Jelle Blom

Franchise, Distribution, Agency / Commercial contracts / Logistics, transportation and warehousing / Consumer Law / Omnichannel & Geoblocking / Product compliance & labelling / Litigation & Arbitration / Fashion & Retail / Automotive

Jelle is a partner at the Commercial & International Trade practice group. Jelle has a main interest in commercial contracts and disputes related to franchising, distribution and agency, within the sectors of fashion, retail and consumer goods. Jelle has broad experience with advising about franchising and setting up (selective and exclusive) distribution networks. He also advises on e-commerce, unfair commercial practices, omnichannel, geo-blocking, platforms, procurement and license agreements, both from a civil law and EU competition law perspective. Jelle is an experienced and capable drafter and negotiator of complex international agreements. Jelle is very responsive, hands-on and quick to understand a client’s business. Jelle combines a large dose of knowledge with a sharp eye for his client’s commercial interests. He is commercial very savvy and partners with clients in a very effective way.

Jelle is an active member of the Association des Jeunes Avocates (‘AIJA’). As of September 2019, Jelle is the President of the AIJA’s T.R.A.D.E. Commission (Trade, Retail, Agency, Distribution, E-commerce).

In December 2018, Jelle completed the postgraduate course National and International Contracting at the Grotius Academy (graduated with honours; ‘cum laude’).

The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - EU & Competition Law - Ranked

Led by Annemieke van der Beek, senior associate Martijn van Bemmel and Martine de Koning, Kennedy Van der Laan assists clients with compliance, regulator investigations and enforcement proceedings. Handling EU and competition law, including sanctions, trade controls and financial regulation, as well as abuse of dominance, follow-on litigation and merger control, the firm stands out for its sector-specific experience in manufacturing, fashion, retail and hospitality, with an additional focus on banking and finance particularly in relation to the payment services market.

Testimonials

• ‘The team, and in particular Jelle Blom who we have worked with, is really clear in its communication and keen to provide hands-on advice to its clients.
• ‘Jelle Blom is a young practitioner, yet is very capable and knowledgeable in the field of distribution and competition matters. I also very much like to work with Martine de Koning, be it with respect to distribution or franchising.’
• ‘Martine de Koning is the best in the Netherlands as regards combining distribution, franchise and competition law! A true expert and creative thinker. Jelle Blom excels too, especially in distribution matters, in particular in an international context.’

The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - Retail - Tier 1

Kennedy Van der Laan is a leader in franchising and distribution matters for a range of clients that include luxury, fashion and sports brands as well as innovative consumer goods manufactures and well-known retail chains. Head of the commercial and international trade practice, and an integral member of the EU competition law team Martine De Koning handles customs, trade and import issues as well as matters concerning digital transformations, online distributions and big data. Senior associate Jelle Blom handles international franchise and distribution and agency cases for global clients. Senior associate Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken is a disputes resolution practitioner with knowledge of the retail-related consumer, contract and e-commerce and geo-blocking laws.

Rising stars

Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken
Jelle Blom

Testimonials

• ‘The team is very flexible, dedicated and efficient. Martine, Isabel & Jelle guarantee in depth but at the same time practical and straightforward advice with fast turnaround times.’
• ‘Martine de Koning is the best in the Netherlands as regards retail – and combining retail with competition law! Jelle Blom excels too, especially in distribution and retail issues.’

Who’s Who Legal – Franchise 2023 - Recommended

The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 - Retail – Tier 1

Kennedy Van der Laan has a ‘highly-skilled team capable of coordinating multijurisdictional matters for clients’. It has ‘excellent knowledge of the broader EU and Dutch regulatory framework for consumers and competition, in particular the regulatory framework relevant for product compliance, sustainability, advertising and greenwashing in commercial practices’. Practice head Martine de Koning is a leading authority on international franchising, distribution and agency, and her ‘knowledge about competition law is phenomenal’. Also recommended in her team is senior associate Jelle Blom, whose strengths include franchise and agency, commercial contracts, distribution, procurement, sourcing and EU competition law.

Who’s Who Legal – Franchise 2022 - Recommended

Who’s Who Legal – Franchise 2020 - Recommended

The Legal 500 EMEA 2020 - Industry focus: Retail

The Kennedy Van der Laan practice fields 'one of the leading teams in the Netherlands'. Martine de Koning heads up the group and, alongside her EU competition expertise, she is considered 'one of the best franchise lawyers'. Associate partner Bart-Adriaan de Ruijter handles a range of transactions, contentious matters and Brexit-related issues for retail clients, while senior associate Jelle Blom focuses on commercial and international trade matters. Acting for household-name clients, the team handles domestic and cross-border matters including joint ventures, distribution and licence agreements, competition and anti-trust work, and real estate mandates alongside the related litigation and arbitration proceedings.

Testimonial

"We have worked closely with Martine de Koning, Jelle Blom and Renske Sinke. Between them they share excellent knowledge of the legal issues that are relevant when working in retail and they know how to “translate” this knowledge to make it work on a practical level."

Who’s Who Legal – Franchise 2019 - Recommended

The Legal 500 EMEA 2019 - Industry focus: Retail

The Kennedy Van der Laan practice 'provides creative solutions, combining expertise in different areas such as IP, distribution, data protection and licensing and also stands out at managing complex projects' and it specifically benefits clients with 'significant expertise in the retail industry'. Martijn van Bemmel and Jelle Blom are 'outstanding' while Martine de Koning is viewed as 'a top lawyer who perfectly knows the retail industry'. Nike, Converse, VodafoneZiggo and Elecosoft UK are among its client list. Of late the team has handled matters including a complex distribution dispute, franchising, and online retailing issues. It also advised Panda Sporthallen Exploitatie in a Court of Appeal case in which it claimed compensation for the early termination of a fitness club franchise format. Counsel Bart-Adriaan de Ruijter and senior associate Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken are other team members of note.

• Representing a global sports brand with the complex process of exclusive distribution contract terminations.
• Represented a UK based software development group with the formation of its Dutch subsidiary. Subsequently, assisted with the buy-out and acquisition of important assets of the UK provider’s (former) Dutch software distributor.
• Assisting several international sports brands with legal advice regarding franchising business across Europe.