Firms To Watch: EU and competition

Bahl & Co. B.V. is a firm founded in August 2023 by Manish Bahl with offices in Amsterdam and Brussels. The team focuses on competition, commercial and regulatory, as well as advisory, transactional and contentious matters.
Lindenbaum's EU and competition practice was bolstered by the arrival of antitrust dispute resolution expert Stefan Tuinenga and litigation specialist Damiën Berkhout, both from Scott + Scott in February 2023.

EU and competition in Netherlands

A&O Shearman

A&O Shearman is noted as a ‘leading firm in the competition law field’. The practice is headed up by ‘very bright and smart lawyer’ Kees Schillemans alongside May 2023-promoted partner Pieter Huizing, who has impressive experience representing clients, particularly those in the aviation industry, in proceedings before competition and regulatory authorities and courts. The team’s workload includes assisting clients on the vast array of complex matters. On the regulatory side, it advises on cases including ownership restrictions, tariffs, access and rights issues. Further, the group ably handles merger control proceedings, cartel and abuse of dominance investigations, private litigation, general competition guidance and compliance matters. Associate Midas Klijsen is noted for his ‘incredible knowledge’ of the subject. Yvo De Vries departed to Houthoff in June 2023.

Responsables de la pratique:

Kees Schillemans; Pieter Huizing


Autres avocats clés:

Wouter Boekelman; Marinus Winters; Midas Klijsen


Les références

‘The team is highly skilled. They understand the business and maintain an approach which is not only smart but also practicable and realistic. They are available for rather simple questions as well as for complicated and delicate situations.’

‘Kees Schillemans is a very bright and smart lawyer. He is nice to work with, quickly understands the situation you are in and his answers are spot-on and strategically considered. Wouter Boekelman is a very good lawyer. He communicates in a swift and professional way and his case management is excellent.’

‘Allen & Overy has been a longstanding partner for our company. Whenever we have to deal with an urgent or complex matter, we know we can rely on the highly capable team.’

Principaux clients

Roompot


RTL


Leaseplan


Korean Air


KLM


DSM


PostNL


Samsung


Scania


KPN


Delta Air Lines


Transavia


Heijmans


Maersk


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Leaseplan on its merger with ALD, securing EC conditional clearance.
  • Advising Roompot and KKR on its acquisition of Landal GreenParks, resulting in second phase condition clearance with ‘fix it first’ remedies imposed by ACM.
  • Assisting Korean Air in obtaining EU merger clearance for its proposed acquisition of Asiana.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek

The practice at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek is renowned for its capabilities advising on the gamut of complex competition matters. The team’s client portfolio features renowned names, which it advises on cases including international mergers and acquisitions; the combining of companies’ operations with those in other jurisdictions; and digital regulation and consumer guidance issues. Further, it is vastly experienced handling high-stakes litigious matters, such as its representing DAF Group in its multi-billion euro settlement with the European Commission, a case involving alleged anticompetitive practices and twenty jurisdictions. ‘Expert in his field’ Jolling de Pree oversees the team, with support from key practitioners including the ‘incredibly bright’ Helen Gornall who is particularly capable in merger control, cartel, dominance and vertical restraint cases, the ‘exceptional’ Arjan Kleinhout, the ‘skilled’ Bart de Rijke, and Stephanie The.

Responsables de la pratique:

Jolling de Pree


Autres avocats clés:

Helen Gornall; Arjan Kleinhout; Bart de Rijke; Stephanie The; Machteld de Monchy


Les références

‘Very experienced partners with an excellent understanding of the business areas they advise in – very pragmatic.’

‘I have been working with Helen Gornall for several years now and there is no other competition lawyer with a similar level of knowledge of our industry. Her ability to find pragmatic solutions while satisfying the needs of the business is exceptional.’

‘Jolling de Pree is the best competition lawyer I know – an expert in his field who is able to combine his expertise with knowledge of our business and advise us practically.’

Principaux clients

Aegon


AkzoNobel


AholdDelhaize


ASML


Booking.com


British Airways


Celanese


D.S. Smith


EQT Partners


Just Eat Takeaway.com


Nederlandse Gasunie


Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)


NN Group


PACCAR/DAF Trucks


Parcom


PON Holdings B.V.


Otis


Royal DSM


Royal Philips


Royal Schiphol Group


SHV Group/Nutreco


Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners


Principaux dossiers


  • Acted for PACCAR/DAF through Supreme Court and appeal proceedings in the UK and secured the dismissal of all claims in Norway and in France in the GCR Colas case; we have secured a judgement from the UK Supreme Court upholding our argument that mass claim litigation funding agreements cannot be enforced in competition damage proceedings in the UK.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Litigation expert Winfred Knibbeler, who has experience handling global antitrust, selective distribution, and interchange-related complex matters, is at the helm of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer‘s EU and competition group alongside ‘subject matter expert’ and ‘brilliant communicator’ Paul van den Berg. The practice’s ‘deep bench of talented practitioners’ includes Onno Brouwer, who harnesses impressive expertise across the board; his recent work has included unfair trading investigations, and investigations into tax rulings. The team often collaborates with the firm’s international offices, namely those in Brussels and Washington DC. Its workload incorporates advising clients on high-value merger controls, proposed acquisitions, and advising on the regulatory aspects of foreign investments.

Responsables de la pratique:

Winfred Knibbeler; Paul van den Berg


Autres avocats clés:

Onno Brouwer; Alvaro Pliego Selie


Les références

‘A global practice capable of handling filings in multiple jurisdictions seamlessly and expertly. They have efficient systems to limit expenses, and excellent client communication skills.’

‘Paul van den Berg is excellent. He is a subject matter expert, who is extremely reliable and a brilliant communicator. He is clearly one of the current and future leaders in his space.’

‘The Freshfields team has unrivalled experience in the global antitrust arena. They are excellent in navigating complex, multi-jurisdictional cases that require collaboration among various stakeholders.’

Principaux clients

AB InBev


Airbnb


APG


Atlas Copco


AVR-Afvalverwerking


BCIMC


Bergman Clinics


Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)


Glencore


Hal Investments


HP Inc


Mars


PGGM


RWE


Talpa Holding


Visa Europe


Viterra


VodafoneZiggo


Volkswagen


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Viterra and its shareholders (CPPIB, Glencore and BCI) on the global merger control and foreign investment regulation aspects of its merger with Bunge Limited.
  • Advised Dutch media company Talpa on the establishment of a JV with its rival RTL to which undertaking the parties would contribute their TV, radio and video on demand channels.
  • Defended HP Inc. and other HP subsidiaries successfully in proving that its selective distribution system does not infringe competition law.

Stibbe

Stibbe‘s EU and competition team has noteworthy expertise advising its roster of key clients on the plethora of complex matters. Team lead Rein Wesseling is described as exceptional and among the most intelligent and effective competition lawyers’; his focus is predominantly on complex competition litigation cases, namely defending clients in cartel cases, and merger control matters. Antitrust expert Jeroen Kortmann has experience handling complex international litigation for key clients, and newly co-leads alongside Wesseling. ‘Strategic mastermind’ Stijn De Jong is a key senior associate. The team’s caseload varies and includes representing key clients in matters involving such aspects as alleged abuses of dominance, cartel infringement decisions, and merger controls. Floris ten Have departed practice in January 2024.

Responsables de la pratique:

Rein Wesseling; Jeroen Kortmann


Autres avocats clés:

Elske Raedts; Stijn de Jong; Frederick Brouwer


Les références

‘Stibbe is the leading competition law practice in the Netherlands in my view. Both as to merger clearance and conduct investigations, they bring noteworthy sophistication, insight and a strategic view.’

‘Rein Wesseling is exceptional and among the most intelligent and effective competition lawyers I have ever encountered.’

‘Highly competent advice is provided on Dutch competition and telecoms matters.’

Principaux clients

Apple


British American Tobacco


Credit Suisse


Heineken


Air France-KLM


MAN


Firmenich


Rabobank


VodafoneZiggo


Viatris


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing Apple before the ACM and before Dutch Courts in connection to alleged abuse of dominance by Apple.
  • Representing Credit Suisse in the appeals before the EU General Court against the cartel decision from the European Commission regarding the foreign exchange (FX) markets.
  • Represented British American Tobacco in its appeal against the Dutch Competition Authority’s cartel decision concerning the tobacco industry.

Brinkhof

The ‘extremely professional and knowledgeable’ EU and competition cohort at Brinkhof has strong capabilities advising on the array of matters, namely including complex merger control matters, and high-stakes litigious work relating to cartel damages. The team further assists in intended mergers and in advising on European regulations, and is also equipped to defend clients from an array of industry sectors before the ACM. Pepijn van Ginneken and Quinten Kroes oversee the practice, in which Hanneke Kooijman is a notable senior associate.

Responsables de la pratique:

Pepijn van Ginneken; Quinten Kroes


Autres avocats clés:

Remy Chavannes; Jan Pot; Hanneke Kooijman; Boukje van der Maazen


Les références

‘A fantastic and very responsive team with a can-do attitude and strong knowledge in their field. They show a good balance of communication.’

‘I have found Brinkhof to be extremely professional and knowledgeable on every area we are working on with a view to delivering the right outcome. They provide excellent updates on any milestones we reach.’

‘The combinations of in-depth knowledge together with a practical attitude and strategic awareness of the needs of all the involved stakeholders involved, is what makes Brinkhof unique.’

Principaux clients

Heineken


Toshiba


Google


AB Inbev


Diageo


FedEx


Mediahuis


Crédit Agricole


Global Steel Wire


Vestel


FD Mediagroep


Adrestia


Glasdraad


VCR (Dutch Association of Commercial Radio Broadcasters)


Mosadex


Eurofiber


NFZ


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing Google in a number of collective claim cases, which concern both follow-on as well as stand-alone claims.
  • Representing a number of brewery groups, including Heineken, and other large companies in international follow-on damages litigation resulting from the trucks cartel.
  • Assisted Mediahuis as a remedy taker in the high-profile merger notification of large media companies RTL/Talpa.

Houthoff

The EU and competition practice at Houthoff is led by Yvo De Vries who joined from A&O Shearman in June 2023. The ‘excellent team’ has strong expertise handling cartels and abuse of dominance matters, including damages litigation; matters relating to state aid, which is the focus area of De Vries; and on EU law and European litigation matters. The practice services clients spanning the array of industry sectors but it has noteworthy capabilities in the healthcare and energy sectors in particular. Former co-lead Weijer VerLoren van Themaat retired from practice in December 2023.

Responsables de la pratique:

Yvo de Vries


Autres avocats clés:

Murat Duman; Rick Cornelissen; Gerrit Oosterhuis; Karmijn Krooshoff; Eline Groen


Les références

‘Murat Duman has proven able to combine in-depth sector knowledge with legal expertise, leading to strong argumentation overall.’

‘Accessible, fast, excellent quality, and well familiar with our company.’

‘Weijer VerLoren van Themaat, Murat Duman and Karmijn Krooshoff make an excellent team as well as excellent individual advisors.’

Principaux clients

Imperial Brands


Nexans


Volvo Trucks


Renault Trucks


Nexperia


EY


TotalEnergies


Cordes & Graefe Gruppe


Bergman Clinics


Aramis Consortium: Shell, TotalEnergies, EBN, Gasunie


Milence


Equipe Zorgbedrijven


Consortium of VodafoneZiggo, T-Mobile, KPN and Delta Fiber


Cargolux International Airlines


LG Electronics


Kia Nederland


Volvo Car Corporation


Volvo Car Nederland


Bugaboo International


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Nexans et al. on its defence strategy against cartel damages claims filed by Electricity & Water Authority of the Government of Bahrain; GCC Interconnection Authority from Saudi Arabia; Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water; and Oman Electricity Transmission Company SAOC.
  • Representing Imperial Brands in its appeal before the District Court of Rotterdam against a record fine of €82m by the ACM on tobacco manufacturers for alleged collusion.
  • Representing Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks in multi-party cross-border litigation before the Dutch courts in relation to mass damages claims following on from the Commission’s claims of competition law infringements in the trucks sector.

Loyens & Loeff

The EU and competition offering at Loyens & Loeff is considered ‘professional and pragmatic’ by its clients. The team is well-equipped to advise, particularly financial service, healthcare, lifescience and tech companies on the array of complex and consistently high-value matters, including those regarding merger controls, proposed acquisitions, and strategic partnerships. Competition specialist and ‘excellent lawyer in his field’ Marc Wiggers leads on many of the team’s most prominent matters, whilst experienced ‘super specialist’ counsel Marc Custers has particular expertise advising both national and international clients on state aid matters in particular; the pair oversee the practice. Former co-lead Gert-Wim van de Meent retired from practice in January 2023.

Responsables de la pratique:

Marc Wiggers; Marc Custers


Autres avocats clés:

Robin Struijlaart; Boyd Wolfers; Robert Fröger


Les références

‘The team takes a very considered and practical approach – they are thorough in the problem analysis phase and very professional and pragmatic.’

‘Marc Wiggers and Robin Struijlaart did an excellent job in advising us. We valued the pragmatic approach and well-thought-out strategy.’

‘The L&L team is very easy to work with. They provide open and clear communication towards their customer and the other side; they have a pro-active approach and identify and mitigate potential risks before they become an issue, and a willingness to invest in the customer relationship.’

Principaux clients

Banco Santander


Morgan Stanley


DPG Media


bol.com (Ahold-Delhaize)


BNP Paribas


DIF


Lightspeed


Vivat


Sun Chemical


Equinor


Aon


Medtronic


Phoenix/Brocacef


Jan Linders


Vesa


NOGAT


NGT


Zilveren Kruis


Zorgverzekeraars Nederland


Unilabs Novartis


AXA Real Estate


BNext.nl


DFDS


MSD


Lekkerland


Neptune Energy


3i


Amlon


Rendac/Darling Ingredients


Orpea


Cabooter Rail Cargo


CZ


TEVA


AAC


Coolblue


ABN AMRO Participaties


Egeria


Active Capital Company


Standard Investment


Espria


CleanLease


BMI Group/Monier


De Hoop Terneuzen


Van Nieuwpoort Groep


PLUS Retail


VGZ


Menzis


Alliander


Torqx


Sai Global


Westmont Hospitality


Klöckner


Wessanen


Yara


Carlyle


Aurora


Provast


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisting Santander with a European Commission merger control notification in respect of a full function joint venture that will be set-up together with Ethias, subject to merger control clearance.
  • Advising supermarket chain Jan Linders in relation to the competition aspects of its strategic partnership with its competitor Albert Heijn (AholdDelhaize), which includes a franchise branding as Albert Heijn supermarkets of all Jan Linders outlets.
  • Advised TPG, Inc. in relation to the Dutch merger control aspects of its proposed acquisition of Angelo Gordon Group and has submitted on its behalf a merger control filing with the Authority for Consumers and Markets in the Netherlands.

Maverick Advocaten N.V.

Maverick Advocaten N.V.‘s EU and competition team is regarded as ‘extremely hands-on’ and ‘thinks in possibilities rather than constraints’. The ‘excellent team members’ are led by Martijn van de Hel who is ‘not afraid to take a stand’, regulatory litigation specialist Diederik Schrijvershof who has experience assisting clients in sectors including agriculture, healthcare and life sciences, and the ‘commercially savvy’ Cyriel Ruers who joined from A&O Shearman in January 2023. Competition law, market regulation and consumer protection matters are all aspects of the workload of the team. It is adept at representing clients at the ACM in various cases; its caseload includes handling dawn raids, mergers and acquisitions and consumer law strategy development.

Responsables de la pratique:

Martijn van de Hel; Diederik Schrijvershof; Cyriel Ruers


Autres avocats clés:

Annabel Kingma


Les références

‘They give teams personal attention and are easy to get in touch with.’

‘They have great know-how of the niche ACM market.’

‘This practice is distinct for its unwavering client dedication, deep industry knowledge and agile problem-solving abilities. When we face a problem, we call Diederik Schrijvershof or one of his excellent team members to brainstorm on tactics and practical problem-solving.’

Principaux clients

Eneco


Achmea


Mediq


Growers United (Cooperatie DOOR)


Royal Zon (Cooperatie ZON)


Funda


Decathlon Netherlands


Federatie Mobiliteitsbedrijven Nederland (FMN)


Allrail


ABMD


DHL


MKB Multifunds


Glaspoort


Ingka Investments


Scholle IPN


Digital Revolution


GMS


Oranjewoud


DPG Media


Venus & Mercury


Vion Food Group


Van Loon Group


Lumileds


Booking.com


Solar


Principaux dossiers


  • Represented Mediq in successful court proceedings against a prohibition decision of the ACM for the acquisition of Eurocept Homecare and Excellent Clinics.
  • Assisting FMN (Transdev, Arriva, Qbuzz, Keolis and EBS) and ALLRAIL in different proceedings against the decision by the Dutch State to grant the main national rail concession 2025-2035 to national incumbent train operator NS.
  • Assisting a large international infrastructure company during a dawn raid and subsequent investigation by the European Commission related to an alleged cartel in the synthetic turf sector.

NautaDutilh

Known for her work advising clients from the spectrum of industry sectors on the array of complex matters, Mauricette Schaufeli heads up NautaDutilh‘s EU and competition team from Amsterdam, which collaborates with public procurement specialist David van Ee to offer a well-rounded service to its clients. Rotterdam-based Philip Malanczuk harbours expertise in cartel damages actions, and in commercial litigation cases. The practice represents well-known clients before the Dutch courts in matters which involve significant values and multiple jurisdictions. Proposed acquisitions and cooperations also make up a large portion of the team’s workload.

Responsables de la pratique:

Mauricette Schaufeli


Autres avocats clés:

Nima Lorjé; Philip Malanczuk; David van Ee


Les références

‘Great knowledge of the market and sector.’

‘Excellent thinkers and problem solvers.’

‘Great team spirit.’

Principaux clients

Lufthansa


HAL Investments


Vantiva


Shell


Dutch Ministry of Finance


Eneco


Plus


Rexel


Lineage Logistics


a.s.r.


Sigma Alimentos


Principaux dossiers


Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV

Noted for its ‘exceptional litigation skills’, the team at Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn NV based in The Hague is well-known for its strong capabilities handling complex EU and competition work. Abuse of dominance, merger control and cartel matters all form part of the practice’s workload. The team is also experienced advising state bodies and representatives of cities in The Netherlands. Experienced practitioner Erik Pijnacker Hordijk leads the team alongside newly promoted partner and co-head Marleen Botman who gained both titles in Janaury 2023; Botman is well regarded for her ‘excellent knowledge of distribution of exclusive rights’ cases.

Responsables de la pratique:

Erik Pijnacker Hordijk; Marleen Botman


Autres avocats clés:

Georges Dictus; Jotte Mulder


Les références

‘The team has a broad knowledge of the law of the public sector and is a full-service firm with exceptional litigation skills.’

‘Georges Dictus has excellent knowledge of state aid law, whilst Marleen Botman has excellent knowledge of distribution of exclusive rights.’

‘Knowledge, speed and collaboration are key attributes of this team of, above all, friendly lawyers.’

Principaux clients

Dutch State


Royal FloraHolland


Scandinavian Airlines


ArcelorMittal


Mercedes-Benz Group AG


Royal Cosun


City of Amsterdam


City of Rotterdam


EPS


Dutch Competition Authority (ACM)


Dutch Emissions Authority


Westlake Corp


Het Kadaster


Province of Gelderland


DNB (Dutch Central Bank)


Heineken


Profile


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing Mercedes-Benz Group AG in all pending damage actions before Dutch courts in connection with the decision of the EU Commission of 19 July 2016 regarding the Trucks case.
  • Representing the State in a test case on the calculation of pensions in the Netherlands with a possible major financial impact €137bn.
  • Assisting the Dutch State in the decision to reduce the number of flights on Schiphol.

Stek

The ‘efficient and pragmatic approach’ of Stek‘s EU and competition practice is noted by its clients. Advising on cooperation agreements, distribution and relations matters, and abuse of dominance and state aid cases are all common areas of focus for the team. ‘Very skilled expert and leader in his field’ Ruben Elkerbout oversees the practice and has experience handling antitrust proceedings and merger control matters. Former co-leads of the team Berend Reuder departed to an in-house position in January 2023 whilst Jan Erik Janssen no longer co-leads this team though he remains at the firm.

Responsables de la pratique:

Ruben Elkerbout


Autres avocats clés:

Mattijs Baneke; Linde Bremmer


Les références

‘Excellent at managing complex antitrust litigation efficiently over a long period of time.’

‘Mattijs Baneke is extremely responsive and provides excellent strategic analysis.’

‘Ruben Elkerbout does a great job of distilling complex antitrust rulings into actionable guidance for non-lawyers.’

Principaux clients

Calcasa


Coolblue


Corendon


easyJet


Enexis


Evides


Foresco Group


L’Oréal


Rituals


Netbeheer Nederland


PVH


Samsung SDI


Principaux dossiers


  • Represented the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) successfully in preliminary relief proceedings on the legality of the FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR).
  • Acting as counsel to Greyfield Capital in damages proceedings against Google relating to Google’s practices in the Ad Tech field.
  • Advising Global Food Group in relation to sanctions (fine) imposed by the Dutch Competition Authority (ACM) for an alleged buying cartel in the agricultural sector.

Van Doorne

The EU and competition practice at Van Doorne, noted as providing an ‘excellent and top-range service’ to its clients, is co-led by experienced competition practitioner Sarah Beeston who is noted as being ‘a pleasure to work with’, and Gijs Verberne. The team is well equipped to handle the array of complex matters before the ACM and Dutch administrative and civil courts; its work includes advising on matters from alleged resale price influencing to defending cartel fine claims. Senior associates to note include Pim Jansen and Nina Korstenbroek who is noted for her ‘great understanding’ of complex cases.

Responsables de la pratique:

Sarah Beeston; Gijs Verberne


Autres avocats clés:

Nina Korstenbroek; Jitske Weber


Les références

‘Excellent and top-range service.’

‘A very diverse and excellent team dealing very efficiently with the wide variety of competition law issues. They always follow-up very closely on new developments in competition law and are very hands-on and pleasant to work with.’

‘Sarah Beeston really stands out. She really has an in-depth knowledge about EU and Dutch competition laws. She also manages in an excellent way the outstanding team she works with. She is very hands-on and always looking for pragmatic solutions.’

Principaux clients

AbbVie


Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL)


Albert Schweitzer Ziekenhuis


Amerpoort


Amsterdam UMC


Domino’s Pizza


Domus Magnus


Dutch Tax Authority


EasyPark


Erasmus MC


Eredivisie


Gelre Ziekenhuizen


Hedin Automotive


Hornbach


Jungheinrich


Live Nation


National Social Housing Guarantee Fund Foundation (WSW)


Navitas Capital


Nimbus


Mediq


Port of Rotterdam


Province of Zuid-Holland


Transport region Amsterdam


TU Eindhoven


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisting the Port of Rotterdam in seeking to achieve its ambitious goal of sustainable development through investments and cooperation which are competition law and state aid compliant.
  • Representing a leading consumer electronics company in relation to an ACM investigation into resale price influencing.
  • Acting for a (former) portfolio company of Nimbus (Meneba) in successfully defending a claim by a former parent seeking redress for a cartel fine imposed on it in its capacity as controlling parent, and currently assisting Nimbus in the appeal proceedings.

BarentsKrans

BarentsKrans‘ The Hague office is home to its EU and competition practice, which is noted as having ‘extensive knowledge and experience’. The team handles a broad-range of contentious and non-contentious matters for its array of clients, with a particular focus on litigation. Its workload includes representing clients at the ACM in matters involving dawn raids, investigations, and merger control issues. European law specialist Joost Fanoy is at the head of the team, and leads in the majority of its follow-on cases; Fanoy also has expertise in cartel proceedings, as well as merger and joint venture matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

Joost Fanoy


Autres avocats clés:

Karlijn de Groes; Tim Raats


Les références

‘There is extensive knowledge and experience within one office, which is accessible for clients.’

‘Easy to reach, quick responses, accessible.’

‘Tim Raats is great to work with! He understands our complex business and gets a quick grasp of any issue. His advice is practical and in-line with our company’s attitude towards risk.’

Principaux clients

Global (The Media & Entertainment Group)


Porthos Project


Visma Connect


Selecta


EBS


KPMG


Dura Vermeer


Macedonian Thrace Brewery


BMW


Finco Fuel


Claims Funding Europe


Canon


Heutink


Oshkosh Defense


Albron


BCD Travel


Dell


Jeugdformaat


GGZ Noord-Holland-Noord


Pure Development & Wayland Real Estate


Stichting Sint Antonius Ziekenhuis


Stichting Elevator Cartel Claim


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Interovo Group during the ACM cartel investigation, the related civil proceedings and assisting Interovo with the administrative appeal regarding the ACM decision.
  • Assisting KPN with its acquisition of major MVNO Youfone and all merger control related elements of the acquisition.
  • Acting for two Dutch comparison websites in a follow-on claim relating to the Google Shopping case against Alphabet, Google LLC and Google Netherlands.

Bird & Bird

Bird & Bird‘s EU and competition practice, based in The Hague, is formed of ‘top lawyers who provide high-quality advice’ to a host of high-profile clients. Team lead Pauline Kuipers has impressive experience handling the array of matters, namely in the telecoms, media and postal sectors. Janneke Kohlen is also key to the team, with expertise in both competition and public procurement matters. Its workload ranges from advising on all aspects of mergers, to defending in alleged violations of EU competition regulations.

Responsables de la pratique:

Pauline Kuipers


Autres avocats clés:

Janneke Kohlen; Tialda Beetstra; Joost van Roosmalen


Les références

‘Key aspects of the team lie in its collaboration and approach.’

‘Bird & Bird has a low-threshold attitude, is directly approachable and responds quickly.’

‘Both at partner level and in support, they are well-informed about current situations in procurement law and know how to summarise questions quickly and answer them adequately with good advice.’

Principaux clients

T-Mobile Netherlands B.V.


Cellnex Telecom S.A.


Salta (formerly NCOI) Holding B.V.


Computrain Opleidingen B.V.


Tempur Sealy


PPG


Open Dutch Fiber BV


Marshall Land Systems Ltd.


Blackboard International B.V.


Corbion N.V.


NLdigital


Epson


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised and represented T-Mobile in all competition law matters including its judicial intervention in the merger control proceeding at the Dutch competition authority concerning the joint venture between KPN and APG.
  • Advised Royal A-ware on the take-over of a producer of grated cheese in the Netherlands, Noordhoek.
  • Represented PostNL in appeal proceedings before the Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal.

bureau Brandeis

bureau Brandeis houses a ‘fantastic’ EU and competition practice which is noted for its ‘diverse set of skills and talent’. Its clients span a range of industry sectors and its workload involves advising on the broad-range of related work. A key example of the calibre of work the team works on is its defending Pro Agent and the EFAA in their legal battle against FIFA’s new regulations. Bas Braeken is ‘able to give clear advice on complex matters’ and heads up the offering. Hans Bousie and associate Jade Versteeg are key names to note in the team.

Responsables de la pratique:

Bas Braeken


Autres avocats clés:

Hans Bousie; Jade Versteeg


Les références

‘A fantastic team with a diverse set of skills and talent across the team, who are always a pleasure to work with!’

‘Great thinkers and strategists.’

‘A small team that is very hands-on and responsive.’

Principaux clients

Walt Disney


ESPN


Aegon


ENGIE


Bastion Hotels


Cleary Gottlieb/Philip Morris


Prijsvrij.nl


Blendle/Cafeyn


AGU


Centraal Boekhuis


European Elite Athletes Association


Multi Tank Card


Bosch Siemens Household Appliances


TIX.nl


Dutch Travel Alliance


Netherlands Online Gambling Association


Axeco


VakantieDiscounter


VTTI


Youfone


Maxeda


Burando


IDH (the sustainable Trade Initiative)


Noordhoff Publishers


Koninklijke Boom Publishers


Sendcloud


TUI


CAI Harderwijk


Evidensia


Pro Agent


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisting third parties in the appeal lodged by the International Skating Union (ISU) with the General Court in Luxembourg against the Commission’s decision prohibiting the ISU’s eligibility rules.
  • Assisting online travel agent Tix.nl in various competition and consumer law matters.
  • Representing a foundation, Stichting FX Claims, that acts on behalf of a number of claimants who suffered damages from antitrust infringements by several of the world’s largest banks in the foreign exchange (or FX) market.

Dentons

Dentons‘ EU and competition team which ‘stands out from the crowd’ is experienced in advising on the range of matters, from acquisitions and unfair competition claims to merger control matters. Antitrust litigation specialist Marc Kuijper is described as having ‘thorough and in-depth knowledge of all aspects of competition law’ and co-leads the practice with procurement expert and ‘true asset’ Bram Braat who is particular adept at advising on both civil litigation and private enforcement matters. Associate Ana María Bruggink departed to private practice in May 2023.

Responsables de la pratique:

Marc Kuijper; Bram Braat


Autres avocats clés:

Marc Elshof; Michel Deckers; Anouk Rosielle; Denise Coumans


Les références

‘Marc Kuijper and his team have thorough and in-depth knowledge of all aspects of competition law. There is no question they cannot answer and answers always prove to be right, or point out the right direction.’

‘Marc Kuijper himself qualifies as a real business lawyer, not only able to defend or attack in court cases but also able to provide practical and reasonable solutions and realistic plans. He is also very much able to explain very complex cases and details to people less expert.’

‘The team is very responsive, skilled and cooperative. I would strongly recommend this team.’

Principaux clients

ALLRAIL


Solidaridad


QTwee Group


Vestel Trading Companies


Interparking


Ricardo Rail


Japan Airlines


Spaansen Holding


Cemaz Industria Eletrônica da Amazonia S.A.


IGB Eletrônica S.A.


Itautec S.A. – Grupo Itautec


Erasmus Universiteit


Maastricht University Medical Center


Zorlu Holding


Rutte Groep


Stichting De Glazen Lift


Samskip


Fairtrade


DutchCanGrow


Village Farms


Imbema


Taxicentrale Witteveen


Plus supermarkten


Noot Personenvervoer


Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland


Principaux dossiers


  • Represented Gradiente, Cemaz and Itautec in proceedings against cathode ray tubes cartel participants in a multimillion-euro compensation claim for damages suffered as a consequence of the operation of the CRT cartel.
  • Advised ALLRAIL in challenging the proposed direct award of a nine-year concession contract of 95% of all Dutch passenger railway transport to the incumbent operator.
  • Advised Solidaridad, a global charity that seeks to help disadvantaged producers in developing countries, on the competition law aspects of new efforts to provide workers on farms who produce goods for western consumption a better living standard.

Kennedy Van der Laan

Advising on mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, and handling abuse of dominance allegations in major litigations are all areas of experience for the EU and competition practice at Kennedy Van der Laan. It is equipped to handle matters in both domestic and international contexts. Annemieke van der Beek specialises in payment services work in particular, counsel Martijn van Bemmel has experience advising on matters across the financial, banking, retail, transport and IT sectors, and Martine de Koning has expertise handling commerce and trade work; the three oversee the team.

Responsables de la pratique:

Annemieke van der Beek; Martijn van Bemmel; Martine de Koning


Autres avocats clés:

Jelle Blom


Les références

‘Kennedy Van Der Laan’s team is oriented towards providing client-friendly and to-the-point advice, and has vast knowledge of competition law and is a pleasure to work with.’

‘We have primarily worked with Martine de Koning and Jelle Blom, and find both to be extremely professional, knowledgeable, and great at coordinating multi-jurisdictional matters.’

‘The commercial and international trade team has excellent knowledge of the broader EU and Dutch regulatory framework for consumers, in particular the regulatory framework relevant for product compliance, sustainability, advertising and greenwashing in commercial practices.’

Principaux clients

Nike


Converse


Marriott & Starwood


Hilton


ING


Rabobank


ABN AMRO


VodafoneZiggo


Currence


Betaalvereniging / Dutch Payments Association


VNAB


Port of Amsterdam


GVB


Geldmaat


Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) and Cyclistes Professionels Associés (CPA)


Certis Europe


Bureau Krediet Registratie (BKR)


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisting Foundation Right to Consumer Justice with a mass claim against Apple, regarding Apple’s alleged abuse of dominance to the detriment of software developers and consumers.
  • Advising Nike in several matters related to its licensed multi-brand and mono-brand operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
  • Obtaining approval from the Dutch Competition Authority during the merger filing process for a major acquisition by Straco.

Taylor Wessing LLP

The EU and competition team at Taylor Wessing is well regarded for its abilities to ‘deliver excellent advice and successful results’. It is able to assist its vast portfolio of clients on the range of related cases, particularly in the tech sector. Cartels, abuse of dominance and merger control matters all form portions of the team’s workload. Bram Nijhof is the team lead and public procurement, state aid and competition are his main areas of focus; Nijhof splits his time between Eindhoven and Brussels. ‘Very promising’ senior associate Nick Strous is is a noteworthy team member.

Responsables de la pratique:

Bram Nijhof


Autres avocats clés:

Nick Strous


Les références

‘Availability, quality of service and industry knowledge make this law firm a great partner for us.’

‘Taylor Wessing is able to provide its services on a variety of subject matters and for a very large office, the team is very approachable.’

‘The individuals are very pro-active in communications and take feedback on board. Furthermore Taylor Wessing understands the dynamics of the company they advise.’

Principaux clients

RM (Netherlands) 1


De Meeuw


Nowi


De Vos Diensten


Visymo


Stichting PAMM


Buddha to Buddha


D2L Europe Ltd.


Knaap Bikes


Eijffinger


Van Halteren


Kwantum


Dentalair Group


Liebherr


Trust


MBI


Summa College


Vista College


Van Bommel


Heijmans


Vebego


ICS Groep


Acolad Netherlands


Glenmark Pharmaceuticals


Knaek


Precirix


Stichting ZOwonen


Deltex


ISH Food Company


Inspire Medical Systems Europe


Pfizer Inc.


DELA


Cycling Service


Principaux dossiers


  • Represented De Vos Diensten and RM (Netherlands) successfully in the landmark competition law case regarding the takeover of Sandd by PostNL.
  • Obtained a 100% success rate in proceedings for D2L Europe, a market leader in learning management systems.
  • Assisted Visymo as one the intervening parties in the final part of the Google case trilogy at the EU’s General Court.

AKD

The EU and competition team at AKD is noteworthy for its abilities assisting clients on various matters, including those involving the FDI regulatory framework, and those at the intersection between competition and consumer law. Grant agreements and applications on financial regulations are also frequent cases for the practice, which is co-led by Pieter Kuypers and Joost Houdijk; both split their time between the firm’s Brussel and Amsterdam offices.

Responsables de la pratique:

Pieter Kuypers; Joost Houdijk


Autres avocats clés:

Joris Rijken; Nikee Groot


Les références

‘The personal approach and the sincere interest from their employees means you feel at home with the team. You are not treated as a number or as a dossier, the people really think alongside you and your business.’

‘The support they give is very concrete and very practical. They walk you through various scenarios.’

‘Joost Houdijk in particular is a particularly strong counsel. He is very responsive, client-focused and sees the bigger picture.’

Principaux clients

ProRail B.V.


VINCI Energies Netherlands B.V.


De Hoge Dennen Capital SHI


Achmea


Erasmus Medical Center


Maasstad Medical Center


TransAtlantis


Mediaproduccion SLU


Province of Limburg


Thermo Fisher


ABB


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing TransAtlantis Funding in a private damages claim, representing a large number of claims following the EU truck cartel.
  • Represented the municipalities of Weert and Nederweert in proceedings at the European Court of Justice following preliminary questions of the Dutch Court of Appeal of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
  • Represented the Dutch association for healthcare to handicapped persons and 58 healthcare providers in proceedings against Dutch authorities responsible for procuring healthcare amounting to hundreds of millions of euros per year.

Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie‘s EU and competition cohort is regarded as being ‘very professional and competent’. The team is overseen by Frank Kroes and Frans Muller who joined the team from Clifford Chance as partner in June 2023 and has a focus on antitrust and competition matters. The practice has noteworthy abilities in matters which range from advising on alleged infringements and compliance matters to handling competition infringement litigation follow-on work.

Responsables de la pratique:

Frank Kroes; Frans Muller


Autres avocats clés:

Derk Christiaans


Les références

‘The team is highly competent, covers all necessary legal areas, has good understanding of customers’ businesses, provides high-quality advice as fast as requested by customers, and has a good network of foreign partners they collaborate with.’

‘For our company it is very important to have quick access to required information.’

‘Derk Christiaans and the broader team are outstanding in their understanding of the urgency that arises at customers’ end.’

Principaux clients

Accenture


Barclays


FSN Capital


Google


Hitachi Transport System


Egeria


Merck & Co.


Mitsubishi


Royal De Heus


Shell


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing Shell in follow-on litigation proceedings following a competition infringement decision by the European Commission in relation to the Dutch market for road bitumen, wherein the state is claiming approximately €65m in damages.
  • Represented FSN Capital Partners in securing unconditional Phase I clearance merger control proceedings before ACM, related to the acquisition of sole control over ilionx.
  • Representing Barclays c.s. in relation to quasi-class action proceedings initiated in the Netherlands by Stichting FX Claims.

Banning NV

Banning NV‘s EU and competition practice, which ‘combines a solid knowledge of the Dutch competition law scene with a client-oriented approach’ has particular strengths advising on regulatory aspects of matters, namely those assisting clients in the Dutch automotive industry. Merger control matters are another area of focus; the team has experience advising well-known names before the ACM. ‘Outstanding practitioner’ Minos van Joolingen is at the team’s helm; Martijn Jongmans is also a key practitioner to note.

Responsables de la pratique:

Minos van Joolingen


Autres avocats clés:

Martijn Jongmans


Les références

‘The team is has a broad experience and combines its deep knowledge of competition law with a very healthy dose of pragmatism and responsiveness. It is really on top of things.’

‘The team combines a solid knowledge of the Dutch competition law scene with a client-oriented approach.’

‘Minos Van Joolingen is an outstanding practitioner. We have encountered him mostly in the context of distribution matters in general and automotive issues in particular – Minos’ knowledge therein is outstanding.’

Principaux clients

Audi


Volkswagen


Seat


Skoda


Citröen


DS


Peugeot


Opel


Fiat


Alfa Romeo


Jeep


BOVAG trade association automotive industry


Belron, Netherlands


Vespa Piaggio


Zero Motorcycles


Electrolux


AGC


DHL


Hunkemöller International


Ricoh group


McCain


Perfetti van Melle


Brand Loyalty


Heras


Udea / Ekoplaza


Van Wijnen group


Agrifirm


BMN


Amacom


Jaguar Land Rover


Renault


Dutch importer of Aiways


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising the Dealer councils of Opel and Peugeot/Citroën in the Netherlands and representing more than 130 dealers involved in relation to the allegations brought by Stichting Diesel Emissions Justice and Stichting Car Claim towards the manufacturers, importers and dealers seeking to obtain compensation for customers  allegedly affected by “dieselgate”.
  • Advising and representing the European Dealer council of Volkswagen and Audi on all dealer and authorised repair related contractual aspects on a frequent basis, including Competition law implications and the introduction of an agency model in Europe.
  • Advising and representing the Jaguar Land Rover European Dealer council on all dealer and authorised repair-related contractual aspects on a frequent basis, including competition law implications and the introduction of an agency model in Europe.

CMS

CMS‘ EU and competition cohort has strong capabilities advising on matters in the automotive and energy industry in particular, as well as representing them before the courts. Its client portfolio features a number of well-known names; it advises its clients on matters ranging from mergers, to foreign direct investments, to cartel cases. Edmon Oude Elferink who splits his time between the firm’s Amsterdam and Brussels offices, heads up the team.

Responsables de la pratique:

Edmon Oude Elferink


Autres avocats clés:

Petra Heemskerk; Annemieke Hazelhoff


Les références

‘They provide solid and comprehensive advice against competitive rates.’

‘They understand business needs and come up with creative solutions to accommodate them.’

Principaux clients

All Nippon Airways (ANA)


Atlas Copco


Coca-Cola Europacific Partners


Brenntag


Hill International


Diageo


AEB


Kubota Kverneland


AEB


Bios Group


Pon Group


Louwman Group


VolkersWessels


Quatra


Royal Frieslandcampina


Van Gelder Groep


Allego


Indaver


BTG


Dyckerhoff


Principaux dossiers


  • Obtained ACM approval for Atlas Copco’s acquisition of Lewa and Geveke.
  • Obtained merger clearance for Nuveen’s acquisition of a 15% stake in Dutch offshore wind farm.

DLA Piper

DLA Piper‘s EU and competition team, noted for its provision of ‘hands-on, practical advice’ has Léon Korsten at its helm; Korsten also co-leads the firm’s international practice and is particularly experienced defending clients in the range of cases. Dawn raids, investigations, and cartel defence work, including damages litigation and public and private enforcement in relation to state aid, public procurement and regulated markets, form a large portion of the team’s workload.

Responsables de la pratique:

Léon Korsten


Autres avocats clés:

Martijn van Wanroij


Les références

‘The team provides very hands-on and pragmatic advice!’

‘The team is very pragmatic and knows the approach of the ACM well.’

‘The focus of the team is on the right items and the cooperation was seamless. The lawyers were also always available.’

Principaux clients

Afvalsturing Friesland


Arcadis


Ashland


Ausnutria


Ballast Nedam


Bristol Mayer Squibb


Bayer


Biogen


BPost


Danone


Farmel


ForFarmers


Lely


Opportunity Partners


Philips


Vertex


Principaux dossiers


  • Defended Afvalsturing Friesland successfully against State aid and misuse of procurement law allegations in civil litigation.
  • Obtained unconditional clearance for the creation of a joint venture in the Dutch dairy sector, bringing together the activities of milk powder and dairy products producer Ausnutria, and cheese maker Amalthea.
  • Assisted private equity investor Opportunity Partners to obtain very speedy merger clearance for its acquisition of activities of the bankrupt e-bike and e-scooter provider GreenMo Group, enabling a successful continuation of the acquired businesses.

Greenberg Traurig LLP

Antitrust and competition specialist Hans Urlus, who is adept at assisting with matters in both domestic and international contexts, is at the helm of Greenberg Traurig LLP‘s EU and competition practice, which is well equipped to advise on the array of work, from market entry strategies, to foreign investment reviews, to multi-jurisdictional mergers. Its workload covers industry sectors from oil and gas to insurance. ‘Standout practitioner’ Robert Hardy is another noteworthy team member, with experience representing clients before the ACM and the European Commission; cartel investigations and damages claims are also in his remit.

Responsables de la pratique:

Hans Urlus


Autres avocats clés:

Robert Hardy; Ellen de Jong van den Bogaard


Les références

‘Robert Hardy is the standout practitioner- his joining has really boosted the practice.’

‘Robert Hardy can analyse and then explain complex legal issues in a clear and simple way – and from there work on hands-on solutions. He has a sharp legal mind. And also a wealth of expertise and experience in antirust and competition. He provides clear guidance on how to mitigate risk too.’

‘Very quick to communicate. They understand our business and competitive environment like no other, and their legal support has been outstanding.’

Principaux clients

Allianz


Beheermaatschappij Van Losser B.V.


HaskoningDHV Nederland B.V.


Neptune Energy


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Allianz on the divestment of a business.
  • Advised consortium of companies on an acquisition of a divestment business.
  • Advised a leading car manufacturer on antitrust and competition, merger control and foreign investment review (FDI) aspects in relation to several proposed transactions.

HVG Law LLP

HVG Law LLP houses an EU and competition team which is led by Misha G. lutje Beerenbroek, and is adept at advising its clients on an array of related matters. Its workload includes obtaining clearance decisions of international competition authorities, designing, implementing and amending distribution networks in the EU, assisting with acquisitions and mergers, and advising on sub-contracting and co-production arrangements. Senior associate Wouter Jans is a key name in the team.

Responsables de la pratique:

Misha G. lutje Beerenbroek


Autres avocats clés:

Wouter Jans


Principaux clients

REMONDIS


Currence


Xiaomi


EY Assurance


Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe


Mitsubishi Logisnext


OV9292


Nichirei


Kawasaki Motors Europe


Fonterra


Novomatic


EyeCare Group


Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics


General Logistics Systems (GLS)


Harvest House


Greenchoice


Bluewater


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Fonterra and DSM on the creation of a highly innovative joint venture and obtained clearance decisions of 7 competition authorities worldwide, including the European Commission.
  • Advised Hitachi Construction Machinery on the design and implementation of its exclusive distribution network in the EU.
  • Acted as Currence’s lead competition counsel in relation to the intended acquisition of Dutch payment scheme iDEAL by the European Payments Initiative (EPI).