Fieldfisher expands its Amsterdam team with two strategic partner hires

European law firm Fieldfisher is pleased to announce the appointment of IP specialist Jos Klaus and Corporate lawyer Geert de Nijs as partners in its Amsterdam office. These strategic hires form part of the firm’s ongoing efforts to expand and deepen its practice areas and sector offerings in the Netherlands.

De Nijs joins the firm from Dutch law firm Ploum and brings a wealth of experience in corporate law and transactions, with particular expertise in the (renewable) energy, energy-related, and sustainability sectors. De Nijs advises Dutch and international clients on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, and strategic transactions. His focus on the energy sector and related industries aligns perfectly with the firm’s strategic sector focus and the current market trend towards energy transition, both by (greenfield) renewable ventures and by traditional energy companies. De Nijs has also worked as in-house counsel for a globally operating manufacturer in the oil, gas, and renewables industry. He was also seconded to the Dutch market-leading developer of solar farms.

De Nijs said: “I am excited to leverage Fieldfisher’s extensive M&A capabilities and work alongside some of the best corporate lawyers in the industry. Furthermore, Fieldfisher offers an unparalleled environment to integrate my experience with the firm’s established expertise in renewable energy. The firm’s incredible depth of knowledge of the regulatory framework and industry specifics within the energy sector sets the standard for the market. Together, we will continue to provide strategic advice to our clients who are looking to drive transformation and develop solutions for the energy sector, as well as those in other industries pursuing significant mergers, acquisitions, or other strategic transactions or investments.”

Klaus is an intellectual property and advertising lawyer who joins us from Leeway. Klaus specializes in advising and litigating all areas of ‘soft IP’ law, including copyright, design, and trademarks, as well as advertising law and online infringements. He has considerable experience in anti-counterfeiting measures, misleading advertising, and negotiating and drafting IP-related agreements. His notable achievements include successfully challenging one of the largest serial trademark filers in history at the Benelux Court of Justice and coordinating worldwide IP enforcement on behalf of several brands. He works closely with clients from a range of industries, including the consumer & luxury goods, tech, life sciences, automotive, and retail sectors.

Klaus said: “In today’s market, brands and designs have become increasingly important, and market image has never been more vital. Our clients’ issues do not end at the border. Therefore, the opportunity to join the market-leading intellectual property teams across Fieldfisher’s European network is incredibly exciting. I look forward to contributing to the firm’s continued success and helping our clients protect and enhance their valuable intellectual property rights across the European Union.”

In addition to these two new partners, Fieldfisher Netherlands has also hired Puck Hurkens as an associate in the Tech & Data Team, joining from Baker & McKenzie. Hurkens advises both domestic and foreign clients on privacy, data protection, IP, commercial contracts, and e-commerce. She is a board member of the Association for Young Privacy Lawyers (JPAN). 

Frans-Jozef Crousen, Co-Managing Partner of Fieldfisher Netherlands, commented: “Our dedication to acquiring top-tier talent like Jos and Geert is instrumental in our growth strategy for the Dutch market, which we began implementing three years ago. Their expertise will expand and rejuvenate our team, helping us achieve our goal of reaching 50 fee earners and solidifying our position as a leading law firm in the Netherlands. Puck joining us underlines this strategy as we continue to look not only for new partners but also for the best lawyers at all stages of their professional careers.”

Fieldfisher officially launched its Amsterdam office on 1 May 2017. Today, the firm has 10 partners and a total headcount of 31. The firm’s Netherlands office is structured as a member of a Swiss Verein and has played a key role in Fieldfisher’s expansion plans, which today see the firm operating from 23 offices across 13 countries.

Fieldfisher Netherlands is known for providing leading corporate, finance and insolvency, business structuring, commercial, compliance and governance, and litigation and arbitration advice to domestic and international clients, and in the past five years, has added expertise across employment, IP, Privacy, and IT.

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