Jelle Blom

Distributie, franchise en agentuur / Commerciële contracten / Logistiek, transport en opslag / Consumentenrecht, omnichannel & geoblocking / Productconformiteit en etikettering / Procesvoering & Arbitrage / Fashion & Retail / Automotive

Jelle Blom is partner in de praktijkgroep Commercial & International Trade. Jelle heeft grote belangstelling voor commerciële contracten en geschillen op het gebied van franchising, distributie en agentuur binnen de sectoren fashion, retail en consumentengoederen. Jelle heeft ruime ervaring in het adviseren over franchising en het opzetten van (selectieve en exclusieve) distributienetwerken. Hij adviseert tevens over e-commerce, oneerlijke handelspraktijken, omnichannel, geo-blocking, platformen, inkoopovereenkomsten en licentieovereenkomsten, zowel vanuit civielrechtelijk als Europees mededingingsrechtelijk perspectief.

Jelle is een ervaren en kundige opsteller en onderhandelaar van complexe internationale overeenkomsten. Jelle is heel benaderbaar, hands-on en snel in het doorgronden van het bedrijf van een cliënt. Hij combineert een grote hoeveelheid kennis met een scherp oog voor de commerciële belangen van zijn cliënt. Hij is commercieel zeer onderlegd en werkt heel effectief samen met cliënten.

Jelle is actief lid van de Association des Jeunes Avocates (‘AIJA’). Sinds september 2019 is Jelle de President of the AIJA’s T.R.A.D.E. commissie (Trade, Retail, Agency, Distribution, E-commerce).

In december 2018 heeft Jelle de Grotius-specialisatieopleiding Nationaal en Internationaal Contracteren cum laude afgesloten

The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 - Commercial Litigation - Ranked

One of the new areas of growth for Kennedy Van der Laan has been collective actions, where the team represents both claimants and defendant. Commercial litigation expert Christoph Jeloschek leads the practice, focusing on cross-border litigation and IT-related disputes. The team was strengthened at senior level by the promotions of practice co-head Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken, Jelle Blom and Veerle van Druenen in January 2023. Van Tuyll van Serooskerken is frequently engaged by clients for her expertise in corporate litigation, and has bolstered the firm's capabilities in post-M&A disputes and disputes between directors and executive boards. Blom is a go-to for pre-litigation and injunction proceedings, while van Druenen specialises in contractual and technology disputes.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 - EU & Competition Law - Ranked

Advising on mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, and handling abuse of dominance allegations in major litigations are all areas of experience for the EU and competition practice at Kennedy Van der Laan. It is equipped to handle matters in both domestic and international contexts. Annemieke van der Beek specialises in payment services work in particular, counsel Martijn van Bemmel has experience advising on matters across the financial, banking, retail, transport and IT sectors, and Martine de Koning has expertise handling commerce and trade work; the three oversee the team.

Testimonials

• ‘We have primarily worked with Martine de Koning and Jelle Blom, and find both to be extremely professional, knowledgeable, and great at coordinating multi-jurisdictional matters.’

The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 - Retail - Tier 1

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.

Next Generation Partners

Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken
Jelle Blom

Testimonials

• ‘Jelle Blom brings stress levels down and fixes issues pragmatically and quietly; he is valuable in strategic cooperation with suppliers and B2B customers.'

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.’

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 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.

• Vertegenwoordigen van een wereldwijd sportmerk tijdens het complexe proces van de beëindiging van exclusieve distributiecontracten.
• Vertegenwoordigen van een in het Verenigd Koninkrijk gevestigde softwareontwikkelingsgroep bij de oprichting van Nederlandse dochteronderneming. Vervolgens bijstand verleend bij de buy-out en de overname van belangrijke activa van de (voormalige) Nederlandse softwaredistributeur van de Britse provider.
• Het bijstaan van verschillende internationale sportmerken met juridisch advies over het franchisewezen in heel Europa.