AKD

Public law / Government liability

Partner

Gerrit van der Veen is a lawyer and partner at AKD who specialises in administrative law and environmental law. He focuses chiefly on general administrative (procedural) law, public administration and government acts that are subject to private law, environmental law/liability, the law on subsidies and administrative compensation, mining legislation and associated liabilities. Gerrit works a lot for municipalities and other government bodies and for companies (such as real estate developers) and institutions (such as hospitals and educational institutions).

Gerrit is a perfectionist who focuses on workable solutions. Clients appreciate his practical approach. Someone who heard him speak at a conference commented: "Quite an experience to hear the most practical work from a professor."

Gerrit obtained his doctorate at Utrecht University with a dissertation that examined the convergence between public and private law, in particular with regard to public affairs. He is now a professor by special appointment of Environmental Law at the Law Faculty of the University of Groningen.

Gerrit is frequently asked to work on 'high spec' cases which attract media attention. He also acts as an in-house lawyer for medium-sized and larger municipalities. His rapport with the various government bodies he is involved with is excellent. His thorough professional knowledge and affinity with administrative aspects means that he gives clear, sound and tailored advice.

Gerrit regularly publishes articles on administrative and environmental subjects for various journals, for example the Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Bestuursrecht (Netherlands Administrative Law Journal), JBPlus (an administrative case law journal), BOUWRECHT (a construction law journal) and the AB (an administrative case law journal). The AB has published his commentary on several dozen judgements of the Dutch Supreme Court, in particular with regard to the two-way doctrine, the relationship between public and private law, government liability and the division of judicial powers.

Gerrit is also a member of the editorial staff of the journal entitled De Gemeentestem (Voice of the Municipality) and an editor for the Kennisbank Bestuursrecht (Administrative Law Knowledge Database), the Sdu Commentaar Bestuursrecht (a journal dealing with administrative law), Vastgoedrecht (a journal on real estate law) and the Tijdschrift voor Omgevingsrecht (Journal for Environmental and Spatial Planning Law). He is chairperson of the Association for Building Law Attorneys [Vereniging voor Bouwrecht Advocaten]. Gerrit also lectures and teaches, for example for the OSR and the Grotius Academy.

In his capacity of professor at the University of Groningen Gerrit examines the interaction between environmental law and general administrative law, for example with regard to enforcement in the area of environmental law. His inaugural lecture in 2014 dealt with duties of care and liabilities under the new Environmental and Planning Act [Omgevingswet], with a particular focus on major enforcement cases involving a large number of both private and public bodies, such as the Chemiepack case. Gerrit is listed as a leading individual in Who’s Who Legal – Environment 2019.

He received a doctorate in 1997 with a thesis entitled ‘Openbare zaken’ that focused on the inter-relationship between public and private law where the emphasis lay on public highways and other public facilities.