedoot, whose deep understanding of complex disputes and arbitral award enforcement truly sets her apart. Her innovative strategies and ability to anticipate challenges have proven invaluable.’

‘The team has a lot of depth and is able to react quickly while delivering high quality advice and submissions under significant time pressure. They are always responsive and a pleasure to work with.’

‘Kasper Kreminski leads their team very effectively. His advice is clear and pragmatic and he ensures we are well aware of the trade-offs in any finely balanced decision.’

‘NautaDutilh’s arbitration practice has the quality, breadth and experience that clients look for when instructing a large firm. Their Supreme Court team appears to be fully integrated with the wider arbitration team, which is something few firms offer.’

‘Frans Overkleeft is known for acting in corporate disputes, both in arbitration and in the courts. He is excellent before the arbitral tribunal – covers all the angles and can think on his feet. Mirjam Van de Hel-Koedoot and Kasper Krzeminski are also excellent. We see them in some of the largest, high-profile enforcement cases. ’

‘Rogier Schellaars and Bas van Zelst create a rather unique two-partner arbitration offering, which forms part of, and works in close conjunction with, a very large disputes resolution team. They joined practices 5 years ago, and have since built a standalone, high-energy, specialist arbitration practice that is now a key player in the Dutch market. ’

‘Rogier Schellaars and Bas van Zelst offer on-point legal advice. Very approachable and forward-thinking. They offer strategic advice that seeks to always be a step ahead of their opponents. ’

‘Highly qualified arbitration team, with profound knowledge and experience in international arbitration, including setting aside proceedings in the Netherlands. The team is composed of a diverse range of associates and partners, who each bring specific expertise and experience.’

‘Knowledge of the field, expertise and experience. The two partners I mostly worked with were Bas van Zelst and Rogier Schellaars. Both are excellent.’

‘Team lead Rogier Schellars is both common law and civil law schooled. This is really helpful in international dispute resolution; he appreciates our opponent’s approach and anticipates what to do. The two partners are both hands on and involved. They are creative with the law and practical options.’

‘I worked with Bas Keizers and Rogier Schellaars. They developed a clear and actionable strategy that worked to get us to where we needed to be for our business.’

‘I have been working with Van Doorne, and I can say that Rogier Schellaars, Bas van Zelst and Bas Keizers are very easy to work with, and they work well with international counsels and teams. The Van Doorne team is very methodical and systematic while at the same time tries to go the extra mile for the client.’

‘Rogier Schellaars and Bas van Zelst complement each other very well. Bas is a professor of Dispute Resolution & Arbitration at Maastricht University and has a very scholarly perspective while Rogier is more commercial and client focused. Bas Keizers was absolutely brilliant on his feet answering the judges’ questions. He was one of the most impressive advocates.’

‘DLA Piper’s arbitration team in the Netherlands is very good. They have a strong sector focus and that pays off. The team has all the features you’d be looking for: technically gifted, commercial, smart, experienced and they know our sector. One of the best teams in the Netherlands.’

‘Michiel Coenraads is one of the best arbitration lawyers I know. He is smart, experienced, energetic and he goes the extra mile for us. We have an excellent relationship with him and he can speak with our lawyers, our business folks and our senior management. Great communicator who can make complex things simple. Leads a great team.’

‘Tom Claassens, Melle Boevink and Daan Kok are a great team. Very responsive, able to work under pressure, always thinking of the best interest of the client. They are able to navigate complex litigations thanks to their knowledge and experience.’

‘Bastiaan Kemp and his growing team of associates are a real asset when it comes to contentious corporate matters; we perceive him as a rising star in the Netherlands. His team is very hard-working and super responsive, the quality of the work has a scholarly level and always been flawless. Bastiaan is also actively involved in the development of innovative new arbitration rules for corporate law disputes.’

‘One of the strongest teams in the market, always keen to go out of their way to maximize client value, and not afraid to take challenging positions. Very spirited and fun to work with.’

‘Tom Claassens is one of the most experienced arbitration partners in the Dutch market. Melle Boevink is very talented and composed – one to watch!’

‘The Loyens team is a complete delight to work with. The team comprises very smart, efficient and dedicated lawyers, who can win any case against any opponent. Not only are they an exceptionally talented group, but they are calm and approachable. Great attention to detail and an impressive understanding of the law.’

‘Bastiaan Kamp is a star of the future – an excellent lawyer and impressively reliable in managing the most complex of disputes: from high-level strategy down to the fine detail. He knows what he is doing and this gives comfort to clients. Tom Claassens is an excellent lawyer, with the notable ability to manage complex, multi-jurisdictional proceedings. He is extremely calm and approachable.’

‘An eminent litigation practice in the Netherlands with a very strong presence and an outstanding reputation in the region. The service is always personal, timely and efficient. The members of the practice are always attentive to the client’s needs, while providing honest and tailored advice and always achieving the best possible outcome.’

‘Tom Claassens is a leader in the field of litigation in the Netherlands with incredible depth of knowledge and experience. Tom is always there for the client providing personal advice and input and contributing his knowledge in every work-stream and at all stages of the proceedings. Tom is outstanding working on legally and factually complex cases, involving various jurisdictions and/or international arbitration angles. Melle Boevink is a brilliant and extremely talented lawyer. His advice is always efficient and spot-on.’

‘Martijn Scheltema is fast in his thinking and he is able to rapidly identify the essentials of a dispute. He is also flexible and has no problems with accepting his client’s view or suggestions if aligned with his assessment of the case.’

‘The team has a deep bench and can research new developments quickly and efficiently.’

‘Raimond Dufour and Willem Heemskerk have ample experience in arbitration and therefore have been able to assist with all aspects of a diverse case.’

‘I am happy to work with the Pels Rijcken team in relation to arbitration proceedings. The team works complementary to the in-house counsel team, assists where necessary and collaborates well. I like the fact that they work in small, dedicated teams. They are extremely knowledgeable, have the ability to zoom in on details, but never lose sight of the bigger picture. I feel that we’re in good and experienced hands.’

‘Willem Heemskerk keeps a strategic overview and manages the team on a high level, giving room to individuals to master subtopics but never losing sight of the bigger picture. He’s the chess player that is playing on several boards. He has also the ability to surround himself with critical thinkers, who can dive in deep on certain aspects. Thijs Franssen is brilliant. He is extremely smart, and an expert in damages. Makes quick calculations, knows where to press and understands the numbers. At the same time, he does it with flair and wittiness, always with a joke and in a humbling way.’

‘Very strong team with bright lawyers who want to win the case.’

‘Rieme-Jan Tjittes stands out. He is very bright, knows how to win a case and has a great sense of humour. ’

‘Its empathy, perseverance and, above all, knowledge and drive are very positive.’

‘HabrakenRutten is a top law firm! They avail of in-depth knowledge regarding legal content (especially real estate and construction and energy), litigation skills and their advice is spot on.’

‘Sjoerd Rutten is very intelligent and focused, an excellent lawyer, has a sharp pen and is a sharp debater. You wouldn’t want to face him on the opposite’s team!’

‘Very experienced lawyers. Co-operative and knowledgeable. ’

‘The team strongly relies on Max Hetterscheidt who is a rising star in the Dutch arbitration world. I foresee a great future for Max. ’

‘Max Hetterscheidt is a rising star. He is very determined to win cases and he clearly goes the extra mile for his clients!’

‘I have worked with partner Jasper Stek, who is experienced, pragmatic and an expert in his field.’

‘Pragmatic and smart lawyers, particularly in the field of insurance and international trade and shipping. ’

‘Responsive, pragmatic, hands-on.’