Fashion & Retail

The Amsterdam-based commercial, competition and trade group at Kennedy Van der Laan stands out for its expertise in franchising, distribution and litigation for international retail, manufacturing and consumer goods clients. Practice head Martine de Koning is well-respected as a leading specialist in international franchising, distribution and agency agreements. She is a strong litigator and assists clients across fashion, retail, manufacturing, hospitality and healthcare. The practice is regularly sought out for its skills in Dutch and EU competition law, advising clients on compliance, abuse of dominance, joint ventures and a myriad of other issues. Annemieke van der Beek focuses on competition law issues related to payment services, manufacturing and retail sectors. Franchise and commercial contracts expert Jelle Blom is well-versed in drafting and negotiating complex international agreements, while Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken is the go-to for cross-border and domestic litigation. Renske Sinke is noted for her expertise in commercial matters related to supply chains, distribution, franchise, agency and logistics.

Practice head: Martine de Koning

Leading partners

Martine de Koning

Leading associates 

Renske Sinke

Next Generation Partners

Jelle Blom

Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken

Other key lawyers

Annemieke van der Beek

Testimonials

• ‘They are knowledgeable, helpful, and easy to work with. They know the law but also are commercially savvy and know how to adapt their expertise to the needs of the case.’
• ‘The commercial & international trade team is top class in this field because they combine excellent knowledge of the EU and Dutch regulatory framework for consumers, competition and products with a lot of market experience. They are leading for example in matters pertaining to digital commerce, product recalls, sustainability, greenwashing, advertising, loyalty schemes and promotions.’
• ‘The team is very flexible, dedicated and efficient. Martine de Koning, Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken & Jelle Blom guarantee in-depth, practical and straightforward advice with fast turnaround times.’
• ‘Both Martine de Koning and Jelle Blom are outstanding practitioners, in particular with respect to franchising and retail.’

Kennedy Van der Laan has a well-regarded franchising offering, frequently assisting multi-jurisdictional corporations with their franchising needs. The law firm offers:

• Advice on commercial contract drafting and negotiation.
• Knowledge and a hands-on approach to EU and Dutch competition compliance.
• Assistance with ESG-related concerns.

• "Kennedy Van der Laan are commercially minded, practical and offer clear advice."
• "Kennedy Van der Laan has a wide range of specialists who work together pleasantly and efficiently."

Martine de Koning has a respected franchising practice that sees her advise on global matters. She is located in the firm's Amsterdam office and has expertise in matters across Europe. "Martine is very business-savvy and client-oriented."

July 2023 saw Kennedy Van der Laan merge its commercial and international trade team with the firm’s EU and competition team, while continuing to be a strong player in matters concerning Dutch franchising law and expanding its work in the e-commerce sector. The retail group is led by the ‘very practical’ Martine de Koning, a leading expert on franchising matters, who also takes on competition issues before the Dutch courts. Jelle Blom, who made partner in June 2023, focuses on franchising and commercial contracts, along with Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken, who also joined the firm’s partnership in 2023, combining a civil procedural law practice with matters of franchising, distribution and consumer law.

Leading Individuals

Martine de Koning

Next Generation Partners

Isabel Van Tuyll Van Serooskerken
Jelle Blom

Other key lawyers

Renske Sinke
Lisa van Vliet
Lisa Lander
Daan van Lier
Noor de Werd
Tosca Bokhove

Testimonials

• ‘A very professional and business-oriented team. They have excellent market knowledge, which shows in the advice they give.’
• ‘Special mention for Martine de Koning, who is an excellent professional to work with: always available, top expertise, very imaginative and creative.’
• ‘Integrated approach of various legal workstreams helps in educating our sales and marketing people on new legislation. They understand our business needs and speak the language. Highly communicative, young and hungry team.’
• ‘Jelle Blom brings stress levels down and fixes issues pragmatically and quietly; he is valuable in strategic cooperation with suppliers and B2B customers. Lisa van Vliet is an excellent sparring partner for marketing campaigns and thinks commercially.’
• ‘Martine de Koning’s expertise is in depth, and she is quick to understand a client’s needs.’
• ‘There has been a strong connection to the client in handling our case. The way the team connects with us was empathic and pragmatic.’
• ‘Very accommodating and quickly grasps issues. Easy to work with.’
• ‘Martine de Koning is very practical, collaborative and razor sharp. Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken is smart, creative and collaborative.'

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.

Leading Individuals

Martine de Koning

Rising Stars

Isabel Van Tuyll Van Serooskerken
Jelle Blom

Other key lawyers

Renske Sinke
Lisa van Vliet
Lisa Lander
Daan van Lier
Hidde Kleijn
Noor de Werd
Tosca Bokhove

Testimonials

• ‘The team is very knowledgeable about Dutch law, flexible and agile, and able to adapt quickly to the needs of the client and the case. They are collaborative within and outside the firm and very easy to work with. They are clear writers and are able to explain complex concepts in a digestible way.’
• ‘Martine de Koning is a pleasure to work with and a talented lawyer with a keen eye. She is able to jump into an issue quickly and provide excellent advice that affects the strategy. She is practical and eminently responsive. You can trust her to get the job done.’
• ‘Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken is very helpful and is particularly skilled at making good use of evidence.’
• ‘Top notch firm, highly technical and with great service, from beginning till end. Perfect combination of experience and agility. There are excellent and skilled lawyers from junior level to head level. The firm provides accurate, timely advice.’
• ‘The Commercial & International Trade team is top class in this field because they combine excellent knowledge of the EU and Dutch regulatory framework for consumers, competition and products with a lot of market experience. They are leading for example in matters pertaining to digital commerce, product recalls, sustainability, greenwashing, advertising, loyalty schemes and pricing.’
• ‘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.’
• ‘One of the leading franchise practices in the EU.’
• ‘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.’

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.

Practice head(s): Martine de Koning

Other key lawyers: Nico Jacobs; Jelle Blom

Leading Individuals

Martine de Koning

Rising Stars

Jelle Blom

Testimonials

• ‘Highly skilled team capable of coordinating multijurisdictional matters for clients and through cooperation with other law firms in Europe, providing succinct advice on issues covering large number of jurisdictions.’
• ‘I have worked with Martine de Koning who is an excellent lawyer. She has high-level and demonstrable expertise and she has excellent writing/drafting skills. Martine is personable and easily gains the trust of the people that she works with.’
• ‘This office is really well known in the retail sector. Really a top office. They also have an incredible client base and are very commercial and pragmatic towards their retail clients. It is one of the strongest firms in the Netherlands in retail.’

Martine de Koning is ranked by WWL as a Global Elite Thought Leader on Franchise.

WWL says: Martine de Koning draws praise as a “knowledgeable and practical lawyer who services household names, especially from a competition law perspective.”

Martine de Koning is ranked by WWL as a Global Elite Thought Leader on Franchise.

WWL says: Martine de Koning draws praise as a “knowledgeable and practical lawyer who services household names, especially from a competition law perspective.”

Martine de Koning is ranked by WWL as a Global Elite Thought Leader on Franchise.

WWL says: "Martine de Koning enjoys a stellar reputation in the market, where she garners widespread praise as "exceptionally knowledgeable" and "easy to work with" on franchising and distribution matters across a range of sectors, from fashion to sports.”

WWL says:
"Martine de Koning is a “very active” franchise lawyer with “exceptional legal knowledge”. She has extensive experience of structuring complex matters including joint ventures."

Read the full recommendation at Who's Who Legal.