Banking & Finance: Borrower side, tier 3
The ‘fantastic’ banking and finance practice group at Lexence is regularly sought-after among domestic private equity companies, international investors and portfolio companies. Hailed as a ’skilful lawyer with a view on the pragmatic side of things’, Charles Destrée, leads the team. Bastiaan van Schaik handles a mix of credit agreement negotiations and financing facilities matters, while Bas Zandvliet brings a wealth of expertise in real estate and transportation mandates.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘The team is fantastic. Very responsive and straight to the point.’
- ‘Charles Destrée is very savvy when it comes to dealing with complex financing structures and knows how to deal with lenders.’
- ‘High quality service, with high partner involvement and quick turnaround.’
- ‘Good commercial sense while always keeping the clients interests in mind.’
- ‘Lexence and especially Charles Destrée and his team are able to translate complex structures into pragmatic solutions.’
- ‘Charles Destrée is a skilful lawyer with a view on the pragmatic side of things. He does not need a lot of words to make the points clear.’
Employment, tier 3
Lexence advises on employee participation processes, corporate fraud, reorganisations and restructurings, alongside representing clients in disputes. Judith Schulp advises on employment termination law, reorganisations, dismissals, corporate governance and co-determination matters; Floor Damen focuses on collective reorganisations and transfers of undertakings; Frank ter Huurne handles employment law litigation; and Esther van der Meulen specialises in dismissals, integrity issues, working conditions and collective bargaining agreements. The aforementioned lawyers all lead the practice.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘Judith Schulp has a personal touch and has great expertise. Meike Barmento has very quick responses.’
- ‘The Lexence team exemplifies customer focus and transparent communication. A fantastic team that’s personable, effective, pragmatic and of course knowledgeable. All we look for in legal counsel.’
- ‘No lawyer deserves more praise than Esther van der Meulen. She is extremely passionate and personable, being very mindful and thoughtful in her approach. Moreover, she is experienced and knowledgeable, providing insights and support.’
- ‘Floor Damen is a really pragmatic advisor and understands the needs of his client.’
- ‘The employment lawyers at Lexence are hands-on, fast, and able to translate complex matters into practical and understandable advice.’
- ‘Frank ter Huurne is a highly skilled and proactive lawyer who thinks along with the business and is able to translate complex matters into practical advice and solutions.’
Environment and Planning, tier 3
Lexence is well-versed in advising on zoning plans, environmental permits, and land-use policy, as well as in handling complex litigation cases. Practice lead Michael Klijnstra is a ‘highly skilled and deeply knowledgeable’ public law expert who acts in matters concerning zoning plans, building permits, compliance, and environmental liability and enforcement.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘Very experienced.’
- ‘Michael Klijnstra is very skilful.’
- ‘In particular, working with Michael Klijnstra has been an outstanding experience—he is highly skilled and deeply knowledgeable in environmental and planning law, with an impressive understanding of the real estate market.’
- ‘Michael Klijnstra is dedicated, highly specialised and a pleasant person to work with.’
- ‘Lexence is unique for its sincere engagement with both clients and their cases, fostering open communication and collaboration while leveraging deep sector knowledge in real estate.’
- ‘Always accessible, hands-on advice.’
Private Equity, tier 3
The ‘pragmatic’ private equity practice at Lexence is active across a diverse array of industries, ranging from financial services and healthcare to software and ICT. The team is jointly headed by Diederick de Boer, who is sought-after for his ’straight to the point’ advice, and Kevin Beukeveld, who has a wealth of expertise in handling the acquisition of professional services companies. Joost Kolkman is a further key name of note.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘The firm tends to first understand what parties really want and is able to translate those often non-legal views into legal frameworks.’
- ‘Pragmatic, down-to-earth.’
Real Estate, tier 3
Lexence covers the whole life cycle of real estate matters from investment, development and construction to divestments, tenancy issues and restructuring. The team is well-versed in advising on property acquisitions and (re)development projects, bringing particular expertise in the healthcare and hospitality sectors. Marieke van Schie spearheads the group and is a lease law and tenancy law specialist. Notary Arief van Rhee centres his practice on real estate development projects and commercial real estate transactions. Michiel de Wit left the firm in March 2025.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘Over the past year, we have greatly enjoyed working with all our colleagues at Lexence. In each of our projects, they proved to be a reliable partner, always acting with accuracy and speed.’
- ‘What stands out to us is the high level of professionalism within the Lexence team and their multidisciplinary way of working. All team members are professional and provide us with continuous, excellent support.’
- ‘Very knowledgeable and hands-on team that has a wealth of experience with real estate acquisitions and disposition contracts as well as lease agreements.’
- ‘Arief van Rhee is easy to reach, makes himself available when needed and always delivers. That applies for Madelon de Blok as well and also for the other junior team members. Both Arief and Madelon are always in the lead of the team, visible in the transaction which is real added value to us.’
- ‘The real estate team is pragmatic, to the point, involved, and has a lot of expertise.’
- ‘Madelon de Blok is an amazing lawyer to work with. She is pragmatic, easy to align with, and heavily involved. Lot of knowledge. The same goes for Arief van Rhee.’
Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation, tier 3
Lexence handles a mix of commercial and corporate litigation, standing out for its expertise in handling contentious mandates concerning shareholder, corporate governance, and directors’ liability issues. The team is led by the ‘very knowledgeable’ Timo Jansen, who handles high-value post-M&A and takeover disputes; Bram Thomas Craemer, who leads on cross-border contentious matters concerning trade agreements; and Willem Smelt, who is a key port of call regarding shareholder disputes.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘Professional, flexible and quick-acting.’
- ‘Lexence’s commercial litigation team is sharp, efficient, and highly client-focused. They combine deep legal expertise with a clear understanding of business dynamics, which makes their advice both strategic and practical.’
- ‘What sets them apart is their hands-on approach, strong teamwork, and clear communication. They are agile, proactive, and solution-driven—making them a valuable partner in complex disputes.’
- ‘What I’ve especially valued is their clear communication, strong sense of ownership, and ability to keep calm under pressure. They bring a refreshing mix of expertise and approachability.’
- ‘The Lexence team serves a broad scope of litigation angles. Both commercial and corporate litigation is solidly represented.’
- ‘Timo Jansen is a steady player. Very knowledgeable and strong in M&A disputes.’
Banking & Finance: Financial Services Regulatory, tier 4
Lexence is a key port of call among domestic corporates and actors across the breadth of the financial services sector regarding pressing regulatory issues. Charles Destrée, who heads the practice, brings a wealth of expertise regarding payment services licences, AIFMD compliance, and securities regulation. Destrée also provides general regulatory advice to banks and financial institutions, payment services providers, and insurance intermediaries.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘They know the local stuff and are always up to date with the regulator’s practices.’
- ‘Charles Destrée is fantastic on the regulatory aspects of the business.’
- ‘High quality work with high partner involvement and quick turnaround.’
- ‘Good commercial sense while always keeping the clients interest in mind.’
- ‘Combination of legal expertise with a deep understanding of the business of the client. Solution oriented.’
- ‘Responsive, tailormade solutions, pragmatic, strategic thinking, experienced, and client-minded.’
Construction, tier 4
Lexence aids clients in the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts, demonstrating a strong grasp of FIDIC and DBFMO contracts. It also has the capability to handle construction disputes before civil courts and arbitration venues. The construction team is a part of the firm’s real estate practice and is co-led by real estate specialist Bob Bekker alongside Bas Martens, who handles the full spectrum of construction law issues. Jan-Willem Raadgever left the firm in April 2025.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘The uniqueness of Lexence is passion and decisiveness. With an eye for you as a client and the position of the opposing party, they deliver maximum added value in every case.’
- ‘I frequently collaborate with Bas Martens, Bart Steeghs, Hugo Goedegebure, and Alexander Heijting. Each of them has their own specialty, and they organically alternate and complement each other. They always provide me with the best solutions and advice.’
- ‘Good understanding of clients’ business case, clear expectation management, fighting spirit, the team goes to the last mile and has good cooperation with clients.’
- ‘Lexence has in-depth knowledge of the construction and infrastructure sector in which we operate, enabling them to provide advice that is legally sound but also commercially sensible.’
- ‘What I particularly like is that the Lexence lawyers who support us really stand up for our interests. We also find it very positive that they help us mitigate risks inherent in the technical realisation of the projects we carry out for our clients.’
- ‘This law firm ensures that we, as clients, feel heard. They provide high-quality legal advice, and demonstrate great expertise in their work.’
Commercial: Corporate and M&A, tier 4
At Lexence, Joost Kolkman is adept at handling the full lifecycle of M&A processes, while Wouter Helder is noted for his expertise in the insurance sector. Mathijs van Doormalen advises private equity clients on a number of share acquisition mandates and Diederick de Boer is sought-after for his experience in cross-border joint ventures. Rounding out the leadership quintet, Kevin Beukeveld is particularly active in domestic mid-market transactions.
Quotes provided by Legal 500:
- ‘We have come to know Lexence as a very valuable partner.’
- ‘We were particularly impressed by their professionalism, but especially by their human approach. They knew what we would be dealing with and could precisely indicate where their added value would lie. This immediately gave us the feeling that they would bring the right expertise.’
- ‘We mainly work together with Joost Kolkman and Bas de Mie. Joost and Bas are so well attuned to each other that one word was enough for them to understand which direction or advice would be appropriate.’
Lees hier alle testimonials en work highlights
