DVDW Lawyers
'More business partner than classic law firm'
DATE
04 April 2020
TEXT
Jasper Gramsma
IMAGE
Kim Vermaat
Doing business together usually starts with trust. An excellent basis according to Marjon Lok of DVDW Advocaten. "But by putting some essential things on paper anyway, any conflicts and risks are better avoided." The top firm thinks along at every stage.
In 2019, DVDW Advocaten moved from a villa in the centre of The Hague to a cosmopolitan tower in the Beatrixkwartier. "This building better suits who we are," says equity partner Marjon Lok in the boardroom with panoramic views of the surrounding skyscrapers.
Experts in corporate law
She explains why. "As experts in corporate law, we are a real corporate firm with a strong Dutch base that also does a lot of international business. Then you want to have a professional appearance and also be easily accessible, including from Schiphol Airport." The new environment also has a positive impact on the team. "I notice that we are even more energetic and have more drive to make DVDW an even more renowned name."
In 2019, DVDW Advocaten moved from a villa in the centre of The Hague to a cosmopolitan tower in the Beatrix Quarter
The law firm, now over 15 years old, focuses on everything that medium-sized and large companies have to deal with in legal terms. "That includes employment law, real estate law, insolvency law and mergers and acquisitions," Lok explains.
'Our firm is in the top 10 with business deals of up to €50 million'
"And also about what my speciality is: corporate dispute resolution, or the balance of power between management board, supervisory board and shareholders." Then there is also the family law section. "That is how it has grown historically and we find that many of our entrepreneurial clients like that combination," says the lawyer.
Start-ups
In terms of size, DVDW is in the top 50 of Dutch law firms, in business deals up to €50 million it blows an even bigger party away. "Our firm is ranked in the top 10 in this category, we regularly sit opposite big names," he says.
Risks
Lok and companions also act for small players like start-ups. "You often see that although there is no turnover yet, there is financing behind it of tens or hundreds of millions. Then the stakes are such that we can immediately make ourselves useful by guiding investments and mapping out risks, thus staying ahead of potential conflicts. But it is also just plain fun to assist a company with a lot of potential."
'We know the law as well as the business world'
It is precisely this proactivity in which DVDW sees its added value. Lok: "This is not the classic law firm that you only call on when you have a fight, we are more: a business partner with whom you can spar. In other words: 'experts in the laws of business'; we know the law as well as the business world."
Ellen long memo
And that requires a special approach. "An entrepreneur has no use for a long memo; he just wants an answer to his question. We think along with them and give advice - solicited and unsolicited. We can put our content, with all the legal considerations, into publications and lectures. It's all about creating added value for the client, something lawyers sometimes seem to lose sight of." The 'sparring partnership' can prevent lumps, according to Lok. "I love litigation, that's what I specialise in, although it is frustrating at times to see that escalation was unnecessary."
Interests
As an example, she cites the pharma, life sciences and biotech industries. "In these, there is little discussion about who may demand what. Does a shareholder get to decide when something goes to market to recoup the investment? Or may the scientist decide that something needs further development first? Both have different interests, but engage with each other on the basis of trust. When things start teetering, usually over money, and the heels turn, it is annoying if you have not made sufficient agreements. A waste of time and money that would be better spent on business."
'An entrepreneur has no use for a long-winded memo, he just wants an answer to his question'
As the field of operations of Dutch companies is becoming increasingly international, cultural differences deserve more attention. "The starting point of Anglo-Saxon parties, for example, is very different; there, the interests of the shareholder are always paramount, here those of all stakeholders in a company, for example also the staff, suppliers and society. Fortunately, we have enough experience in-house to bridge those differences and steer them in the right direction."
text Jasper Gramsma / image Kim Vermaat
Doing business together usually starts with trust. An excellent basis according to Marjon Lok of DVDW Advocaten. "But by putting some essential things on paper anyway, any conflicts and risks are better avoided." The top firm thinks along at every stage.
In 2019, DVDW Advocaten moved from a villa in the centre of The Hague to a cosmopolitan tower in the Beatrixkwartier. "This building better suits who we are," says equity partner Marjon Lok in the boardroom with panoramic views of the surrounding skyscrapers.
Experts in corporate law
She explains why. "As experts in corporate law, we are a real corporate firm with a strong Dutch base that also does a lot of international business. Then you want to have a professional appearance and also be easily accessible, including from Schiphol Airport." The new environment also has a positive impact on the team. "I notice that we are even more energetic and have more drive to make DVDW an even more renowned name."
In 2019, DVDW Advocaten moved from a villa in the centre of The Hague to a cosmopolitan tower in the Beatrix Quarter
The law firm, now over 15 years old, focuses on everything that medium-sized and large companies have to deal with in legal terms. "That includes employment law, real estate law, insolvency law and mergers and acquisitions," Lok explains.
'Our firm is in the top 10 with business deals of up to €50 million'
"And also about what my speciality is: corporate dispute resolution, or the balance of power between management board, supervisory board and shareholders." Then there is also the family law section. "That is how it has grown historically and we find that many of our entrepreneurial clients like that combination," says the lawyer.
Start-ups
In terms of size, DVDW is in the top 50 of Dutch law firms, in business deals up to €50 million it blows an even bigger party away. "Our firm is ranked in the top 10 in this category, we regularly sit opposite big names," he says.
Risks
Lok and companions also act for small players like start-ups. "You often see that although there is no turnover yet, there is financing behind it of tens or hundreds of millions. Then the stakes are such that we can immediately make ourselves useful by guiding investments and mapping out risks, thus staying ahead of potential conflicts. But it is also just plain fun to assist a company with a lot of potential."
'We know the law as well as the business world'
It is precisely this proactivity in which DVDW sees its added value. Lok: "This is not the classic law firm that you only call on when you have a fight, we are more: a business partner with whom you can spar. In other words: 'experts in the laws of business'; we know the law as well as the business world."
Ellen long memo
And that requires a special approach. "An entrepreneur has no use for a long memo; he just wants an answer to his question. We think along with them and give advice - solicited and unsolicited. We can put our content, with all the legal considerations, into publications and lectures. It's all about creating added value for the client, something lawyers sometimes seem to lose sight of." The 'sparring partnership' can prevent lumps, according to Lok. "I love litigation, that's what I specialise in, although it is frustrating at times to see that escalation was unnecessary."
Interests
As an example, she cites the pharma, life sciences and biotech industries. "In these, there is little discussion about who may demand what. Does a shareholder get to decide when something goes to market to recoup the investment? Or may the scientist decide that something needs further development first? Both have different interests, but engage with each other on the basis of trust. When things start teetering, usually over money, and the heels turn, it is annoying if you have not made sufficient agreements. A waste of time and money that would be better spent on business."
'An entrepreneur has no use for a long-winded memo, he just wants an answer to his question'
As the field of operations of Dutch companies is becoming increasingly international, cultural differences deserve more attention. "The starting point of Anglo-Saxon parties, for example, is very different; there, the interests of the shareholder are always paramount, here those of all stakeholders in a company, for example also the staff, suppliers and society. Fortunately, we have enough experience in-house to bridge those differences and steer them in the right direction."
