NautaDutilh, an independent
law firm practicing Dutch, Belgian, and Luxembourg law. NautaDutilh is one of the largest law firms in Europe, with over 400 lawyers, civil law notaries, and tax advisers in offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Luxembourg, New York, and Rotterdam. The firm history dates back to 1724.
NautaDutilh's core practice areas are corporate, banking, and financial law, but it is also widely known for its expertise in the areas of tax, intellectual property, competition and antitrust law, telecoms and media, commercial property, and insurance. In 1795, the firm was involved in loan negotiations between Dutch bankers and representatives of the US government to finance the rebuilding and expansion of
Washington, D.C.
The firm's partners have a long-standing tradition of public service and many hold academic appointments. In 1903, NautaDutilh hired the first female lawyer in the Netherlands, Adolphine Kok. Over the years, the firm has produced entrepreneurs, politicians, and even a winner of the
Nobel Peace Prize (
Tobias Asser, 1838-1913).
Represented
Alitalia SpA in a successful €253.3 million arbitration case against
KLM for wrongful termination by the latter of its alliance with the Italian airline in 2000. An arbitral award was rendered in 2002.
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Studio Legale Ughi e Nunziante served as co-counsel to Alitalia.
Represented
Dexia Bank Nederland in seeking court approval of an approximately €1 billion
collective settlement of a class action suit brought against Dexia in relation to its securities leasing products. This was the first-ever judicial ratification of a collective settlement in the financial services sector in the Netherlands.
Representing
Eureko B.V. in its multibillion-euro BIT claim against the Polish government with respect to Eureko's investment in PZU, Poland's largest insurance company (ongoing)
Representing
Yukos in disputes with the Russian government (ongoing).
Advising
ING Group on the Dutch government’s assumption of credit risk.
Representing
Lancôme (L'Oréal Group) in a landmark case in which the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld the appellate court's judgment finding that the scent of a perfume constitutes an original work can qualify for copyright protection.
Advised
Johnson & Johnson on its bid for all ordinary shares of the biopharmaceutical company
Crucell N.V.. Cravath, Swaine & Moore served as US counsel to Johnson & Johnson.
Advised Wind Acquisition Finance SA on the placement of €2.7 billion in
high-yield bonds as part of a €6.6 billion deal. This transaction was considered the largest European high-yield bond issuance in 2010.
Assisted the
Belgian Federal Holding and Investment Company [nl] (SFPI/FPIM) further to the underwriting by
KBC of €3.5 billion in non-voting debt instruments in order to improve consumer confidence in the group and strengthen the core tier-1 ratios applicable to its banking and insurance activities.
Advised Shire (a UK-Irish biopharmaceutical company listed on the
London Stock Exchange and
NASDAQ) on its all-cash voluntary takeover bid for the outstanding shares of Movetis, a Belgian biotech company listed on Euronext Brussels.
Along with
Slaughter and May, assisted QBE in its acquisition of Secura NV, a Belgian-based reinsurer, further to a highly competitive auction process. QBE, which was particularly interested in Secura's long-term relationship with insurers throughout continental Europe, paid EUR 267 million for the reinsurer.
Assisted the Belgian professional association of listed investment funds (BEAMA) with the drafting of a new
royal decree on REITs (sicafis/vastgoedbevaks) and in negotiations with the competent authorities. The royal decree, which was prepared in consultation with the representatives of several local REITs, aims to level the playing field with foreign REITs by resolving several issues that had come to light over the years and which had resulted in regulatory concerns for certain REITs, in particular newer ones.
Advised
W.P. Carey & Co. LLC on its €157 million acquisition and triple-net leaseback of six logistics facilities to Dutch food retailer
C1000 BV in 2011.
Represented the
Brussels-Capital Region before the
Belgian Constitutional Court in an action to set aside the Flemish decree on
CO² emissions trading for aviation activities. This decree transposed Community Directive 2008/101/EC of 19 November 2008 into law in the
Flemish Region.
NautaDutilh, an independent
law firm practicing Dutch, Belgian, and Luxembourg law. NautaDutilh is one of the largest law firms in Europe, with over 400 lawyers, civil law notaries, and tax advisers in offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Luxembourg, New York, and Rotterdam. The firm history dates back to 1724.
NautaDutilh's core practice areas are corporate, banking, and financial law, but it is also widely known for its expertise in the areas of tax, intellectual property, competition and antitrust law, telecoms and media, commercial property, and insurance. In 1795, the firm was involved in loan negotiations between Dutch bankers and representatives of the US government to finance the rebuilding and expansion of
Washington, D.C.
The firm's partners have a long-standing tradition of public service and many hold academic appointments. In 1903, NautaDutilh hired the first female lawyer in the Netherlands, Adolphine Kok. Over the years, the firm has produced entrepreneurs, politicians, and even a winner of the
Nobel Peace Prize (
Tobias Asser, 1838-1913).
Represented
Alitalia SpA in a successful €253.3 million arbitration case against
KLM for wrongful termination by the latter of its alliance with the Italian airline in 2000. An arbitral award was rendered in 2002.
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Studio Legale Ughi e Nunziante served as co-counsel to Alitalia.
Represented
Dexia Bank Nederland in seeking court approval of an approximately €1 billion
collective settlement of a class action suit brought against Dexia in relation to its securities leasing products. This was the first-ever judicial ratification of a collective settlement in the financial services sector in the Netherlands.
Representing
Eureko B.V. in its multibillion-euro BIT claim against the Polish government with respect to Eureko's investment in PZU, Poland's largest insurance company (ongoing)
Representing
Yukos in disputes with the Russian government (ongoing).
Advising
ING Group on the Dutch government’s assumption of credit risk.
Representing
Lancôme (L'Oréal Group) in a landmark case in which the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld the appellate court's judgment finding that the scent of a perfume constitutes an original work can qualify for copyright protection.
Advised
Johnson & Johnson on its bid for all ordinary shares of the biopharmaceutical company
Crucell N.V.. Cravath, Swaine & Moore served as US counsel to Johnson & Johnson.
Advised Wind Acquisition Finance SA on the placement of €2.7 billion in
high-yield bonds as part of a €6.6 billion deal. This transaction was considered the largest European high-yield bond issuance in 2010.
Assisted the
Belgian Federal Holding and Investment Company [nl] (SFPI/FPIM) further to the underwriting by
KBC of €3.5 billion in non-voting debt instruments in order to improve consumer confidence in the group and strengthen the core tier-1 ratios applicable to its banking and insurance activities.
Advised Shire (a UK-Irish biopharmaceutical company listed on the
London Stock Exchange and
NASDAQ) on its all-cash voluntary takeover bid for the outstanding shares of Movetis, a Belgian biotech company listed on Euronext Brussels.
Along with
Slaughter and May, assisted QBE in its acquisition of Secura NV, a Belgian-based reinsurer, further to a highly competitive auction process. QBE, which was particularly interested in Secura's long-term relationship with insurers throughout continental Europe, paid EUR 267 million for the reinsurer.
Assisted the Belgian professional association of listed investment funds (BEAMA) with the drafting of a new
royal decree on REITs (sicafis/vastgoedbevaks) and in negotiations with the competent authorities. The royal decree, which was prepared in consultation with the representatives of several local REITs, aims to level the playing field with foreign REITs by resolving several issues that had come to light over the years and which had resulted in regulatory concerns for certain REITs, in particular newer ones.
Advised
W.P. Carey & Co. LLC on its €157 million acquisition and triple-net leaseback of six logistics facilities to Dutch food retailer
C1000 BV in 2011.
Represented the
Brussels-Capital Region before the
Belgian Constitutional Court in an action to set aside the Flemish decree on
CO² emissions trading for aviation activities. This decree transposed Community Directive 2008/101/EC of 19 November 2008 into law in the
Flemish Region.