Van Traa Advocaten is the go-to firm for insurance and brokering companies who require assistance with recall actions related to disease outbreaks, decertification of organic good, and other potential issues. The team also has a specialised organic sector group which is well-equipped to handle regulatory, arbitration, litigation, and contractual issues faced by the organics industry. Other main areas of the practice include food-related M&A, transport and logistics, contracting and financing, regulatory, and insurance and liability. Marc van Maanen co-leads the team alongside Silvia Gawronski, he handles issues related to food and feed law and largely assists logistics service providers, their insurers, organic commodity traders, trade financiers, and meat traders. Gawronski acts for national and international companies on regulation and enforcement matters, as well as material food and food safety regulations. Steven Oude Alink specialises in commercial and transport law for the food industry, while Tomas Uildriks assists with recall disputes.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Very professional in industrial food business. Exceptional in solving problems in the short term.’
‘The lawyers at Van Traa are very knowledgeable and experienced in insurance law, commercial law and liability law and, in my experience, are all very practical and straightforward. Lots of knowledge and experience in the food industry and on organic products and their supervision.’
‘Marc van Maanen, Steven Oude Alink and Silvia Gawronski are professionals and the cooperation is very pleasant and practically focused, namely on clients' interests.’
‘My experience with Van Traa team is that they are very skilled, and they know the case to the smallest detail. By consulting Van Traa you know that they are very dedicated and always want to win the case. I have worked with them for more than twenty years and they have never lost a case! Van Traa always puts the customer’s interests first.’
‘My first choice is Marc van Maanen. He knows our company very well and is very skilled in the areas we need him for. He is not only a lawyer doing his job, but thinks ahead and provides us with very useful information as and when needed.’
‘Capable lawyers who are not only legally minded, but also familiar with day-to-day practices in the industry. Proactive and practical responses. Give good and prompt feedback.’
‘Good knowledge of the food market, directly involved with the market and willing to think and look for practical solutions.’
‘Excellent ability to understand international problems and apply them in a Dutch context.’
Key clients
- Marsh/Amlin/AIG/NN/ASR
- Olam Europe
- Steinweg Handelsveem
- Louis Dreyfus Company
- Cofco
- Glencore Grain
- Nouryon
- KLM
- Cargill
- Cefetra
- Dutch Organic International Trade
- Agrocare
- Sanorice
- Regional Grain Trading Group
- Tradin Organic
- Doens Food Ingredients
- Intersnack
- Spack Trading
- Van Schelven
- HAP Foods
- Bakker Seeds
- FeedValid
- Argentrade
- Dutch Bakery Group
- Dipasa
- Pacha de Cacao
- Tracomex
- Triferto
- Bio Next
- BioNederland
- Sime Darby
- BioCore
Work highlights
- Assisted ADM on several questions related to their new joint venture with Marel to build an innovation centre which will accelerate alternative protein capabilities.
- Assisted KLM Cargo with cases in which they are confronted with cargo containing foodstuffs with ingredients from protected plants or animals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- Assisted insurance and brokering companies in the Netherlands and their clients with complex recall cases and addressed inquiries related to food law, including claims, notification obligations, and measures required under food law.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Marc van Maanen, Silvia Gawronski