Vestius has been increasing involved in employment matters relating to contracts, in addition to advising on corporate employment mandates such as restructurings, mergers, and collective dismissals. Bart de Vroe and Michiel van Haelst co-lead the team; de Vroe is the go-to for the employment elements of corporate transactions and is well versed in dealing with works councils, while van Haelst is experienced in individual dismissals, collective layoffs and transfer of business cases.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The Vestius team is always very well prepared in respect of the facts and findings of the specific case. They know their clients and the needs of their clients. They distribute a newsletter that gives a very good insight into the evolution of Dutch employment law.’

  • ‘Michiel van Haelst is an expert in labour law, is accessible, and gives practical advice regarding all interests. Very pleasant to work with!’

  • 'Bart de Vroe, after many years of working with him, still surprises me with his knowledge and his creative way of looking at a case. He challenges clients in a good way and is eager to get the best results!’
  • ‘The Vestius team give good and fast support, investigating when there are labour law-related issues in transactions. In employee-related issues, they manage the process properly to get the optimal result for the client.’

  • ‘Michiel van Haelst is an outstanding employment lawyer whose solution-oriented approach makes him a pleasure to work with.’

  • 'They are ahead of the game and always keep me informed of what's new and what's coming up. And they make an extra effort to understand our business and look for solutions for our dilemmas. They always have a very personal approach. Their team is multi-skilled and they have an expert for any area of law.'

  • 'The team have a sense of humour, make complex matters simple, and think in terms of solutions instead of possible roadblocks.'

  • 'Bart de Vroe is a brilliant lawyer.'

Key clients

  • FedEx
  • AAK
  • Advario
  • HelloFresh
  • Sandvik
  • Cesi - Kema
  • Collins Foods
  • Electude
  • Fontys Hogescholen
  • Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (ANP)
  • GIGA Storage
  • Greif Nederland
  • AFS Group
  • Everbridge
  • Urban Outfitters
  • Betcity.nl (Betent)
  • QlikTech
  • InShoring Pros

Work highlights

  • Advised FedEx on the Dutch law on foreign workers in order to draw up a policy for applications for work permits by foreign truck drivers.
  • Acted for Sandvik in an appeal against the government's decision relating to the repayment of the NOW subsidy granted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Assisted Advario with the employment issues relating to the relocation of Oiltanking’s headquarters from Amsterdam and Hamburg to Rotterdam.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Bart de Vroe, Michiel van Haelst