De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek‘s group is well-equipped to handle complex transactional matters of considerable value for its portfolio of clients, which features Dutch listed companies and notable financial institutions. In addition, the team has expertise advising on the financial regulatory aspects of clients’ equity cases, and is equipped to collaborate with the firm’s litigation team to handle contentious issues. Jan Willem Hoevers heads up the offering and is experienced assisting well-known clients with high-value purchases, repurchases and tenders, alongside cross-border transaction expert Gaby SmeenkJaap Barneveld is noteworthy in the team for his IPO-related work. Josse Klijnsma departed to an in-house role in September 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The practice is unique as they have all disciplines in different groups. Collaboration is fast when you need them.’

  • ‘Gaby Smeenk stands out - she is able to work with all sorts of people, stays calm in the face of strong opposing views and is able to explain complex legal issues in a form that non-lawyers can understand.’

  • ‘De Brauw has a high-quality and well-connected team. Their availability and commitment to reach the best results are noteworthy. The strong legal quality is complemented with strong commercial assessments.’

  • ‘Jan Willem Hoevers is a renowned, strong and reliable boardroom advisor. You want his number in your address book in case of urgent and complicated matters.’

Key clients

  • Ferrovial
  • Sodexo
  • Pluxee
  • Heineken
  • Affimed
  • Just Eat Takeaway
  • Philips
  • ASML
  • AholdDelhaize
  • CTP
  • Eurocommercial Properties
  • ABN AMRO
  • Rabobank
  • Exor
  • TomTom
  • Akzo Nobel
  • CM.com
  • Stellantis

Work highlights

  • Advised Ferrovial on its re-domiciliation from Spain to the Netherlands, adding a listing on Euronext Amsterdam, followed by an additional listing on Nasdaq.
  • Advised Sodexo on the spin-off its employee benefits and engagement business into a stand-alone company named Pluxee with a listing on Euronext Paris.
  • Advised Rabobank on the €1bn tender offer to repurchase Rabobank Certificates.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Jan Willem Hoevers
Hall of fameDe Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Gaby Smeenk
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Jaap Barneveld
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Jan Willem Hoevers, Gaby Smeenk

Other key lawyers

Jaap Barneveld, Josse Klijnsm, Féline Goyarts