Law firms of the Netherlands

Last updated

In 2019, the top 50 Dutch law firms (Dutch : advocatenkantoren) had around 4,476 attorneys (Dutch : advocaten) [1] and the top 30 law firms had around 183 notaries (Dutch : notarissen) and 527 candidate notaries. [2] According to the Chambers and Partners legal directory, the top five law firms in the Netherlands are Allen & Overy Netherlands, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Houthoff, Loyens & Loeff and Stibbe. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Every year advocatie.nl publishes a list of the 50 biggest law firms in headcount.

Contents

Structure

Bigger law firms in the Netherlands are often organised as a partnership, private limited liability company (B.V. or Dutch : besloten vennootschap ), public company (N.V. or Dutch : naamloze vennootschap )) or cooperative. It is common for a law firm to have notaries attached to it. Smaller law firms sometimes opt for a maatschap, where all lawyers run their own offices, but share the costs of rent, employees and marketing.

Largest Law Firms

Attorneys

A list of law firms (in alphabetical order) with more than 100 attorneys in the Netherlands in 2020 is set out below.

NameDate FoundedAttorneys [9] Revenue (€ million)(Note 1) [10]
AKD1903 [11] 19684,19
Allen & Overy Netherlands (Note 2)1854(Note 3) [12] 169(Note 4)
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek (Note 5)1871 [13] 298167,70
Dirkzwager10441,76
DLA Piper Netherlands 11555,22
Clifford Chance Netherlands 1972 [14] 126(Note 6)
CMS Netherlands 11546,99
Houthoff 245123,80
EY HVG Law12445,01(Note 7)
Kennedy Van der Laan2006 [15] 10226,23
Loyens & Loeff (Note 2)2000 [16] 255343,90
NautaDutilh 1724 [17] 266175,20
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn1969 [18] 15154,63
Stibbe (Note 8)1911 [19] 193101,21
Van Doorne1930 [20] 15359,06

Notes:

(1) 2019/2020, including notarial revenue.

(2) In 1991, Benelux law firm, Loeff Claeys Verbeke, formed a tripartite alliance with Magic Circle law firm Allen & Overy and French law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel. Allen & Overy and Gide Loyrette Nouel terminated their alliance in 1998. [21] After it was unable to agree on a full merger with Allen & Overy, in 2000, a third of the Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg offices of Loeff Claeys Verbeke merged with Allen & Overy to form Allen & Overy Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands, a third merged with tax advisers Loyens & Volkmaars to form Loyens & Loeff and a third left the firm. At its height, Loeff Claeys Verbeke had more than 500 attorneys and notaries. [22] [23]

(3) Allen & Overy was founded in the City of London on 1 January 1930. [24] [25]

(4) Allen & Overy does not separately report its revenue for the Netherlands. In its 2019/20 financial year, it had global revenue of £1,69 billion. [26]

(5) In 1998. De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek and three other European law firms entered into an alliance with Linklaters to form Linklaters & Alliance. [27] In 2002, it terminated that alliance, choosing not to merge with Linklaters. [28] It has since entered into a "best friends" alliance with BonelliErede (Italy), Bredin Prat (France), Hengeler Mueller (Germany), Slaughter and May (UK) and Uría Menéndez (Spain). [29]

(6) Clifford Chance does not separately report its revenue for the Netherlands. In its 2019/2020 financial year, it had global revenue of £1,8 billion. [30]

(7) 2018/2019. [31]

(8) In 2002, Silver Circle law firm Herbert Smith (now Herbert Smith Freehills) (UK), Gleiss Lutz (Germany) and Stibbe formed a tripartite alliance. [32] In November 2011, Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe voted against a merger with Herbert Smith. [33] That alliance subsequently ended on 31 December 2011. [34]

Notaries

A list of law firms (in alphabetical order) with more than 20 notaries and candidate notaries in the Netherlands in 2020 is set out below. [35]

NameNotariesCandidate Notaries
Actus Notarissen1111
Allen & Overy Netherlands 318
Baker McKenzie Netherlands 218
Daamen De Kort van Tuijl1012
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek 428
Dirkzwager813
Houthoff 543
Hermans & Schuttevaer917
Het Notarieel1218
Hoekstra & Partners914
Loyens & Loeff 1061
NautaDutilh 939
Trip515
Van Doorne917
VBC Notarissen618

Rankings

Chambers and Partners rankings of the number of speciality areas in each law firm recognised as leading in the Netherlands in 2020. In the Netherlands, Chambers and Partners ranks law firms in bands from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest). Being ranked in any band is an achievement. [36] This list is non-exhaustive.

RankNameBand 1Band 2Band 3Band 4
1 Allen & Overy Netherlands [37] 12641
2 De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek [38] 1162None
3 Stibbe [39] 8731
4 Loyens & Loeff [40] 8431
5 Houthoff [41] 749None
NautaDutilh [42] 5113None
Clifford Chance Netherlands [43] 4731
AKD [44] 4232
Van Doorne [45] 4143
Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn [46] 3311
Stek [47] 2121
Linklaters Netherlands [48] 2None23
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Netherlands [49] 1532
DLA Piper Netherlands [50] 1161
Lexence [51] 1None21
Simmons & Simmons Netherlands [52] None413
Jones Day Netherlands [53] None311
Baker McKenzie Netherlands [54] None231
CMS Netherlands [55] None123
deBreij [56] None1NoneNone
Kennedy Van der Laan [57] NoneNoneNone1
EY HVG Law [58] NoneNoneNoneNone

Associate remuneration

In 2019, the average gross annual salary for associates at Dutch law firms ranged between:

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References

  1. ↑ Advocatie Advocatuur Top 50 2020 Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.advocatie.nl/advocatuur-top-50-2020/
  2. ↑ Advocatie Advocatuur Top 50 4 August 2020 https://www.advocatie.nl/advocatuur-top-50-2020/
  3. ↑ "A&O Shearman". chambers.com. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  4. ↑ "De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek". chambers.com. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  5. ↑ "Stibbe". chambers.com. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  6. ↑ "Loyens & Loeff". chambers.com. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  7. ↑ "Houthoff". chambers.com. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
  8. ↑ Apollo House Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.apollo-house.com/
  9. ↑ Advocatie Advocatuur Top 50 4 August 2020 https://www.advocatie.nl/advocatuur-top-50-2020/
  10. ↑ Advocatie Omzetten top 50-kantoren 2019: grote sprong Dirkzwager, zorgen voor 2020Accessed 4 August 2020 https://www.advocatie.nl/business/omzetten-top-50-kantoren-2019-grote-sprong-dirkzwager-zorgen-voor-2020/
  11. ↑ LinkednIn AKD Accessed 4 August 2020 https://www.linkedin.com/company/akdbenelux/about/
  12. ↑ Top Employers Allen & Overy Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.top-employers.com/en/companyprofiles/nl/allen--overy-llp/
  13. ↑ ADvocatenblad De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.advocatenblad.nl/2014/06/30/bouwer-van-de-brauw/
  14. ↑ Clifford Chance Amsterdam 1 August 2020 https://www.cliffordchance.com/people_and_places/places/europe/netherlands.html
  15. ↑ Bloomberg Kennedy Van der Laan Accessed 4 August 2020 https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/4043125Z:NA
  16. ↑ FD Loyens & Loeff moet €21 mln vergoeden wegens fouten Accessed 1 August 2020 https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1352625/loyens-loeff-moet-21-mln-vergoeden-wegens-fouten-advies-bedrijfsopvolging
  17. ↑ International Law Office NautaDutilh Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.internationallawoffice.com/Directory/NautaDutilh/Rotterdam
  18. ↑ Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn History Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.pelsrijcken.nl/over-ons/geschiedenis
  19. ↑ Advocatie Stibbe Accessed 1 August 2020 https://www.advocatie.nl/kantoor/stibbe/
  20. ↑ IFRL100 Van Doorne Accessed 1 August 2020https://www.iflr1000.com/Firm/Van-Doorne-Netherlands/Profile/3199#undefined
  21. ↑ "When Firms Decide to Merge, Some Lawyers Decide to Leave" Wall Street Journal 24 October 2000
  22. ↑ Journal, Konstantin Richter Staff Reporter of The Wall Street (9 November 2000). "Allen & Overy Takes on 140 Lawyers From Belgium's Loeff Claeys Verbeke". Wall Street Journal.
  23. ↑ NRC Handelblad Advocatenkantoor Loeff valt uit elkaar na 'fusie' 13 July 1999 https://retro.nrc.nl/W2/Nieuws/1999/07/13/Vp/08.html
  24. ↑ "The History of Allen & Overy: 1930 – 1971 - Adam Smith, Esq". adamsmithesq.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Allen & Overy LLP-Company Profile-Vault.com".
  26. ↑ The Lawyer A&O breaks magic circle financials silence with modest growth Accessed 4 August 2020 https://www.thelawyer.com/allen-overy-financials-2020/
  27. ↑ De Volkskrant De Brauw in alliantie met Britse Linklaters https://www.volkskrant.nl/economie/de-brauw-in-alliantie-met-britse-linklaters~bb4f073d/
  28. ↑ Law.com De Brauw withdraws from Linklaters' European alliance 17 April 2002 https://www.law.com/international-edition/2002/04/17/de-brauw-withdraws-from-linklaters-european-alliance/
  29. ↑ "Slaughter and May – The Best Friends group". www.slaughterandmay.com. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  30. ↑ The Lawyer Clifford Chance fends off virus threat with 6 per cent revenue surge Accessed 4 August 2020 https://www.thelawyer.com/clifford-chance-financials-2020/
  31. ↑ UK Companies House HVG Law LLP Group of companies' accounts made up to 30 June 2019 https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-live.ch.gov.uk/docs/l-dJbS2EIelYdJ07lStn9jn7DwFWFTBQv3o7bjvXpGs/application-pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAWRGBDBV3B547PMBL%2F20200804%2Feu-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20200804T182135Z&X-Amz-Expires=60&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEN%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCWV1LXdlc3QtMiJIMEYCIQD5VN07rnH01DAYgeh13LIHHPnWj7K3avY8sPv1w7wRiwIhANBQZ1nIvi%2FFq7isYNANHgvESPW8G7fxu8QnPCOSq7j2Kr0DCKj%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEQAhoMNDQ5MjI5MDMyODIyIgyY845ewuu4mPjhG%2BcqkQN9bBCWjrwYCemaNCoNuG%2BphGd885X52bh4Ba7sR%2FGH6kXk2g0FnT2kHqlRnRc8w%2FNh9Jk7ep%2BzgfmLZdgsxsnuzKu3gB4rEE5MVgKhCbL7v36Y0iLYo9PZSXy%2Fwx9tOhPr12zStm3WGIRyUn4riQMRsY2hVCEFbLDqHZkuTyZ951oiwqHiHMVw1s457zdObIBnkhtbcnZNEP9m8%2F98jMmdbsx5bvM0NlO9grSDvWgy4C00YRwWJP8ndY5vixCwC01deeFt2dqhMf7I9obrN9HX7nCzkaKulRIRtk%2Bu6lIAu2g4%2Bcva8ftrpQQyanSaHiMGNqUYaiVYrWxnVawhYl6UEbQB83suDMl%2BxRxdrWcdLTkWoGF%2FK7mAL2sBfvjnv1fe0HxqOjHPEX5YiUh1nasxWXCDgGNbtgtAFJ5GE%2BFqVIZGvOsShLG24wV%2BvYc4gEjb%2FEVVCn%2FOFqm%2Bew7ixVxtbkbnbTI5NsJUQU3DVHn1oLRqYR%2F%2F5CQtUDXXgVuMWTF1aFwzE3Q5nWWX%2FSaeXk51YDC56KX5BTrqAf3LkGfFCjcv915%2Fjn5XYfmN964ucUWFzwlg6wV3oeoZN6UU3XkhQC0QUnT2zEipXs2bfa2bpa3UKYtwUftWlsJUKOLlQl8TpdSHZkk2I%2Fhnny8v2rTLkx9Ces2Xe3Cgb3Z7lsUG4A1eHtWm0mP2yXCKaBP1N01DaS0m6k8Im3MzZOLZ5Qizff49ksMjfs3VqNtiHbGhTeKLNh3fMS61GYRXjbDJS9Urx%2By61h6u4u%2FNJ%2FIxgaMbLhMZB5qv9znOoQQH44mD%2F2COmZURdrMo45CR46Su1scDYXIXdMt3NDF6E6EsrtJ%2F9wttQQ%3D%3D&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=a17673e6bc6bd45c40ef97120cdc44d0c3f762e299305eb94e146cc6de398385
  32. ↑ "Merging is a step too far for Herbies, Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe". The Lawyer. 10 December 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  33. ↑ "Herbert Smith reviews future of European alliance after failed merger bid". The Lawyer. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  34. ↑ "Herbert Smith's European alliance to officially end at close of year". The Lawyer. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  35. ↑ Advocatie Advocatuur Top 50 4 August 2020 https://www.advocatie.nl/advocatuur-top-50-2020/
  36. ↑ Chambers and Partners Ranking Explained https://chambers.com/research/the-rankings-explained
  37. ↑ Chambers & Partners Allen & Overy Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/allen-overy-llp-europe-7:7
  38. ↑ Chambers & Partners De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/de-brauw-blackstone-westbroek-europe-7:3861
  39. ↑ Chambers & Partners Stibbe Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/stibbe-europe-7:3874
  40. ↑ Chambers & Partners Loyens & Loeff Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/loyens-loeff-europe-7:64329
  41. ↑ Chambers & Partners Houthoff Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/houthoff-europe-7:3865
  42. ↑ Chambers & Partners NautaDutilh Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/nautadutilh-europe-7:3868
  43. ↑ Chambers & Partners Clifford Chance Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/clifford-chance-llp-europe-7:83
  44. ↑ Chambers & Partners AKD Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/akd-europe-7:3859
  45. ↑ Chambers & Partners Van Doorne Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/van-doorne-europe-7:1421
  46. ↑ Chambers & Partners Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/pels-rijcken-droogleever-fortuijn-nv-europe-7:3879
  47. ↑ Chambers & Partners Stek Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/stek-europe-7:1222235
  48. ↑ Chambers & Partners Linklaters Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/linklaters-europe-7:255
  49. ↑ Chambers & Partners Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/freshfields-bruckhaus-deringer-llp-europe-7:147
  50. ↑ Chambers & Partners DLA Piper Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/dla-piper-llp-europe-7:22401592
  51. ↑ Chambers & Partners Lexence Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/lexence-europe-7:113028
  52. ↑ Chambers & Partners Simmons & Simmons Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/simmons-simmons-llp-europe-7:383
  53. ↑ Chambers & Partners Jones Day Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/jones-day-europe-7:8429
  54. ↑ Chambers & Partners Baker McKenzie Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/baker-mckenzie-europe-7:2692
  55. ↑ Chambers & Partners CMS Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/cms-europe-7:7489
  56. ↑ Chambers & Partners deBreij Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/debreij-europe-7:22404228
  57. ↑ Chambers & Partners Kennedy Van der Laan Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/kennedy-van-der-laan-global-2:3866
  58. ↑ Chambers & Partners HVG Law Accessed 1 August 2020 https://chambers.com/law-firm/hvg-law-llp-europe-7:140562
  59. ↑ Statista Annual salary of associates working in the Dutch legal firms in the Netherlands in 2019, by years of experience Accessed 3 August 2020 https://www.statista.com/statistics/561787/dutch-law-firm-associate-annual-income-by-experience-netherlands/
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