The ‘down-to-earth and hands-on’ private equity team at Allen & Overy LLP has a strong reputation for its capabilities advising its clients on high-value large-scale acquisitions, which frequently span a number of jurisdictions. The industry sectors the team’s cases encompass range from infrastructure and energy to life sciences, with a strong focus on the tech industry. The team is overseen by numerous specialists, being private equity expert Karine Kodde, corporate law specialist Jasper de Jong, and managing partner of the Amsterdam office Justin Steer who focuses primarily on private equity and private M&A matters. Gijs Linse is equipped to advise clients on carve-out and cross-border transactions in particular; senior associate Kayleigh Sanders is also a name to note. Ico Jalink departed in February 2023 to Dentons.

The private equity team at Clifford Chance is regarded as being ‘service-oriented and extremely knowledgeable’. The team is headed up by Mark Jan Arends. Another key practitioner amongst the cohort is Stephanie Horowitz, who has capabilities handling public and private M&A and joint ventures, as well as buy-side acquisitions, sell-side divestment and IPO matters. The team advises its clients, including such key private equity investors as Rivean Capital, on cases including high-value acquisitions of well-known companies and strategic investments. Jan-Hendrik Horsmeier frequently leads on the group’s most complex matters and is known for his abilities to ‘really lead a process and bring it to a successful conclusion’.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek‘s dedicated private equity group has notable experience handling the gamut of private equity matters for its portfolio of international and domestic private equity clients. At the helm of the practice is Lennard Keijzer who harnesses expertise in sell-side, buy-side, governance advice and management participation matters and is noted as ‘the top legal M&A professional in the market for PE dealmaking in the Netherlands’. Keijzer is ably supported by his team, which includes key practitioners Pete Lawley, who is experienced handling key M&A deals as well as advising on significant private equity transactions; Arne Grimme who is well-equipped to advise on public and private transactions, leveraged buy-outs and corporate restructurings; and senior associate Claudia van Rappard-Priem who is described as ‘very knowledgeable, thorough, pragmatic and responsive’.

The ‘good and very knowledgeable’ private equity group at Loyens & Loeff harnesses considerable experience in the gamut of private equity matters. Its workload features assisting its roster of private equity firm clients on legal, tax and notarial aspects of high-value deals. Corporate specialist Roel Fluit and Antoinette van der Hauw who is adept at handling buy-side, sell-side and management participation matters, co-lead the team in place of experienced practitioner Harmen Holtrop who has now been promoted to the firm’s executive board, and Herman Kaemingk who remains an active team member. Freek Hilberdink is another name to note; Hilberdink is equipped to assist on all aspects of national and international M&A, restructuring and joint venture transactions. Anke van Holthe tot Echten is also a noteworthy team member and Wijnand Meijer was notably made partner in January 2023.

NautaDutilh‘s Rotterdam-based private equity cohort is co-led by ‘outstanding private equity lawyer’ Joost den Engelsman who has noteworthy experience handling the range of cross-border M&A transactions, alongside corporate and securities specialist Gaike Dalenoord. The team assists its client portfolio on noteworthy acquisitions and contemplated acquisitions which often involve multi-millions in value. It also advises on complex public to private transactions and joint ventures cases. Olaf Baks is equipped to handle domestic and cross-border transactions and management incentive plans, whilst Sophie van Lanschot has particular expertise advising on management participation schemes.

Casper Hamersma, who harnesses impressive experience advising national and international clients on the range of complex transactional matters, is at the helm of DLA Piper‘s private equity practice. The group is formed of specialists across corporate finance and tax, who collaborate on private equity matters to provide the full scope of service therein. Jochem Beurskens has a focus on mid-market transactional work and is well regarded for his ‘good eye for practical solutions’. The team’s workload covers sectors from retail and consumer goods, to real estate and tech, and ranges from advising on high-value sales and acquisitions, to assisting with refinancing and restart cases.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer houses a ‘hands-on and down-to-earth’ private equity team, which is well regarded for its abilities handling transactions such as high-value M&A deals and financial restructurings. The team’s caseload spans an array of industry sectors, from telecoms and media to investment and finance. At its helm are Menno Verboom who focuses on large cap and mid-market private M&A transactions, together with Saloua Ouchan. Alexander Doorman is a name to note for his work for domestic corporate clients, international financial investors and global corporates; he is described as being ‘great to work with’.

Rotterdam-based practitioner Bram Caudri is at the helm of Houthoff‘s private equity team, which is adept at advising its clients on the range of transactions, both national and international; international matters are Guillette van Grinsven‘s area of focus. The team works on company takeovers and acquisitions which are consistently of high-value. Noteworthy practitioner Michiel Pannekoek has impressive expertise advising on complex M&A and private equity matters, whilst Ivar Brouwer is described as 'technically strong’ and is ‘wholeheartedly recommended’ by clients.

The ‘professional and committed’ private equity group at AKD is headed up by ‘amazing lawyer and person’ Nathalie Van Woerkom, who is based at the firm’s Rotterdam office and has particular expertise handling significant transactions in both national and international contexts. The ‘commercial and pragmatic’ Lennart Crain is a practitioner to note, as is Carlos Pita Cao, whose practice spans the array of industry sectors. Wouter Kros has a particular focus on corporate, M&A and joint venture work. Former counsel Rosanne Vlasveld departed to an in-house role in November 2022.

BJTK‘s private equity practice is noted for its ‘hands-on approach, great vision and reachability’ as well as for its provision of an ‘impeccable service’. Commercial, corporate and M&A specialist Evert van der Kaa bolstered the team with his arrival from Clifford Chance in September 2022. The team is experienced advising its clients on high-value sale, acquisition, investment and funding matters of considerable value and often in cross-border contexts. Its client list features key names in the developing sector of AI. ‘Wonderful partner’ Quirijn Biesheuvel, the ‘highly talented’ Wouter Brugma and the ‘highly recommended’ Suzanne Beijersbergen are at the helm.

The ‘very capable team of professionals’ in the private equity team at Lexence include Kevin Beukeveld, who is noted for his ‘sharpness and understanding’ and associate Bas de Mie who is noted as providing a ‘high-quality service’ to clients. The team has capabilities advising its portfolio of clients on high-value acquisitions and sales. The team is overseen by Joost Kolkman, Wouter Helder and Luc Habets.

Stek‘s ‘extremely responsive, knowledgeable, reliable and trustworthy’ private equity practice has strong abilities advising on matters from buy-outs, to scale-ups for its client list. Additionally, it has experience handling various aspects of multi-million euro acquisitions. Construction, tech and healthcare are sectors the team’s caseload spans. Eelco Bijkerk, Ruben Tros, Maarten van de Graaf are at the helm of the practice. Senior associate Dirk de Graeff is described as 'dedicated, conscientious and accurate'.

Baker McKenzie‘s private equity team is headed up by Mohammed Almarini who is equipped to handle transactions across the broad range of industry sectors. Koen Bos and Joost Polman are the names to note in the cohort, which assists its clients on the acquisition of significant stakes. Counsel Florian Fehres departed to Norton Rose Fulbright in July 2023.

Harry Rek, senior partner with strong capabilities advising both domestic and international clients, is at the helm of the The Hague-based 'hands-on' private equity team at BarentsKrans. The practice's client roster includes green energy, trade and service, and healthcare companies. Its workload predominantly involves advising its clients on sales, investments and M&A transactions. Senior associate Anne-Rieke van der Linden is described as 'very knowledgeable'. 

‘Very smart boutique’ deBreij has a private equity practice formed of practitioners with a range of expertise in the area with ‘a capacity to efficiently execute deals’. Laura Overes specialises in commercial contract and transactional matters, Wytse Huidekoper is experienced advising on secured lending and transactional matters, Gaston Freijser is adept at joint venture, commercial agreement and M&A work, whilst Maurice Dudink has a corporate governance focus; the four oversee the team.

Dentons' private equity team is co-led by cross-border transactions-focused Kuif Klein Wassink and Marnix Veldhuijzen who is experienced advising funds, family offices, Dutch companies and shareholders on the array of high-value matters including sales and acquisitions. The pair lead alongside Ico Jalink who arrived in February 2023 from Allen & Overy LLP; Jalink has particular expertise advising across the TMT, infrastructure and leisure sectors.

Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s private equity group is co-led by Victor de Vlaam and ‘very engaged partner and excellent team leader’ Danielle du Bois-Buné. The team assists its roster of clients with stake acquisitions, private equity investments, and related transactions, often in cross-border contexts. Tom van Duuren, an expert in international corporate matters, strengthened the team with his January 2023 arrival from CMS, whilst corporate specialist Jan de Snaijer retired in July 2023.

HSA Lawyers B.V.‘ office in The Hague houses a private equity cohort which is equipped to assist its list of clients in the array of transactional matters, including reviewing and amending documentation as well as performing legal due diligence on various cases. ‘Tough negotiator’ Gert-Jan van Dalen and the ‘creative, dedicated and pragmatic’ Harm Van Efferink co-lead the practice.

Jones Day‘s private equity team’s workload includes advising its client roster on matters including the high-value controlled auction sale of assets, on the acquisition and sale of entities, and in various business investments. The group is overseen by Floris Pierik who has impressive experience handling the array of complex M&A and private equity transactions. Former counsel Maarten De Boorder departed to Greenberg Traurig LLP in October 2023.

The ‘competent, knowledgeable and pragmatic’ Pien Van Veersen is known for her abilities assisting clients with a variety of corporate and regulatory matters, and she leads the private equity team at Orange Clover Law. The team at large is experienced handling all aspects of key transactions and acquisitions across an array of industry sectors. Marcel van den Nieuwenhuijzen has a particular focus on funds.

Simmons & Simmons‘ private equity group has capabilities assisting its clients which is formed of shareholders and equity companies on matters including the restructuring and sale of businesses. It handles due diligence, drafting and negotiation-related transactional documents. Leo Verhoeff, who ‘knows that the bigger picture matters’, oversees the team, in which the ‘standout’ Elise Boehmer is a supervising associate to note.

Friso Foppes, who harnesses particular expertise in M&A, private equity transactions, financings and joint ventures, leads the 'focused and transparent' private equity group at Van Doorne. It advises its clients namely on acquisitions and proposed acquisitions, including the regulatory and due diligence aspects therein. Dimitri van Hoewijk focuses on the transactional elements. Foppes has taken over from former team lead Jeroen Sombezki who departed to Squire Patton Boggs in August 2023.