Commercial & International Trade

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 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.’

Annemieke van der Beek, Martijn van Bemmel and Martine de Koning co-head the EU and competition team at Kennedy Van der Laan, which has a leading position in the Dutch banking and finance sector, and is also active in the public transport and hospitality sectors. Van der Beek is particularly noted for her competition expertise in the payment services market. As part of an ongoing trend, the practice continues to see an increase in follow-on damages actions. In addition, it has seen a growth in mass claims following recent changes in the law. Elsewhere, the group provides compliance advice and represents clients in regulatory investigations, among other matters. In an ongoing mandate, van Bemmel and others are acting for Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) and Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA) in a dispute with Cycling Service over a new platform for managing prize money.

Practice head(s): Annemieke van der Beek; Martijn van Bemmel; Martine de Koning

Leading Individuals

Annemieke van der Beek

Testimonials

• 'They know our business very well and are able to provide advice that is really suited to our requirements.’
• ‘They are very quick to respond, know the business and know our challenges.’
• ‘We have been working with Kennedy van der Laan over the past 10 years in the field of competition law. The cooperation is good and successful. The team is well informed about our business and the relevant completion law issues.’

Kennedy Van der Laan acts for both domestic and international clients on complex cross-border disputes, and has recently seen an uptick in collective actions instructions. Christoph Jeloschek co-heads the team and has considerable experience in cross-border litigation, particularly in the it sector. Martine de Koning also co-heads the team and is recommended for commercial disputes.

Practice head(s): Christoph Jeloschek; Martine de Koning
Other key lawyers: Veerle van Druenen; Isabel van Tuyll van Serooskerken

Testimonials

• ‘They are very professional and render timely legal services’.
• ‘They precisely examine all the details of the work that needs to be done’.
• ‘They are very down to earth and hands on, and do not make things overly complicated’.

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.”

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.”

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.

"Kennedy Van der Laan is a no-nonsense, value for money, reliable business partner. Their attorneys understand our industry, are very professional and a pleasure to work with. They look at the bigger picture and bring innovative and practical solutions. They quickly focus on the essence and are not overly theoretical in their approach. They are passionate about their profession and it shows."

The Alliance for Nike, under leadership of Kennedy Van der Laan, has now been in place in the wider European region for five years and it is a great success. In the first years the Alliance accelerated efficiencies, drove convergence and significantly improved spend predictability and insight. In more recent years, the emphasis was on intensive knowledge and best practices sharing, innovative (digital) communications, effective feedback processes, and central project coordination. The Alliance allows us to retain the firms that are the best fit to Nike’s needs in each jurisdiction, while still benefitting from centralized management by Kennedy Van der Laan. It is a true partnership, and the Alliance continues to thrive and expand both in legal fields and jurisdictions.”