Houthoff

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

• ‘Houthoff has one of the leading international disputes practices in the Netherlands. A very broad bench of advocates, skilled in both litigation and arbitration matters. Of particular note is their experience in set-aside cases.'

• ‘Thomas Stouten definitely stands out as a leader. He is a razor-sharp lawyer, with a very strong personality that helps in both hearings and negotiations. Thomas will always go the extra mile for his clients, leading to outstanding results.’

• ‘Thomas Stouten provides a state-of-the-art skillset to achieve the resolution of complex disputes. He is highly knowledgeable in arbitration cases and also masters soft skills in handling other counsels and tribunals.’

• ‘Thomas Stouten is a quick thinker, providing different perspectives and creative solutions. Eva Milou Moison provides tailor-made advice and writes sharp pleadings.’

• ‘Houthoff is an exceptional choice when it comes to matters related to complex, cross-border arbitration and enforcement. Having had the privilege of working closely with their team on a number of high-stakes enforcement matters, I can attest to their unwavering commitment to excellence, deep expertise, and unparalleled dedication to achieving a successful outcomes for their clients.'

• ‘Tom Stouten is an outstanding lawyer. We used him in an enforcement dispute before the Dutch courts. He knows what he's talking about and delivers great results for the client. Without a doubt my go-to counsel in the Netherlands for arbitration-related work.’

• ‘Thomas Stouten especially stands out. He is responsive, pragmatic and understands the business and needs of the client. He is very effective without compromising on being respectful to the courts, tribunals and opposing party. His knowledge of arbitration, also enforced by being a court member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, is excellent. Thomas and his team are the team you want to have on your side.’

• ‘Thomas Stouten is young, bright and truly goes the extra mile for his clients. Dirk Knottenbelt is very well respected in the Dutch arbitration sphere. His advocacy skills are unparalleled.’

Key clients

Work highlights

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.

Dirk Knottenbelt

Hall of fameHouthoff

Dirk leads Houthoff’s arbitration team and specialises in complex corporate law and commercial arbitrations and litigation. The majority of this work focuses on arbitration and other dispute settlement procedures with an international dimension. His clients are mostly Dutch, US and other international companies. Dirk represents clients in national and international commercial and investment arbitrations, under the auspices of the ICC, NAI, ICSID and other institutional rules, such as GAFTA, NZV, AVZ and FENEX. Dirk also acts as an arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations, and as a deputy justice at the Dutch courts of appeal.

Rising stars

Eva Milou Moison

Houthoff

Next Generation Partners

Thomas Stouten

Houthoff

Thomas specialises in both (cross-border) court litigation as well as arbitration under the auspices of - inter alia - the ICC, DIAC, UNUM, UNCITRAL, ICSID and NAI. He has extensive experience in complex disputes, often with multi-jurisdictional aspects, covering a broad range of issues arising from both commercial and corporate transactions. Because of his international law practice, Thomas also worked in both the New York and London offices of Houthoff from where he coordinated multi-jurisdictional disputes. He coaches the team of Leiden University that participates in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition and he acts as an arbitrator during this competition. Thomas also has acted as secretary in arbitrations in the past. He gives lectures regarding arbitration and frequently speaks at conferences. Thomas publishes in the Dutch Journal on Arbitration, the Dutch Journal on Property Law, Arbitration World (5th and 6th edition) and recently in the Dispute Resolution Journal of the ABA and also the Handbook on Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration.