Employment | Europe

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek remains a superb choice to handle highly sensitive employment litigation mandates, with market-leading experience in proceedings brought before the Supreme Court. The firm has wide-ranging expertise encompassing individual and collective dismissals, restructuring-related employment issues and employment status agreements. The team is also adept at handling contractual negotiations and collective agreements with trade unions, as well as assisting with co-determination agreements. It offers comprehensive support on all HR aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, working in collaboration with the firm's top-notch corporate team.

Stibbe is a highly regarded full-service law firm advising on the full range of employment matters, including collective labour agreements and redundancies. The employment team also offers market-leading expertise in all aspects of pensions law. The firm fields an esteemed litigation team that is well equipped to assist with disputes over issues such as employee dismissals or pension schemes. Stibbe regularly advises on employment issues resulting from corporate transactions and on issues relating to the remuneration of top executives. The firm's client base includes major financial institutions and insurers, as well as significant players in the transportation and technology sectors.

The firm provides a comprehensive coverage across transactional and litigious employment topics in the Netherlands, supported by the firm's market-leading corporate and dispute resolution teams. The team is adept at assisting with collective labour agreements, diversity and misconduct issues, as well as employment issues arising from restructurings. Team members are active on mandates concerning dismissals or the hiring of executives. The firm also has a notable pensions offering, advising clients on the transfer of pensions liabilities through M&A transactions. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Houthoff has a highly regarded team that offers a wide range of expertise, including in the representation of corporate entities as well as individuals in matters concerning the dismissal of senior employees. The team is also active in works council negotiations and often acts for corporate clients on employment issues arising from high-profile M&A transactions. Houthoff also assists with the amendment of employment conditions and collective dismissals occurring as part of global reorganisations. The firm has further experience representing clients in discrimination claims.

The Loyens & Loeff employment team has experience in the full spectrum of employment law. It is particularly strong on the tax aspects of employee benefits, working alongside the firm's market-leading tax department to advise on the taxation of severance packages. The team also acts on restructuring processes and collective redundancies. It offers further noteworthy expertise in the dismissal of high-ranking executives. Loyens & Loeff is a popular choice to handle the employment aspects of M&A transactions, with experience advising on the transfer of employees and on negotiations with works councils and trade unions.

Baker McKenzie is a strong international law firm representing multinational and domestic clients in cross-border employment law matters alongside the firm's offices in other jurisdictions. The team acts for clients on individual and collective dismissals, with further proven experience in cases involving negotiations with trade unions and works councils. Baker McKenzie's team members also advise on the employment aspects of corporate restructurings.

BarentsKrans offers a strong employment law team noted for its expertise in Supreme Court litigation, where it primarily represents employers in disputes regarding employment status, dismissals and transfers of undertakings. The firm has experience in standout cases relating to the employment law protection of workers from different EU states posted to the Netherlands. It also has experience advising on employment matters arising as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Team members are well equipped to handle equal treatment disputes and collective bargaining agreements. Clients include significant players in the transport industry.

Boontje is a well-regarded employment law practice that advises clients from diverse industries. The firm has notable experience advising on employment issues arising as a consequence of global restructuring and reorganisation. The team also represents clients in disputes over collective and individual dismissals, as well as acting on issues of employee privacy and employee incapacity. Boontje has further experience advising clients on co-determination agreements as part of corporate transactions.

Clifford Chance has a strong employment team in the Netherlands advising a number of financial institutions on remuneration policies, redundancies and European employment regulations. It also acts alongside the firm's well-regarded corporate department on the employment aspects of M&A transactions. Clients benefit from the firm's strong international presence in its assistance with cross-border mandates. Members of the team have further experience in pension planning and litigation.

DLA Piper offers a large and versatile team with deep expertise in pensions mandates, which encompasses litigation relating to pensions contributions. The team remains a strong option for multi-jurisdictional matters, assisting with complex, cross-border M&A transactions. Additionally, the firm advises on consultations with works councils and acts on individual and collective dismissals. Team members represent clients in temporary agency matters and in the application of EU employment directives. DLA has a notable focus on representing clients from the finance and technology sectors.

Kennedy Van der Laan offers a distinguished employment team with experience acting for big-name clients in sectors such as transport, technology and banking. The firm has a distinguished reputation for its work advising employers on TUPE, workforce reorganisations and post-transactional harmonisation. It also represents clients in employment litigation, including in cases relating to diversity and inclusion issues.

Lexence has a robust national offering and is active in large workforce reorganisation proceedings as well as contentious employment matters. The team advises on dismissals, social plan negotiations and employee benefits. Team members also have significant experience acting in employment disputes concerning instances of misconduct.

NautaDutilh represents both works councils and employers in an advisory capacity and in litigation. The firm is experienced in handling the employment aspects of pre-insolvency restructuring, including collective dismissals. It also assists with executive dismissals, and has notable experience in matters arising within the context of investigations into employee misconduct. The team acts for clients from the professional services sector, in addition to public sector entities.

Van Doorne has a well-regarded national practice with expertise in transactional employment mandates. It frequently acts on matters arising from acquisitions and reorganisations. The firm is noted for its experience in negotiations with works councils and unions, as well as its handling of remuneration matters and contractual issues. The team acts for an impressive client list consisting of industry-wide pension funds and employers.

AKD acts for domestic and international clients on employment law disputes, restructurings and matters relating to immigration. The firm is also adept at handling transactional employment topics. The team offers a particular focus on employment matters in the maritime industry. AKD advises on the protection of co-determination rights for workers in global companies and the establishment of new businesses in the Netherlands. It also represents clients in employee misconduct claims.

Bronsgeest Deur Advocaten is a compact employment-focused boutique law firm that represents both Dutch and international clients. It has notable expertise in handling negotiations with works councils and trade unions in regard to restructuring processes and transactional matters. The team offers additional advice on co-determination issues and further assists with individual terminations and collective dismissals.

Eversheds' employment practice comprises lawyers based in both Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Netherlands team frequently works alongside the firm's offices in other jurisdictions. It advises on works council consultations relating to M&A transactions and is also well versed in providing guidance on executive dismissals. The practice has further experience representing clients in litigation arising from redundancy or collective termination. On the pensions side, the firm is able to offer counsel on regulatory issues stemming from indexation.

Eversheds' employment practice comprises lawyers based in both Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Netherlands team frequently works alongside the firm's offices in other jurisdictions. It advises on works council consultations relating to M&A transactions and is also well versed in providing guidance on executive dismissals. The practice has further experience representing clients in litigation arising from redundancy or collective termination. On the pensions side, the firm is able to offer counsel on regulatory issues stemming from indexation.

The Freshfields team has a strong focus on assisting with the employment aspects of M&A transactions. The team is well placed to support with reorganisation and restructurings. Additionally, the firm frequently represents clients in their consultations with works councils.

Palthe Oberman is a boutique law firm specialising in employment. It has experience in court proceedings, including disputes concerning employee misconduct and restructurings. It also offers broader capabilities spanning the full range of employment matters, including all issues arising from M&A operations. Team members also assist with the drafting of employment contracts for top executives, as well as drafting internal diversity policies and providing assistance with employee dismissals.

Pels Rijcken attracts significant attention for its work on behalf of state institutions and other public sector clients. It frequently advises on collective labour agreements as well as on contentious employment law and the employment law aspects of transactions. The team also offers notable experience in pensions law.

Rutgers & Posch is a notable law firm that receives strong praise from clients for its handling of a diverse range of employment matters. The team advises on co-determination rights, the employment aspects of M&A transactions and large-scale workforce reorganisations and dismissals. The firm also assists with social plans and TUPE matters. It additionally represents works councils in negotiations.

Dentons has a respected employment practice in the Netherlands that often acts alongside the firm's Dutch corporate team to assist with the employment aspects of cross-border M&A transactions, particularly with respect to negotiations with works councils. It capably advises on a variety of employment agreements as well as terminations and restructurings. Clients benefit from the firm's notable experience in employee relocation and pension planning mandates.

Höcker Advocaten assists clients with executive terminations as well as representing clients in disputes over issues such as flexible working arrangements and human rights relating to labour law. Team members also regularly advise on secondments, collective bargaining agreements and the employment aspects of M&A transactions.

Jones Day is a new addition to the rankings this year following strong client and peer feedback. The team assists with contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including mass redundancy, reorganisation and restructurings as well as works council consultations. The lawyers also act for clients on the employment aspects of M&A operations.

Norton Rose Fulbright has a well-regarded Dutch employment team with notable expertise in collective bargaining agreements, whistle-blower laws and employee transfers. The team has additional experience assisting with the employment aspects of M&A transactions.

Ploum has a well-regarded employment practice assisting global and Dutch clients on a range on day-to-day employment issues. The law firms assists with privacy-related work and is well versed in providing counsel with regard to terminations. It also assists with labour aspects in connection with large-scale restructuring and corporate reorganisations.

Shearwaters is a noteworthy law firm with proven expertise in the employment aspects of M&A transactions and individual dismissal matters. The team also assists employers with strategic restructurings, as well as staff relocations and the establishment of new offices in the Netherlands. The firm's sector-specific expertise includes professional services, technology and energy.

Van Hall Arbeidsrecht is a well-regarded law firm that assists international and Dutch clients with a broad range of employment advice, including on TUPE and dismissals. The practice also assists with global restructurings and reorganisations. Moreover, the team is well placed to assist with misconduct and inappropriate workplace behaviours.