With its global network, A&O Shearman is a market-leading firm that regularly advises financial institutions on high-value lending and refinancing mandates, both domestically and internationally. Hailed as ‘one of the best teams in the Dutch market’, the group recently advised ING on a complex cross-border $300m revolving credit facility, with practice head Niels De Ru leading the advice. The ‘highly experienced’ Femke Bierman frequently acts for banks and is especially known for her capabilities in matters relating to syndicated loans. Other standout members of the team include Aroen Kuitenbrouwer, Erik-Jan Wagenvoort, and Luke Whibley.

The ‘very knowledgeable’ team at Clifford Chance is led by Angela McEwan. The firm regularly advises banks and asset managers on a variety of their lending mandates, including loans, refinancing matters, credit facility agreements and extensions, and asset-based lending. Specialising in leveraged finance, Folko De Vries is an excellent source of advice for sponsors as well as lenders. Other key members of the team include managing partner Titus De Vries and Jelle Hofland, who act for clients across a broad range of financing mandates, Amin Tamaddoni and David Woolmer.

DLA Piper has a comprehensive knowledge of acquisition finance, corporate lending, project finance, and non-performing loan portfolio solutions. The firm is especially sought out for its abilities to provide secondments to debt advisory firms. Lex Oosterling serves as managing partner and regularly handles major lending transactions for banks, private credit funds, and corporates. Adam Abou Habaga is ‘an excellent transactional lawyer’ who has experience working closely with debt advisers within the Netherlands such as Nielen Schuman, Oaklins, and Deloitte. Max Mayer and Benno Leemans are also key members of the team.

NautaDutilh has extensive experience of advising on lending transactions for global banking institutions, asset managers, and alternative debt providers, among other financial institutions. Heading the team, Arjan Pors is recommended for matters related to corporate lending and acquisition finance. Other prominent members of the team include Diederik Vriesendorp and Michelle van Doren, both of whom are especially skilled at handling real estate financing mandates. Located in New York, Elizabeth van Schilfgaarde is also noted for her expertise in navigating cross-border financing transactions between the US and the Netherlands.

Dentons continues to prove itself as a ‘commercially orientated’ firm with an in-depth knowledge of the regulatory components that govern the financial landscape. The firm frequently advises Dutch and international banks on their financing mandates and possesses expertise in acquisition finance, ESG-compliant investing, real estate finance, and project finance, among other matters. Heading the banking and finance practice in the Amsterdam office, Marcel Janssen is well versed in handling complex transactions with a cross-border element for major financial institutions. Gerard Koster and Shivaughn Tets are also noted for their broad depth of experience within the banking and finance landscape.

Having acted as lead counsel to global banks, asset managers, and debt funds, Hogan Lovells International LLP is a go-to firm for lenders seeing advice on their refinancing and acquisition mandates within the Netherlands. Headed by Wouter Jongen and Robert Masman, the ‘highly skilled and knowledgeable’ team is particularly strong at acting for Dutch banks in relation to real estate financings. Dylan Goedegebuure, Annebeth Bleeker, and Siddharth Saxena come highly recommended for their collective experience of advising on debt financing, major acquisitions, and the refinancing of credit facilities.

Loyens & Loeff regularly advises major local and international banks on their lending transactions, including loan facilities, green loans, revolving credit facilities, and financing mandates within the shipping industry. Kim Koops leads the team and is known for his proficiency with handling secured lending matters, especially regarding real estate and acquisition finance. He is also recommended for acquisitions that involve European jurisdictions such as the UK, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. Gianluca Kreuze and Ehsan Shirzadi are also an integral part of the team, with in-depth experience of handling multifaceted financial transactions.

Norton Rose Fulbright houses an ‘excellent’ team that advises some of the largest financial institutions in the country. Wouter Hertzberger is at the forefront of the firm’s banking practice and represents lenders and sponsors across a variety of financing transactions, with a particular emphasis on project finance, including mandates within the energy and shipping sectors. Joris Ravelli has experience of advising lenders on financing arrangements, project documentation, lease agreements, and refinancing matters. Marjolein Pichel is another standout lawyer noted for her work in handling financing transactions for both commercial and non-commercial lenders.

Stibbe has established itself as a strong firm that is fully capable of navigating the financial markets in the Netherlands as well as abroad. Marieke Driessen and Niek Groenendijk are both recommended for their expertise in sustainable finance. Based in London, Rein van Helden is well placed to advise on cross-border mandates and has ample experience of handling high-value financial transactions for international clients such as JPMorgan and Absa Bank. Maarten de Bruin is also noted for his expertise in advising lenders on debt restructuring matters.

Mandeep Lotay and Thijs Flokstra lead the team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, demonstrating their skill and expertise across the banking and finance landscape, covering acquisition finance, real estate finance, debt markets, and various banking mandates. Tim Elkerbout also stands out for his strong capabilities in handling matters for lenders; his experience includes advising international lending syndicates, assisting Dutch corporates with investment grade credit facilities, and handling refinancing mandates for banks.

Houthoff regularly acts for some of the leading financial institutions in the Netherlands, such as ING Bank, ABN Amro Bank, and Credit Suisse, on their lending transactions. Spearheading the team, Loet Venrooy is a veteran in the field of banking and finance who has extensive experience acting for Dutch and international banks on matters concerning loan portfolios. Jan Veeningen has nearly three decades of experience advising on corporate lending and leveraged finance, among other matters. Nadia Nartey-Wemegah and Jessica Terpstra, who divides her time between London and Amsterdam, are also prominent members of the team.

Linklaters advises banks and alternative credit providers on a variety of financial mandates. The firm is especially skilled at handling cross-border matters for banks, real estate investors and asset managers across the globe. Paul Kuipers leads the team, with experience in syndicated lending, acquisition finance, and project finance. Mees Roelofs is an ‘outstanding’ lawyer who is recommended for his vast amount of experience acting for lenders on a variety of transactions. Bram Bulter is a further standout member of the team.

Stek is a go-to firm for Dutch mid-market transactions and also has experience of handling wider cross-border mandates within Europe. The team regularly advises lenders across a variety of sectors, including technology, healthcare, real estate, and manufacturing, among others. The ‘highly experienced’ Sharon Kaufmann is recommended for her project finance expertise, especially within the energy and utilities sector. Herman Wamelink is noted for his skill with handling leveraged finance matters while Marleen Veenstra specialises in acquisition finance and general corporate lending. Maarten Van Der Graaf and Katinka van den Brink are also prominent members of the team.

With a large and multidisciplinary team, Van Doorne offers its clients a range of expertise across the banking and finance landscape. The firm actively advises lenders on matters such as property finance, financial restructuring, loan portfolio sales, and leveraged finance. Angelique Thiele is an ‘extremely thorough’ lawyer with in-depth capabilities regarding real estate financing. She co-leads the team alongside Stefan van Rossum and Jelmer Baukema. Estelle van Heerden and Anneloes van Uhm are also noted for their experience of handling cross-border financing transactions.

AKD has experience of advising large international banks, real estate investors, and marine support providers on their lending and acquisition initiatives, especially within the Benelux region. The firm is particularly knowledgeable in financing and refinancing matters concerning the shipping, logistics, and real estate sectors. Leading the team, with ‘extensive experience’ in the financial and banking markets, Vincent Bettonville is recommended for cross-border mandates involving the US and Europe. Other prominent members of the team are Renate Punt-Huizer, who brings expertise of the shipping industry to the firm and regularly handles vessel financing arrangements, including leasing, mortgaging, and acquisitions, and Niels Hagelstein.

Bird & Bird caters to a wide range of mid-market lenders and arrangers from traditional and development banks to alternative lenders. Headed by Roger Van Buuren, the team possesses an ‘expertise in debt finance and dealing with complex credit facility transactions’ and is particularly strong in matters related to project finance, real estate finance, and acquisition finance. René Rieter co-leads the firm’s real estate practice and regularly handles acquisition and other finance matters within this sector. Remco Duijn and Daniel Polderman are also integral members of the team.

Headed by Eduard Scheenstra, the team at CMS has experience of advising on a broad range of financial transactions, including real estate finance, acquisition finance, secured corporate lending, and leveraged finance. Other key members of the team include Etiënne Courbois, who is noted for his expertise in handling syndicated lending matters, and Jenny Noordermeer for her experience of advising on Dutch as well as international financing mandates.

Ivo van Dijk leads a ‘knowledgable’ team of real estate and acquisition finance specialists at Simmons & Simmons, which is experienced in acting for lenders on syndicated and multi-jurisdictional finance transactions. Siemkje Batenburg possesses an in-depth knowledge of the real estate industry and regularly advises on refinancing, development, and facility agreements, among other related financing transactions, within this sector. Emrecan Karacaoglu is also noted for his work assisting banks on various lending transactions.

Baker McKenzie has extensive experience navigating complex financial transactions across various jurisdictions. The firm is familiar with acting for foreign banks on their various financing and lending mandates. Co-led by Corinne Schot and Fedor Tanke, the team is highly capable of structuring cross-border facilities as well as handling bilateral loans and negotiating security packages, among other matters.

Heussen has a strong international network that allows it to offer advice to multinational clients across the world, especially in jurisdictions in North America and Europe. Spearheaded by partner Martijn Koot, the team advises on asset-based lending, syndicated lending, and acquisition financing, among other transactional matters. Sandy van der Schaaf is recommended for her experience in handling complex cross-border financing mandates. Tim Schreuders is another standout member of the team.

Thanks to its multi-jurisdictional expertise, Jones Day is well positioned to handle financing transactions within the Dutch as well as international markets. Practice head Ben Fox has extensive knowledge of loan products and regularly advises banks on cross-border mandates. He is recommended for international lenders needing advice on acquisition finance, real estate-backed lending, corporate loans, and refinancing projects. Allard Carli is another strong member of the team with a broad range of experience of advising on banking and securities transactions, among other financial matters.

Orange Clover Law is a boutique law firm that has experience catering to an international client base, including JP Morgan, Santander, NIBC Bank, and HSBC, amongst others. The finance team is headed by Kees Hooft, who has broad experience across the finance and banking sector, encompassing corporate lending, acquisition finance, project finance, and alternative financing. Hannah van Grevenstein is also noted for her experience in assisting with some of the firm’s most complex cross-border financing transactions.