Netherlands

Aegis Tax Lawyers is a new tax boutique founded in 2018. It has eight practitioners specialised in domestic and international tax law. VAT, real estate, and transfer tax are core specialisms with compliance. Multinationals, SMEs, and Start-ups are assorted clients. Managing partner is Michel Bilars, working alongside indirect practitioners Pascal Schrijver and transaction specialist Jan Lamers.

The firm supervised a strategic sale for a consumer finance firm and relayed advice relating to a Dutch subsidiary relocation.

Tax director Sander Schildt arrived in February 2022, following transfer pricing specialist Robert de Vries in 2021.

Experienced tax practice AKD offers a broad advisory service in the Benelux region. The team advises high-profile multinationals, financial institutions, and international private equity funds. It completes M&A, real estate banking, structured finance and restructuring transactions, as well as tax litigation. Head of department is Huub Laauwen. Fellow counsel René van der Paardt and partner Ivo Vreman are key contacts.

The firm assisted Vitec, a Swedish vertical market software company, with the acquisition of ABS Laundry Business Solutions. It also represented the Culina Group in the acquisition of International Road Ferry.

Partner Yves Gassler joined the practice in September 2022.

Client feedback

“Helps us to convince the other party for a reasonable tax articles in the SPA.”

“AKD understands our needs and in general is quick to provide us with the support we need.”

Alvarez and Marsal is a new entity on the Dutch market, having been established in August 2021. It is known for M&A transactions and associated restructuring mandates. Clients are primarily private equity firms and multinationals. Key practitioners are partners Marc Sanders, Roel de Vries and Frank Buitenwerf.

Recent highlights include advice to private equity firm Inflexion on transaction documentation and structuring. It also acted for Accenture in post-closing actions.

Managing director Roel de Vries joined the firm in May 2022. Fellow directors Nick Crama and Tim Jansen also arrived.

Client feedback

“Very responsive to a complex deal structure and willing to engage with their counterparts on the deal to find a tax efficient solution.”

Atlas Tax Lawyers is a Dutch tax boutique. It recently entered a strategic partnership with Tiberghien under the name T/A International. International transactions, management incentive programmes, transfer pricing, tax valuations, international tax, private wealth, estate planning, and real estate. Partners Boudewijn Niels, Ivo Kuipers, and Johan Visser are key practitioners.

The firm defended a biotechnology firm in a Dutch VAT audit and assisted Stedin in negotiating the government's energy investment terms.

Practitioners Gerben Markink and Taco Wiertsema were promoted to the partnership in September 2022 and January 2023.

Client feedback

“Good outfit, pragmatic people. More like our own team.”

“Enthusiastic, good attutide to resolve challenges.”

“Atlas is a good tax firm based in the Netherlands.”

Baker McKenzie has one of the largest tax groups in the Netherlands. Its tax department runs several specialised outbound programmes, including a Latin America desk, a US Tax Focus Group, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare, and the ITC Industry. Leading practitioners are partners Nicole Looks, Juliana Dantas, Michiel Kloes, and Maarten Hoelen.

Recent highlights include advice before the customs authorities of multiple EU Member States pertaining to centralised importation tax regimes. It was also lead counsel in landmark litigation relating to customs duties and tariff classifications for a nutrition client.

Director Marina Tokunova arrived in March 2023. Outgoing counsels Redmar Wolf and Erik Scheer departed with director Roeland Bavinck.

Client feedback

“Providing insights on dos and don'ts, clearly flagging risks and exposures.”

Bird & Bird provides regulatory, corporate structuring and employment tax services. The head of the tax team is Willem Bongaerts. It is a market leader in technology, communications, life sciences, energy & utilities. The Dutch group assists in transactions and projects involving cross-border teamwork across an integrated network. Fellow partner Arnoud Knijnenburg works alongside counsel Pieter Camps and head of VAT Andy van Esdonk.

The firm advised Chinook Therapeutics on its joint venture with Chinese life science investors. It also assisted Preceyes in a strategic collaboration with Mount Sinai Health System.

Head of VAT Andy van Esdonk arrived from KPMG in December 2022.

Dentons has a large presence in the Netherlands, with a team of 17tax lawyers in the Amsterdam office. The tax department holds a significant market share in real estate investments and mid-market private equity funds. The firm also has capabilities in tax planning, tax litigation and private clients. Corporate tax specialist Jurjen Bevers is a key practitioner. Heico Reinoud is the co-head of the Amsterdam office. Partners Marnix Veldhuijzen and indirect specialist Sebastiaan Wijsman are fellow professionals.

The firm advised Gilde Equity Management on the set-up and implementation of their first real estate fund. It also acted for Europastry in post-closing structuring.

Partner Sebastiaan Wijsman arrived from DLA Piper in September 2022. Outgoing partner Paul Halprin departed to Halprin Law in January 2023.

DLA Piper is a full-service law firm. Services encompass inbound and outbound investments, private equity deals, structuring for corporate and real estate acquisitions, disposals, customs, supply chain planning, and indirect tax advice. Key practitioners are litigator Jian-Cheng Ku, indirect specialist Daan Arends, and transactions partner Jean Paul Dresen.

The firm advised Ekaterra on the carve out of the business to CVC. It also served as counsel to Patrizia in structuring and the establishment of shareholder agreements.

Legal directors Sebastiaan Wijsman and Gabriël van Gelder departed in 2022.

Client feedback

“Work a lot with DLA on one of my bigger deals and was very nice working with them.”

Ectacon is a versatile transfer pricing consultancy firm. Services encompass economic analysis, documentation, tax mediation, and compliance. The key transfer pricing practitioners are partners Gerben Weistra and Olaf Smits.

EY Netherlands tax practice is versatile with diverse expertise. Service lines are grouped as law, workforce tax accounting, tax compliance, operations, and planning. It also serves all sectors for assorted private clients and stock-listed multinationals. Market repute is in indirect tax law and M&A operations with cross-border facets are pronounced. Influential practitioners include Marieke Kopinsky, Anne Mieke Holland, Jeroen Scholten and Wiebe Brink.

The firm’s transfer pricing team assisted a client with co-developing a new policy for commercial activities related to the distribution of products and associated provisions. It also launched a feasibility assessment for a new digitisation operations model.

Partner Lyusine Satiyan arrived from EY Russia in September 2022. Senior managers Sima Kortram, Gratiela Bogaciu, and Tim Beems departed in 2022.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a standalone full-service law firm with strength in landmark M&A transactions. TMT, financial institutions, and real estate are focus areas. Department head is partner Eelco van der Stok alongside notable practitioner Bob van Kasteren and senior associate Daan van Schaik.

Recent highlights include advice to Getir on the acquisition of food delivery application Gorillas in a $1.2 billion deal. It also advised Siemens Energy on the indirect issuance of a mandatory convertible bond valued at €960 million.

Grant Thornton assists its clients with tax advice in international taxation, restructuring, cross border transactions and indirect taxation. For its Dutch clients, the firm also assists in general corporate tax as well as estate planning and private client services. The firm is led by partner Monique Pisters, who is assisted by transactional tax team head Jurgen van Hattum and international tax specialist Onno Backx.

During the research cycle, the tax practice handled a Dutch dividend withholding tax mandate and provided a risk assessment for an international group pertaining to OECD Pillar Two rules.

Huygens is a boutique tax advisory firm based in Amsterdam. It advises on Dutch and international tax issues pertaining to transactions, structuring, and transfer pricing. Private equity firms, real estate investors, start-ups, and high-net-worth individuals are clients. It is distinguished in corporate finance mandates. The firm was founded by partners Mark van Casteren, Rutger Hafkenscheid, Quirijn Knab, and Stephan Kraan on January 1, 2022.

The firm prepared transfer pricing valuation analysis in a Dutch tax administration dispute. It also advised a telecommunications client on a transfer pricing dispute pertaining to intra-group financing transactions.

HVK Stevens is a full-service participant in the Dutch tax market. It specialises in entrepreneurs, corporations, and private equity fund mandates. In addition to transactions, it represents clients across the spectrum of litigation from domestic disputes to the ECJ. Influential partners are Paulus Merks, Johan Van Vulpen and Mark Janssen.

Recent highlights include strategic advice relayed to the Maersk group on global restructuring. It also completed a re-closing restructuring for a software provider.

In January 2022, partner Paulus Merks arrived from Houthoff.

Kraaijeveld Coppus Legal is a tax boutique, with a focus on international tax planning, restructuring, and refinancing, as well as assisting in transactions and reorganisations. Founding partners Friggo Kraaijeveld and Ceriel Coppus lead the firm. International tax partner Timo Ponsioen is another notable practitioner.

The firm advised Stone City Energy in demerger of two group companies complemented by a share premium contribution agreement. It also assisted Yandex with corporate taxation negotiations.

Loyens & Loeff has a versatile tax practice headquartered in Amsterdam. The firm comprises partners Marcel Buur, Harmen van Dam, Marco de Lignie and Fred van der Leije. The Dutch practice can operate in all tax areas, including advice to various investment firms, private clients, and contentious tax matters. Transactions, indirect mandates, and employment tax are specialisms.

The firm advised The Social Hub on the agreement with GIC and APG to acquire a substantial stake in the hospitality company. It also acted for Stellantis on European financing reorganisation jointly owned with Crédit Agricole, BNP Paribas and Banco Santander.

Practitioner Dimitri Koeprijanov departed to PwC in October 2022.

Client feedback

“Champions League for tax advice.”

“We run into them on high profile deals frequently. They are technically highly skilled but also understand the deal mechanics and the role tax plays.”

“Depth and breadth of the tax practice.”

“Very professional and efficient, deep and broad domain expertise, easy to deal with, very responsive, on top of international developments.”

“Highly responsive, on point, great way of explaining the issues.”

“Loyens is top-notch. They are highly professional and provide clear solutions and advice quickly and efficiently. They are well organized and their teams are reliable and well staffed. Overall, a terrific firm to work with.”

“Flexible, quick, well educated and extremely to the point.”

“Pro-active, thinking outside the box, great overall empathic intelligence (e.g. placing them in our shoes, etc.), pragmatic and possessing excellent (technical) knowledge.”

“Very detailed work, relevant for practice, clear and structured advice.”

Simmons & Simmons has a strong focus on reorganisations and corporate tax issues such as withholding tax and transactions. René van Eldonk is the country’s head of tax. He is supported by partners Monique van Herksen and Robert Jean Kloprogge. The firm acts for international banks and financial institutions in pan-European mandates. Primary focus is on asset management, life sciences and technology.

The firm provided a bank with a foreign initiated corporate tax adjustment MAP pertaining to bond issuance. It also advised a multinational on international dispute resolution for transfer pricing.

Stibbe is a leading Benelux law firm, with a distinguished Dutch tax department. Corporate taxation specialist Michael Molenaars leads the firm with the support of Jeroen Smits and Reinout de Boer, including counsel Johan Vrolijk. It operates across the tax spectrum, with a focus on M&A transactions for corporate clients.

The firm advised 3G Capital on the acquisition of a controlling interest in Hunter Douglas, valued at $7.1 billion. It also acted for Lamb-Weston Meijer on its new €775 million credit facilities.

Client feedback

“They are techincally excellent, pragmatic and responsive.”

STP Tax is a competitive tax boutique offering integrated tax advisory services. STP’s Transfer Pricing practice is led by Pieter Drubbel and complemented by senior tax manager Tomas van den Ouden and transfer pricing manager Jurie Franken. Benchmarking, dispute resolution, compliance, and valuation services serve multinationals in the technology, logistics, and aerospace industries.

The firm designed a cost allocation model for a de-centralised client in the aeronautical sector pertaining to non-deductibility risk in relevant transactions. It also advised on post-structuring arrangements for a telecommunications firm.

Client feedback

“A good independent firm for mid-market clients.”

“Intensive knowledge on transfer pricing.”

“STP Tax is proactive and has a full understanding of our business that enables STP Tax to be very efficient when preparing TP documentation for us.”

“STP Team is always helpful and give recommendations even in very difficult cases where there is no clear tax law, they always support their view with arguments resulting from law and practice, they have global view and in their advise they are able to include international apsect of the transaction (not only local).”

Taxand Netherlands is an independent tax consultancy firm that specialises in indirect tax, compensation tax, disputes, and transactions. Industry focus is aligned to institutional investors, private equity, real estate, energy, life sciences, and insurance providers. Key practitioners are Jimmie van der Zwaan, Gertjan Hesselberth, Susan Raaijmakers, Martijn Jaegers, Evert-Jan Spoelder, Sander Michaël and Karel Pellemans.

The practice advised an insurer on dividend withholding tax risk in a valuable infrastructure deal. It also established a separate Dutch private equity fund house structure.

Client feedback

“Supportive and proactive and good connections with the TA.”

“Responsive and practical, full service, sense of politics that maximize tax advice efficiency.”

Taxperience comprises multidisciplinary practitioners integrated into the Dutch Association of Tax Advisors. Specialisms are transfer pricing, compliance, corporate tax, litigation, and VAT. Sector expertise covers healthcare, telecommunications, software, and insurance. Co-founder Ruben van Aarle is a key contact, alongside managing partners Diederik Hauser and Maurice Schouten.

Recent highlights include structuring pertaining to Dutch non-resident taxation rules mitigation for an investment firm. It also provided a benchmarking study for a conglomerate on arm’s length interest rate liabilities.

Managers Sanne Mans, Steven Heijting, Bart van Gool and senior associate Elise Kemper arrived in 2022.

Client feedback

“They have good knowledge of difficult topics, are quick in replying, very good team members and well organised.”

Van Campen Liem is a dynamic tax boutique firm covering the Netherlands and Luxembourg. It provides services in commercial and international taxation, encompassing differentiated industries. The firm’s specialists derive from auspicious market rivals like Baker & McKenzie, Stibbe, and KPMG. Cross-border transactions and reorganisations are specialties. Partners Piet Boonstra, Marcello Distaso, Emile Bongers, Marc van Campen, Saman Sadeghi and Paul Kraan are the key practitioners.

The firm advised Marktlink on the establishment of private equity and venture capital funds for institutional investors. It also acted for Birgi Mefar Group in its sale to the Abu Dhabi Development Holding.

Van Loman Tax Lawyers is a full-service tax practice based in Amsterdam. Services encompass international transactions, structures, employee participation, tax compliance, transfer pricing, investment funds and tax litigation. Its expansive practice is especially known for fund formation and incentive planning expertise. Transactions specialists Jochem Kin and Marc Oostenbroek work alongside fellow partners Gabriël van Gelder, Maarten Prevoo, Laurens Lor, and Anke Boerefijn.

The firm assisted the NEQSOL Holding Group with their international restructuring featuring a new Dutch headquarters. It also acted for ABKA and its shareholders on all tax facets of a SPAC transaction.

Partner Gabriël van Gelder arrived from DLA Piper in November 2022. Counsel Steven den Boer joined the firm in 2023.