Employment & Pensions

De arbeidsrechtpraktijk van Houthoff behoort tot de toonaangevende full service praktijken op dit terrein in Nederland en adviseert (inter)nationale cliënten bij alle aspecten van het arbeids- en pensioenrecht. Het gaat daarbij zowel om het medezeggenschapsrecht, individueel en collectief ontslagrecht, de begeleiding van financiële transacties op dit terrein en om advieswerk en litigation werk in brede zin.

Bijzondere expertise bestaat op het terrein van pensioenen, rechtspositie van bestuurders inclusief hun remuneratie, governance verhoudingen en het leerstuk van eenzijdige wijziging.

“Clients underline the team’s attentiveness, one characterising the lawyers as ‘fast and helpful.’”

Chambers Europe, Employment (2021 Edition)
“A client highlights the team’s ‘expertise and good interpersonal communication skills to accompany us in this complicated path.’”

Chambers Europe, Employment (2021 Edition)
“When one person is not available, there is always a great colleague to step in.”

Legal 500, Employment (2021 Edition)
“Hands-on and very knowledgeable.”

Legal 500, Employment (2021 Edition)
“Very good knowledge and experience, very professional, good sense of humour too, and quick response to questions also outside office hours.”

Legal 500, Employment (2021 Edition)
First Tier firm

Legal 500, Employment (2021 Edition)
“A commentator applauds the lawyers for ‘proving every time that they have the knowledge; it’s straight there when we need to talk to them, they don’t need to check and can can advise immediately in the moment.’”

Chambers Europe, Employment (2020 Edition)
“Clients appreciate the attentiveness of the team, with one describing the lawyers as ‘very smart people who are very dedicated and flexible, reachable any time and are very reactive.’”

Chambers Europe, Employment (2020 Edition)
First Tier firm

Legal 500, Employment (2020 Edition)
“The labour law team has a quick understanding what is needed and to which scale their skills and effort are needed. When talking to one you know the other team members will be informed the next time you speak to them. Especially on law concerning the collective labour agreement they have a great insight in how to act and negotiate.”

Legal 500, Employment (2020 Edition)
“There is consistency in the team, so we have developed a long-term relationship with the various team members,’ notes another interviewee, adding: ‘They react fast and effectively to our requests.’”

Chambers Europe, Employment (2019 Edition)
“The firm leverages its resources and demonstrates broad experience in different areas of law.”

Chambers Europe, Employment (2019 Edition)
“Houthoff is ‘top of the bill and better able to understand the needs of the customer compared to its peers.’”

Legal 500, Employment (2019 Edition)
First Tier firm

Legal 500, Employment (2019 Edition)
"Clients appreciate the team's 'knowledge and experience in employment law' alongside the lawyers' 'sharp thinking and logical and consistent approach'."

Chambers Europe, Employment (2018 Edition)
"They are always fast responding and easy to reach and the advice we receive is effective, understandable, and to the point."

Chambers Europe, Employment (2018 Edition)
"‘Fast, sharp and to-the-point’, the ‘proactive’, ‘accessible and well-coordinated’ team of ‘critical thinkers’ at Houthoff."

Legal 500, Employment (2018 Edition)
First Tier firm

Legal 500, Employment (2018 Edition)

Highlighted Matters

Advised European private equity firm CastikCapital on the acquisition of TBAuctions, a leading European online auction platform.
Highlighted Matters

Advised and represented ESD-SIC B.V. in proceedings before the Dutch Supreme Court in connection with a dispute with a former employee.
Highlighted Matters

Advised HqO, together with Goodwin Procter LLP, on the acquisition of Office App. Office App is a leading European tenant and employee engagement platform.
Highlighted Matters

Houthoff, together with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, advised Atlas Holdings LLC on the acquisition of the Permasteelisa Group from LIXIL Group Corporations (Japan).
Highlighted Matters

Advised together with Renzenbrink & Partner, the svt Group, a leading supplier of passive fire protection products and systems with the acquisition of Flamepro. The svt Group is an Ergon Capital portfolio company.
Highlighted Matters

Houthoff advised Poiesz Supermarkten B.V., a chain of supermarkets in the Northern Netherlands, on the acquisition of Zorggroep Friesland B.V., sole shareholder of Van Smaak B.V.. Van Smaak B.V. delivers meals to healthcare institutions and individual customers and has the whole relating process (including the purchase of the raw materials, processing and logistics) in house.
Highlighted Matters

V&D was a landmark brand of high street located department stores (63 stores) in the Netherlands and was founded in 1887. Houthoff advised the company in a wide array of matters, including the restructuring of its debt, and representing the company in several high profile litigation matters related to real estate and labour law.
Highlighted Matters

Houthoff advised BGI Genomics Co., Ltd. on all Dutch-law aspects in connection with its successful IPO at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. BGI is a leading gene sequencing firm, offering a wide portfolio of genetic testing products across major diseases, enabling medical providers and patients worldwide to realise the promise of genomics-based diagnostics and personalised healthcare.
Highlighted Matters

Houthoff advised Stichting Bedrijfspensioenfonds voor het Bakkersbedrijf (Bpf Bakkers), a Dutch pension fund managing assets of approximately EUR 3.5 billion, on the appointment of NN Investment Partners as their new integrated fiduciary asset manager. This transaction involved the preparation and negotiations of a fiduciary management agreement under Dutch law based on Bpf Bakker's own template.
Highlighted Matters

Houthoff advised Stichting Pensioenfonds Campina, a Dutch pension fund, on the renewal of its contractual relationship with Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc., RREEF America L.L.C. (both subsidiaries of Deutsche Bank AG) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management International. This work included the preparation and negotiation of a complex Dutch law asset management agreement based on the pension fund's own template.
Highlighted Matters

Acted on behalf of several CEO’s of listed companies pertaining to their dismissal and acted on behalf of various listed and non listed companies with regard to high profile dismissal cases of boardmembers
Highlighted Matters

Acted on behalf of Royal IHC in a major reorganisation of 800 employees.