Ruud Schepers

Ruud is a passionate employment law attorney. What makes him unique is the ability to translate legal expertise into practical, workable solutions. This makes Ruud not only an excellent lawyer, but above all a sparring partner.

You can turn to Ruud with questions about both individual and collective employment law. Ruud closely follows developments in employment law, provides commentary on legislative proposals, writes columns and articles for professional journals, and regularly appears as a speaker at conferences and on podcasts. A personal highlight was Ruud’s appearance on Radio 1 and Nieuwsuur discussing the use of self-employed workers (ZZP) — a topic on which Ruud advises and litigates for many organizations. Furthermore, Ruud has specific knowledge and experience in the areas of dismissal (including large-scale reorganizations), changes to employment conditions, and the impact of AI in the workplace (including the AI-Act). In addition to the advisory practice, Ruud regularly litigates on these subjects.

Beyond substantive expertise, Ruud is characterized by a fresh and creative perspective, often combined with technology. Ruud enjoys contributing to the digitalization of work processes for organizations (such as developing a Social Plan tool for standardized documentation) or exploring how the use of AI can make work more efficient (for example, through the deployment of agents).

Ruud is also socially engaged. His personal mission is to leave the world better than he found it. Through various organizations and projects (such as the Nationale Think Tank and Pro Bono Connect), Ruud is committed to people, the environment, and society. One of the initiatives Ruud is most proud of is the role in founding the Foundation Care After Work in Corona Care (ZWiC), which provided financial support to approximately 200 (bereaved families of) healthcare workers during the pandemic.

If you do not meet Ruud in a professional setting, you might encounter Ruud on a racing bike or at a historical site. Sports and history are two other passions.

• Ruud is one of the regular guests on the labour law 9 tot 5 Podcast (available on Spotify), where labour law developments are discussed.
• Through the Labour Law United Foundation (Stichting Labour Law United), Ruud organises various labour law events and substantive sessions for labour law attorneys and lawyers.
• Between 2018 and 2025, Ruud was a board member and chairman of the Young Labour Law Attorneys Association (de Vereniging Jonge Arbeidsrecht Advocaten).
• Ruud was the founder and board member of the Foundation Care After Work in Corona Care (Stichting Zorg na Werk in Coronazorg). During the corona crisis, this foundation financially supported nearly 200 (relatives of) healthcare workers.
• Ruud was also long associated with Stichting de Nationale Denktank on behalf of Kennedy Van der Laan, where he contributed his legal knowledge and expertise to solving social problems.

• Ruud successfully argued that a large employer was not bound by a 'gentlemen's agreement' between the (chairman of a) local supervisory board and a regional director (kantonrechter Amsterdam d.d. 10 juli 2020).
• Ruud represented a large employer in a dispute over the reduction of a lease scheme (hof Amsterdam d.d. 28 juli 2020).
• Although an employee was still entitled to lease a car, Ruud successfully argued, on behalf of the employer, that no compensation was due (kantonrechter Amsterdam d.d. 15 december 2022).
• Ruud won a preliminary injunction in a case in which an employee sought reinstatement (kantonrechter Utrecht, d.d. 30 augustus 2023).
• Ruud and his colleagues' represented a major European media group in a discussion about self-employment of newspaper depot holders (hof Amsterdam d.d. 9 januari 2024).
• Ruud successfully represented an employer who was held liable for an alleged breach of reintegration obligations (kantonrechter Roermond d.d. 25 april 2024).
• Ruud successfully requested the dissolution of an employment agreement for an employer due to a disrupted employment relationship (hof Arnhem-Leeuwarden d.d. 24 juni 2024).
• Ruud successfully challenged the summary dismissal of a knowledge migrant (kantonrechter Amsterdam d.d. 18 juli 2025).
• Ruud successfully requested termination on the grounds of a disrupted employment relationship; the employee’s reliance on the Whistleblowers Protection Act was rejected (kantonrechter Utrecht d.d. 31 oktober 2025).

Jeannot Koog, 2025
I consider myself fortunate to have worked with Ruud. He combines extensive specialist knowledge of labour law with a goal-oriented approach to advising. Ruud is a solid sparring partner with whom you can delve into the legal depths and discuss the bigger picture. This approach made him invaluable in decision-making on several complex cases. But above all, Ruud is an exceptionally amiable person, making the collaboration always highly professional yet approachable.

Anne Velema, 2019
Ruud is absolutely worthy of a strong recommendation! First and foremost: a very pleasant person, amiable, enjoyable in contact, quick to respond, reliable. Excellent communicator. Sharp thinker. Concise writer. Excellent lawyer. Great love for labour law. Always seeking development and improvement! Having Ruud on your team: you can count yourself lucky!