Office news ⸱ 29-03-2024

Once again appreciation from our clients in the Legal 500 2024 rankings.

The new Legal 500 2024 rankings have been announced. We are proud of the great results! Read below the quotes and descriptions that Legal 500 was able to formulate thanks to our referees.

Floor

Michiel

Charles

Max

Nina

Bob

Jan-Willem

Mark

Judith

Frank

Anneke

Michael

Kevin

Bas

Bas

Joost

Wouter

Jan

Arief

Vincent

Jip

Esther

Bastiaan

Bram Thomas

Timo

BANKING AND FINANCE: BORROWER SIDE TIER 3
The team at Lexence demonstrates impressive and broad capabilities within the banking and finance sector. The firm has in-depth experience of representing private equity firms and regularly handles financial transactions for Dutch as well as foreign clients. Leading the team, Charles Destrée is a finance expert with three decades of experience, and is particularly knowledgeable about the regulatory components required for cross-border mandates. Further standout members of the team include Max de Vreede and Nina Blanke for their experience in acquisition finance.

CONSTRUCTION TIER 3
Lexence regularly advises clients during construction on issues such as time extensions, changes to project scope, and completion. After completion the firm continues to assist clients on other common matters such as loss or damages arising from construction, execution or design faults, and failure to complete on time. Contracts and tenders are a key focus for the team as well as sustainability. Real estate specialist Bob Bekker leads the team. Jan-Willem Raadgever advises contractors, developers, and investors on a range of issues related to construction developments.

EMPLOYMENT TIER 3
Employment disputes, employee participation issues, and corporate fraud cases all form a part of the employment practice at Lexence. The employment aspects of restructurings are often handled by the team, which also advises on updating the employment conditions of Dutch municipalities. The team is co-chaired by Mark Keuss, Judith Schulp, Floor Damen, and Frank ter Huurne. Keuss is an expert in collective redundancies, Schulp focuses on employment termination law and disputes over employee participation, Damen handles collective reorganisations, and Ter Huurne both advises on employment law issues and handles litigation. Anneke Nijk is also noted

Leading individual:

Floor Damen

ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING TIER 3
Lexence‘s environment and planning team is headed up by experienced public lawyer Michael Klijnstra who is adept handling both advisory and litigious matters in various contexts and is described as being ‘a great person to work with’. Zoning plans, building permits, compliance, and enforcement with regard to projects, developments and redevelopments are key areas of focus for the team.

PRIVATE EQUITY TIER 3
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.

REAL ESTATE TIER 3
Lexence is a ‘frontrunner in the field of retail lease agreements‘. The team routinely handles sales and leaseback matters as well as environmental law and construction-related real estate issues. Practice head Bas Martens specialises in real estate development, area development and construction disputes. Michiel de Wit focuses on the sale and purchase of commercial real estate; Vincent Boumans is a go-to for commercial leasing law issues; and Jan-Willem Raadgever advises on cross-border transactions and real estate development matters. Civil law notaries Jan Hockx and Arief van Rhee specialise in notarial commercial property development and commercial real estate law. Jip Spierings and Esther Vochteloo are also noted.

Leading individual:

Michiel de Wit

BANKING AND FINANCE: FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY TIER 4
Lexence has a vast amount of experience in assisting both domestic and European clients with the financial laws and regulations that govern the structuring of financing transactions. The team’s broad capabilities include negotiating due diligence and licensing matters with Dutch financial regulators such as the Central Bank and Authority for the Financial Markets. Practice head Charles Destrée has more than three decades of experience, giving him an in-depth understanding of financial regulatory law. Bastiaan van Schaik is also a notable contact.

COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE AND M&A TIER 4
The commercial, corporate and M&A practice at Lexence has a strong track record in handling buy-side and sell-side matters relating to M&A transactions, joint ventures, investments, acquisitions and private equity work. Energy and telecoms are core sector strengths for the group, which is co-led by Joost Kolkman and Wouter Helder. Luc Habets left the firm in January 2024.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION: COMMERCIAL LITIGATION TIER 5
Lexence focuses on individual representation, often acting for shareholders and management in disputes with a specialism in director’s liability and cases related to corporate governance. The firm has also been involved in litigation over EU sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war, corporate conflicts and disputes over the termination of projects. Corporate law experts Bram Thomas Craemer and Timo Jansen lead the practice.