Starting

A business is closely related to a number of legal aspects in which the intervention of a lawyer can be desirable and (sometimes) even indispensable. Especially if you have the intention to enter the Dutch market.  

Here are a few reasons why you should hire a Dutch legal expert:  

• The legislation in the Netherlands differs from the legislation in your home country;  
• It takes you more time to understand the local Dutch rules and regulations, even if you understand the language used in the Netherlands;  
• It is always better to avoid problems instead of solving them later when you are confronted with a rule you have never heard of before; 
• And ultimately, not having a lawyer costs you more when you consider the value of broken agreements and lost claims. 

Lawyer

In some cases it can be useful if a lawyer/law firm can act on your behalf. 

Are you starting your business in the Netherlands; are you a start-up? Perhaps it is good to keep in mind that especially in this start-up phase it is good to have everything properly and clearly recorded. Especially if you do this together in a partnership with someone or another company. Your specific interests should be best protected.  

Once started, you may be in the flow of doing business in the Netherlands, but danger is just around the corner. Think about follow-up investments, legal liabilities, large revenue growth or even the addition of fellow investors or business partners. 

Legal support in the area of Corporate Law exists in many forms, for example in the field of: 

• Mergers and acquisitions; 
• Joint ventures and minority investments; 
• Venture capital/growth capital;  
• Private equity;  
• General Terms and Conditions; 
• Shareholders Agreements; 
• Letters of Intent. 

How do you choose a good law firm?

Perhaps you already have a lawyer/law firm in your home country. It is always useful to ask them whether they already have a partnership with a firm in the Netherlands. If not, there are of course plenty of capable law firms that will be happy to assist you. 

It is wise to choose a party that can act for both sellers and buyers, thereby they can often advise you the best from both sides.