Dentons, one of the world’s largest law firms, will enter the Netherlands through a combination with respected Dutch law firm Boekel. The partners of both firms have approved the deal, which is expected to close in April 2017. With the addition of the Amsterdam office, Dentons will have 26 offices in 18 countries across Europe and the largest property practice focusing on cross-border transactions on the continent.
“This is a landmark achievement in furthering our strategy for Europe,” said Tomasz Dabrowski, Chief Executive Officer for Dentons Europe. “Two years ago, we set out our vision for growth, with an ambitious goal to enter three new markets: Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. We opened in Milan in October 2015, and in Luxembourg and Rome last year, and are now continuing the momentum with our combination in Amsterdam.”
Boekel is an Amsterdam-based law firm employing approximately 70 lawyers, including 16 partners. The firm provides clients with full service legal advice, with a particular focus on the Real Estate, Corporate and Litigation.
As a result of the combination, Boekel’s clients will gain access to the experience of more than 7,600 lawyers in more than 60 countries around the world.
Wendela Raas, Managing Partner and head of the Real Estate Practice at Boekel, said. “Our clients will continue to receive the same personalized and practical advice they have come to expect from Boekel, while at the same time benefitting from Dentons’ unmatched global reach. To give just one example, our combined Real Estate practice will be the largest in the world, bringing together the talent of more than 1,200 lawyers.”
“In the last 15 months, we have seen a growing number of cross-border transactions which included properties in the Netherlands. No one can compete or add as much value on such multi-country transactions as Dentons’ Real Estate team,” said Evan Z. Lazar, Global Vice Chair and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Global Real Estate Group. “Boekel’s Real Estate practice, with 40 lawyers including 9 partners focused on the sector, is recognized as one of the leaders in the Dutch market. With the addition of the Amsterdam team, our 340-strong pan-European Real Estate practice will have the most Chambers-ranked real estate lawyers of any law firm in continental Europe.”
Pawel Debowski, Chairman of the European Real Estate Group at Dentons, added: “We observe investors’ strong appetite for Dutch core and second tier property assets, driven by the positive economic outlook, low interest rates and favourable relative pricing. Some investors list Amsterdam, ahead of Frankfurt, Paris or Luxembourg, as the market that could potentially attract London-based businesses seeking to relocate following Brexit. Following the combination with Boekel, Dentons will be even better positioned to serve their pan-European investment needs.”
