Business law
Building an empire?
Doing business in another country presents new challenges. Whether you are starting a company, entering into a contract or facing a dispute, it helps to know where you stand under Dutch law.
Our team is here to guide you through the legal challenges of doing business in the Netherlands, from drafting clear contracts to understanding directors’ liability.
What we can help you with
- Drafting and reviewing commercial contracts
- Understanding, drafting and reviewing general terms and conditions
- Assessing directors’ liability
- Internal and external corporate dispute handling
- Supporting restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy matters
Common situations
- You are about to sign a commercial agreement and want to avoid legal risks
- A supplier, customer or business partner is not holding up their side of the deal
- You are concerned about your duties or liability as a director
- Your company is facing financial pressure and may need restructuring
- You need legal support in a dispute with another company
Why internationals need support
Business matters can move quickly, and the legal consequences are often significant. International entrepreneurs and companies may also deal with Dutch law alongside foreign contracts, foreign shareholders or cross-border interests. We help you understand what applies and what to do next.
Why Legal Expat Desk?
We understand the legal and commercial realities internationals face in the Netherlands. Our team offers clear, practical advice on business matters that often involve multiple interests, jurisdictions and deadlines.
Related property law topics
Our articles and FAQs cover topics such as commercial agreements, debt collection, corporate disputes and restructuring under Dutch law.
Our team is here to help you
Need advice for a business matter in the Netherlands? Our team is here to help you assess your situation and take the next step.
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Business law
Dutch law offers you several options for collecting outstanding invoices. Of course, you can send demand letters, but if those do not help, you can take the matter to court. You can also seize assets or file for bankruptcy. It is important that you build a good case file covering 1. the amount of the claim, 2. all relevant correspondence and supporting documents such as invoices and delivery notes, and 3. the attempts to collect the debt without the intervention of the court. With this information, we can advise you on your chances in legal proceedings.
You can always demand fulfilment of an agreement or request compensation. In addition to the agreement you have made with your supplier, this often also follows from the general terms and conditions that apply to the agreement. It is important that you can provide sufficient substantiation regarding the amount of the claim, the goods you ordered and the consequences of the incorrect delivery. If you send us that information, we can make a good assessment of your chances and develop a strategy with you. Of course, we will first have to determine whether Dutch law applies.
A creditor agreement or a debt cancellation arrangement may be a possibility to restructure business debts. A creditor agreement can even be enforced by a judge, provided the conditions are met, in a so-called WHOA procedure. It is important that you can sufficiently demonstrate that the company that wants to restructure its debts has a good chance of continuity and that the creditors are being offered sufficient in the context of a restructuring. We will gladly advise you on the steps to take and the strategy to follow.
Every bank in the Netherlands has the right to terminate a banking relationship. However, it must comply with certain rules. The duration, size and course of the credit relationship, for example, play a role, as does a decrease in creditworthiness or an increase in banking credit risk. Our specialists can use your case to determine what the bank could have done or whether the bank violated standards of due care. If it appears that the bank did not act correctly, we can help you take legal action against the bank to keep your account. We can also assist you in filing complaints about the actions of a bank with the Complaints Institute KIFID.
